Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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7. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will assist in reducing unemployment and sustaining existing employment by allocating ring fenced funding for the development of new apprenticeships and training programmes to promote new skills and for in-work training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29952/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Within the further education and training sector there is a range of flexible high quality education and training on offer to meet the skill needs of individuals who are unemployed.  To provide for the skill needs of those who are in employment a number of initiatives are also in place to provide in-work training and sustain and support existing employment.

Funded from the National Training Fund by my Department, Skillnets Limited funds and facilitates training provision through over 60 networks of private sector companies under the Training Networks Programme in a range of sectors and regions across the country. These networks identify their own common training needs, typically on a regional or sectoral basis. They also source their own training providers and develop their own learning solutions. This ensures projects remain enterprise-led and aligned with their needs.  Last year, employer participation in Skillnets training grew by 15% resulting in almost 12,000 businesses collaborating with Skillnets to deliver training provision to almost 40,000 employees. 

In Budget 2017, an increase of €2 million has been provided under the National Training Funding for Skillnets.

The Apprenticeship Council is overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new areas, following a call for proposals from employers and education and training providers. 25 proposals have been prioritised by the Council for development.  The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, the first of the new programmes developed, launched in September.  Further new apprenticeships are due to launch in the coming months in various sectors including medical devices, polymer processing and financial services. The last number of years have also seen a marked increase in new registrations in the 27 existing apprenticeships.  As a result an additional €20 million is being made available from within the National Training Fund to provide for increased apprenticeship activity in 2017.  This is being funded through savings arising from reduced demand for training for unemployed people in line with the strong growth in employment.

A new career traineeship initiative, instigated by SOLAS in collaboration with the Education and Training Boards and Enterprise to develop a more effective model of work-based learning, primarily at NFQ levels 4 and 5, is currently being piloted within the Hospitality and Engineering sectors.  Based on the model further programmes are being developed.  A target has been set to achieve 5,000 traineeship registrations by 2019.

 SOLAS is working on the development of a policy framework for employee development within further education and training with reference to the actions and targets as set out in the National Skills Strategy to 2025.  Progress is well advanced and it is planned that the framework will be complete by the end of the year.