Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the improvements and innovations he has made in respect of rolling out industry standard apprenticeship and workplace learning programmes in the catering and hospitality sectors; the way in which he is seeking to engage employers to mentor and train employees in the catering and hospitality sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4475/17]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that qualifications (details supplied) can be rolled out to train and accredit a cohort of skilled staff to deal with the acute staff shortage in the catering industry; if developments have been made in the design of new apprenticeships here; the levels of engagement with employers he is having; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4480/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together.

The Apprenticeship Council was established in early 2014 to oversee the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new areas. Its first task was to formally invite proposals for new apprenticeship programmes from consortia of enterprise, professional bodies and education and training providers. Over 80 separate proposals were received all of which were evaluated by the Council. Included in these proposals are a number of proposals in the hospitality sector, particularly in the culinary area.

Work is progressing on the development of a new Commis Chef Apprenticeship led by the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland working with Kerry Education and Training Board. It is planned that this programme will commence in 2017. The Apprenticeship Council recently approved development funding for a separate proposal to develop a Chef de Partie Apprenticeship. The Council will continue to work closely with these consortia to develop their proposals into sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis.

As the Deputy is aware all statutory apprenticeships in Ireland must lead to an award on the National Framework of Qualifications. Legislative amendments are necessary to facilitate the inclusion of awards made by non-national awarding bodies such as City and Guilds within the National Framework of Qualifications. These amendments will be contained in the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill. The Heads of this Bill are currently being prepared by my Department in consultation with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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252. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is engaging with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships to develop a fit-for-purpose workforce in view of the fact that the current apprenticeships programmes offered are providing accreditation for trades mainly within construction or the manual trades; if his attention has been drawn to the European apprenticeship focus on accrediting workplace skills; the amount of funding available to develop apprenticeship programmes; the steps he has taken to access this and develop an innovative workplace skills programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4484/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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My Department has been working with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships to achieve a common goal of increasing the quality, supply and attractiveness of apprenticeships. As part of these commitments my Department undertook in 2013 to carry out a review of the Apprenticeship system in Ireland.

An independent group produced the Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland, which was published in 2014. The review contained a range of recommendations to expand participation of apprenticeship, including the establishment of an Apprenticeship Council. The Council was established in November 2014 and immediately began work on a call for proposals for the development of new enterprise-led apprenticeships. The call issued in January 2015 and over 80 proposals were received from industry stakeholders working with education and training providers. The Apprenticeship Council has been working with the proposers of these new programmes to develop them in sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. The funding for planned and forecast expansion in 2017 will see an additional €20 million provided.

An Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020 was launched on 26th January 2017 and sets out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitments on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period to 2020. 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes over the lifetime of the Action Plan, a doubling of current activity.

The Plan sets out how we will manage the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals and also commits to a new call for apprenticeship proposals in 2017. The Plan sets out a clear 10 step path for the development of new apprenticeships and also sets an overall development timeline for a new apprenticeship of 12-15 months. The Plan also commits to examining the potential for public sector engagement with the apprenticeship system.

The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, the first of the new programmes developed through the Apprenticeship Council’s first call for proposals, launched in September 2016 and an Industrial Engineer Apprenticeship commenced in November 2016. 13 further new apprenticeships are due to launch later this year in various sectors including medical devices, polymer processing and financial services.

In addition, a campaign to promote apprenticeship is currently being developed by SOLAS in consultation with key partners, including the Apprenticeship Council. The campaign will raise awareness and promote the value of apprenticeship for individual apprentices and for employers and it will cover both existing apprenticeships and the new apprenticeships now coming on stream.