Written answers

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

Department of Education and Skills

Apprenticeship Programmes

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which efforts continue to be made to create apprenticeship opportunities under various trades; the degree to which specific shortages have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8820/17]

Photo of John HalliganJohn Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Following the Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland, the Apprenticeship Council was established in November 2014 to oversee the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new sectors of the economy. The Council 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. Recently we have seen the first of these new programmes coming on stream with the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship commencing in September 2016 and the Industrial Electrical Engineer Apprenticeship getting underway 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.

Last month, I launched the Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020, which sets out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period. 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 later this year. Over the lifetime of the Plan, 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes which represents a doubling of current activity.

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.

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