Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16841/17]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16875/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 173 together.

The number of females employed in craft apprenticeships has been low as these programmes operate in sectors that have traditionally low levels of female employment. While SOLAS offers a bursary to employers to encourage them to employ female apprentices, the number remains low.

Currently 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. The first of these new apprenticeships were launched in 2016, with the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship launching in September and the Industrial Electrical Engineer Apprenticeship getting underway in November. We have already seen an increase in female participation in these new programmes with almost 40% of the initial intake on the Insurance Practitioner programme being female. With further new apprenticeships getting underway in 2017, many of which are in sectors where there is a different gender balance in the workplace, it is expected, as these new apprenticeships are rolled out, that this will lead to a continued increase in female participation.

The Department of Education and Skills, in conjunction with SOLAS, will review the pathways to participation in apprenticeship in a range of diverse groups, including female participation, in light of the broadening of the apprenticeship system into new areas. The review will be completed in 2018 and any recommendations made will be implemented immediately. A promotion campaign around opportunities for learners and employers in apprenticeship is getting underway. This campaign will have a particular focus on encouraging women to engage in apprenticeship programmes.