Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to address the shortage of skilled staff such as chefs in the hospitality sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28282/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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In 2015 the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGSFN) carried out a study on the future skills needs of the hospitality sector. The objective was to assess demand arising within the sector in Ireland including hotels, restaurants, bars, canteens and catering over the period to 2020. The aim was to ensure that there will be the right supply of skills to help drive domestic hospitality sector business and employment growth. The report which was published in November 2015, provides a clear and coherent framework for the development of talent in the hospitality sector in the years ahead to help drive both hospitality business and employment growth which is one the key goals of the Government’s Tourism Policy Statement – People, Place and Policy-Growing Tourism to 2025.  

The Study assesses skills demand at all NFQ levels, with a particular focus on career progression opportunities for those at lower skilled levels to help fill anticipated job openings. The report provides a set of recommendations designed to address the skills requirements of the sector over the period to 2020.  A key recommendation in the report was the need to set up a National Oversight and Advisory Group comprising all of the key hospitality stakeholders.  Following on this recommendation, the Hospitality Skills Oversight Group was established early last year.  Chaired by SOLAS for the first year and now chaired by the Irish Hotels' Federation, it has held ten meetings so far. Membership of the Group includes the Restaurant Association of Ireland, the Irish Hotel Federation, Irish Hospitality Institute, Licensed Vintners Association, Vintners Federation of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Department of Education and Skills, Department of Social Protection, Higher Education Authority, Skillnets, SOLAS, ETBs, IoTs, DIT and Quality and Qualifications Ireland.  The role of the Group is to monitor progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the EGFSN and to provide a forum for on-going collaboration in addressing the skills needs of the sector and to identify and progress actions to overcome barriers on its implementation.  

 The Group will shortly publish an interim report outlining progress to date.  So far, work has been undertaken on careers promotion via a range of fora, including the launch of the Tourism Insight online programme which is aimed at promoting careers in tourism and hospitality with particular reference to transition year and Youthreach participants.  The NCCA has recently published a draft new specification for Junior Certificate Home Economics which has a strong emphasis on culinary skills and retains the cookery examination component.  Earlier in the year, the group participated in a dedicated focus group with the NCCA on the new specification. Audits of both higher and further education facilities and courses are underway. A Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet has been established which aims to address key skills requirements of restaurants and catering companies to help drive the domestic hospitality sector, employment growth, talent attraction and retention. Funded through the National Training Fund by my Department, the network plans to design tailored programmes covering all aspects of the restaurant, food and beverage industry to SMEs nationally with a particular focus on career progression for those at lower skilled levels to help fill anticipated job openings and increase retention levels within the sector and is well placed to address key recommendations of the EGFSN 2015 Report.

Earlier this year, I launched the Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020, setting 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. The Plan sets out how we will manage the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals in 2015 to provide for the needs of all sectors, including hospitality and tourism.    Last month saw the opening of the Apprenticeship Council's second call to employers for proposals for new apprenticeship programmes, where we are targeting areas such as the hospitality sector, where apprenticeships have not traditionally existed, so as to offer robust new career pathways and options to at least 20% of school leavers. The call is a key action in the plan to double the number of annual apprenticeship and traineeship registrations in 120 different schemes so that by 2020, 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes.

Work is  nearing completion on development of the new Commis Chef Apprenticeship led by the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland working with Kerry Education and Training Board which is planned to commence later this year.  The Apprenticeship Council has also approved development funding for a separate proposal to develop a Chef de Partie Apprenticeship.  The Council will continue to work with the proposers of these new programmes to develop them into sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. The funding for planned and forecast expansion in 2017 will see an additional €20million provided. 

In 2015 a new career traineeship programme was initiated by SOLAS in collaboration with the ETBs and enterprise to develop a more effective model of work-based learning, primarily at NFQ levels 4 and 5, incorporating best national and international research and practice. Networks have been created to facilitate partnerships between ETBs and employers to identify training needs, design training programmes, recruit learners and deliver training on and off the job. The career traineeship model of work-based learning is currently being piloted with the hospitality and engineering sectors, with the involvement of seven ETBs.

To date four Career Traineeship programmes have been completed in Hospitality.  Circa 10 new Hospitality Career Traineeship programmes are planned for development/delivery by the ETBs in 2017.

In April, the National Skills Council and nine Regional Skills Fora were established - both of which are key elements of the new skills architecture as set out in the National Skills Strategy 2025.  Working together with Government Departments  and agencies along with education and training providers,  the work of the Council and fora, will ensure that we can anticipate and respond to current, future and rapidly changing skills needs across all sectors, including hospitality.