Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of females undertaking apprenticeships here. [28483/18]

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; and his plans to address the issue. [28484/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together.

At the end of May, 2018 there was a total of 156 female apprentices registered across the 36 apprenticeship schemes currently on offer, which represents an increase of 160% on the 2016 figure of 60 and 500% on 2015 of 26. 

The 2014 Review of Apprenticeship in Ireland acknowledged that the number of women employed in craft apprenticeships is low as they operate in sectors that have traditionally low levels of female employment. SOLAS offers a bursary to employers to encourage them to employ female apprentices in these areas. Despite this the number of female apprentices in the craft apprenticeships remains low.

Currently the Apprenticeship Council is overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system in Ireland into a range of new sectors of the economy, following two calls for new apprenticeship proposals from employers and education and training providers.  To date eleven apprenticeship programmes are operational and we are now seeing a strong increase in female participation in many of these new programmes, particularly in the financial and hospitality sectors.  With further new apprenticeships to get underway this year, many of which that 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.  While this is welcome, it is also important to address issues influencing the low level of recruitment of women in the craft sectors.

As set out in our Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland, my Department, in conjunction with SOLAS, is currently reviewing the pathways to participation in apprenticeship in a range of diverse groups, including female participation. The review is due to be completed shortly.

Furthermore, a digital campaign to promote apprenticeship is now underway with a dedicated Twitter feed #Generation Apprenticeship, a new apprenticeship website www.apprenticeship.ie, an Apprenticeship Ireland Facebook page and a LinkedIn page. In all aspects of the digital campaign women feature prominently and there will be a specific focus on encouraging women and girls to consider apprenticeship as a means of launching or developing their careers.