Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprenticeship courses that are offered in west County Dublin; the uptake in apprenticeships; and if there was sufficient supply of courses for the demand in each of the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. [54441/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Apprenticeship is a demand driven educational and training programme, which aims to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. Consequently, the number of apprentices registered is determined by employers within each sector. 80% of the total time on a craft apprenticeship is spent on-the-job with the employer so demand for apprenticeship is primarily met by the employer base in any area.

Apprenticeships are national training programmes that are delivered via a range of education and training providers. Apprentices receive their off-the-job training in an Institute of Technology or an Education Training Board. Technological University Dublin, Blanchardstown Campus, is one of the providers of off-the-job training and offers training for plumbing apprentices. The numbers of apprentices at that location in recent years are set out in the following table.

It is not practical to offer the full range of apprenticeship trades in each training location. SOLAS, in their role as co-ordinating provider, operates a transparent and equitable management system for the scheduling of all apprentices for their off-the-job training and whilst every effort is made to eliminate unnecessary travel apprentices sometimes have to attend training facilities outside their locality. Apprentices in west Dublin also have access to the broad range of off-the-job training offered by City of Dublin ETB and Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB Training Centres and at the campuses of Technological University Dublin.

SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority will continue to monitor off-the-job training capacity as craft apprenticeship registrations continue to grow strongly.

Apprentices Attending Plumbing Phase 6 training in Blanchardstown Campus