Written answers

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Apprenticeship Programmes

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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749. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will be informed of their commencement date for level 4/7 of their apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16761/21]

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a 90% increase in the apprentice population since 2015. Existing off-the-job training facilities, particularly in Electrical and Plumbing apprenticeships had been coming under increasing pressure to facilitate the rapid growth in apprentice population. COVID-19 related suspension of practical training in Training Centres, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities have had a significant impact on waiting times. When permissible, practical training is also operating at approximately 50% normal capacity to ensure adherence to public health guidance.

Since January 11th face to face training has again been suspended. Education and training providers have been able to front-load remote training on theoretical aspects of apprenticeship to ensure that off-the-job training continues, albeit not in the important practical elements of apprenticeship.

A phased return to face to face training has commenced for those apprentices who were close to completion of phase 2, 4 or 6 when training was suspended in January 2021. SOLAS is providing weekly updates directly to apprentices, and employers of apprentices, who are currently assigned to these off-the-job training phases.

Scheduling dates for individual apprentices are not available at the current time, with the system focussing on supporting craft apprentices who had been assigned to off-the-job training to complete their phases. SOLAS and the HEA are working on the development of additional training capacity across education and training providers with the objective of tackling the waiting lists and ensuring that apprentices complete their training as quickly as possible once current COVID-19 restrictions allow. €20M in capital expenditure has been allocated to SOLAS and the HEA to facilitate an additional 4,000 places across the system in the coming period.

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