Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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COVID-19 related suspension of face to face training in Training Centres (Phase 2), Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities (Phases 4 and 6) has had a significant impact on the ability of craft apprentices to access off-the-job training. When permissible, face to face training is operating at approximately 50% normal capacity to ensure adherence to public health guidance. This has exacerbated the increasing pressure on craft apprentice off-the-job training facilities which was growing as a result of the 90% increase in apprentice population over the past 6 years, a situation which has impacted on waiting lists for electrical, plumbing and carpentry and joinery in particular.

€20M in capital expenditure has been allocated to SOLAS and the HEA to facilitate an additional 4,000 craft apprenticeship places across the system in the coming period in addition to €12M already allocated to support additional classes and teaching capacity to ameliorate COVID-19 measures. SOLAS and the HEA are working with the education and training providers to tackle waiting lists for off-the-job elements of programmes to ensure that apprentices complete their training as quickly as possible once COVID-19 restrictions allow.

In the interim, education and training providers have front-loaded remote training on theoretical aspects of apprenticeship for craft apprentices to ensure that apprentices are facilitated to continue with their programme. A phased return to face to face training has commenced for those apprentices who had been undertaking remote teaching and learning or who were close to completion of phase 2, 4 or 6 when training was suspended in January 2021.

SOLAS and further and higher education providers are providing regular updates for apprentices and employers of apprentices who are assigned to off-the-job training phases. Scheduling dates for individual apprentices are not available at the current time, with the system focused on supporting craft apprentices to complete their phases.