Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is considering additional measures or initiatives to help recruit mature apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36687/21]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 was launched on 19th April and sets out a five year plan which sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners. The actions set out in the plan seek to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025.

The Plan will address the clear need to broaden the awareness of apprenticeship as a work-based route to internationally recognised qualifications and experience for people of all ages, be they progressing in their career, school leavers or career changers. Growing that message is a key feature of planning for apprenticeship in the coming years.

Currently over 28% of the apprenticeship population are over 25 years of age and in some of the new consortia led apprenticeships such as Auctioneering and property service the over 25 cohort rises to 70%.

A new National Apprenticeship Office will make accessing information on, and engagement with, apprenticeship more straightforward for both learners and employers. It will provide practical advice and support for the new consortia responsible for the delivery of apprenticeships at programme level. Prospective apprentices of all ages will be able to find out information about apprenticeship opportunities and will receive more support and clearer communication throughout their entire learning journey, including exploring the opportunity for craft apprentices to express preferences on the location of their off-the-job training, where practicable.

Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship the impacts of, and outcomes from, existing access to apprenticeship and pre apprenticeship programmes as well as other interventions across the sector will be examined to provide an evidence base for best practice and future interventions to deliver an apprentice population which better reflects the general population.

Enhanced cooperation with the State's Public Employment Service as set out in the Plan will also increase visibility of apprenticeship to employers and career changers.