Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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446. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of apprentices registering on both craft and consortia-led apprenticeships had already attained a level 8 qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58478/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely collected by SOLAS. There are currently 62 apprenticeships leading to qualifications at level 5-10 of the National Framework of Qualifications. Three of the existing apprenticeships and five of the apprenticeships known to be in development are at level 9 or 10 of the framework. These may well necessitate a qualification at level 7 or 8, or equivalent experience, for entry to the apprenticeship.

A survey of registered apprentices was undertaken in September 2020 to inform the development of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship. From a response rate of 20% of the apprentice population 3.5% of respondents (124) reported having a level 7 or 8 qualification before entry to their apprenticeship. 28 of these were on consortia-led apprenticeships and 89 on craft apprenticeships.