Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the initiatives that he has facilitated to encourage the recruitment of mature apprentices; if he is considering additional measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6121/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners. The Plan seeks to deliver on a target of 10,000 annual apprenticeship registrations 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, career changers or the unemployed. Growing that message is a key feature of planning for apprenticeship in the coming years.

By the end of 2021 31% of the overall apprenticeship population were over 25 years of age. In a number of recently developed apprenticeships such as CGI Technical Assistant, Equipment Systems Engineer and Principal Engineer, the over 25 cohort rises to 100%. Across all of the 37 more recently developed apprenticeships the average age of apprentices is 27.

A new National Apprenticeship Office will make accessing information on, and engagement with, apprenticeship more straightforward for both learners of all ages and employers. In 2022 the public service will set out a roadmap for the recruitment of apprentices and we have launched a new Apprenticeship Employer Grant of €2,000 per annum for employers of consortia-led apprenticeships. This will encourage more employers to engage with a wider range of apprenticeships and apprentices and help to encourage the development of new programmes. It also means that, for the first time, all employers will receive a level of support towards the cost of apprentice training.

Under the Action Planthe 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.

I am satisfied that these measures and the implementation process for the Action Plan for Apprenticeshipoverall will have a significant impact in ensuring greater diversity in the apprenticeship population as a whole.