Written answers

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Apprenticeship Programmes

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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716. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to reintroduce tiling apprenticeships under the remit of SOLAS given the high demand for adequately qualified tilers in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14481/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Apprenticeship is a demand driven educational and training programme which aims to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. Consequently, the number of apprentices being registered is determined by employers in the sector.

The number of new apprenticeship registrations for wet trades, the family of apprenticeships to which this programme belongs, dropped sharply during the last economic downturn and has not recovered at the same rate as other construction trades.

Unfortunately, the tiling apprenticeship has been closed for registrations for a number of years due to these low registrations.

While there is no current apprenticeship dedicated to tiling, floor and wall tiling is included as a module in the Plastering Apprenticeship. More information in relation to this apprenticeship and the other apprenticeships that are currently available can found on www.apprenticeship.ie.

The development of new apprenticeships is employer-led and it is open to employers to work with education and training providers to develop new apprenticeships if there is sufficient demand from the sector.  Again, further details can be found on www.apprenticeship.ie.

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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717. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that his Department is taking to address the current backlog for phase 2 electrical apprentices, wherein a four-year electrical apprenticeship may now take up to six years to complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14504/22]

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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719. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that his Department is taking to address the current backlog for phase 2, phase 4 and phase 6 craft apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14506/22]

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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720. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for when craft apprentices currently waiting for off the job training will be called in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14507/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 717, 719 and 720 together.

Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the existing 64 apprenticeship programmes. Given the practical nature of off-the-job training for craft apprentices, the COVID-related shutdown of on-site learning activity over the last two years had a significant impact on the ability of apprentices to access off-the-job training. The other apprenticeships have not been delayed but may have had disruption to recruitment in, for instance, hospitality.

The waiting list is tackled in order of those apprentices who have been waiting longest.

Capital funding of €20m was provided in 2020 to extend and upgrade craft apprenticeship facilities across further and higher education institutions. Classes that were running at half capacity under COVID 19 measures are now back at their full intake of 14-16 apprentices since last September.

Additional funding of €17m was provided under Budget 2022 to further facilitate the SOLAS and HEA’s response to the backlogs. €6m is being invested in additional instructors, with over 100 additional posts approved.

Changed delivery structures for Phase 2 off-the-job training, facilitating a third intake of apprentices per annum have been introduced and an opt-in rapid employer assessment is being piloted at Phase 7 (on-the-job) for those apprentices who have completed Phase 6 and who have spent more than four years in their apprenticeship.

These changes are now running through the system with increasing numbers of apprentices being called to their off-the-job training. More than 7,500 apprentices who were delayed have now progressed in their off-the-job training.

SOLAS and the HEA are actively working with the education and training providers to identify additional solutions that will address the waiting lists for off-the-job elements of craft apprenticeship to ensure that apprentices are enabled to complete their training as quickly as possible.

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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718. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprenticeships taken up in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to 31 December 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to ensure that the apprenticeship system will contribute to meeting Ireland’s skills and human capital requirements by delivering on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. 

In 2021, a record 8,607 new apprentices were registered- an almost 40% increase on the figures from 2019, the last “normal” pre-pandemic year. Of those registrations, 6,955 were in craft apprenticeships with 1,652 registrations in consortia apprenticeships

Strong registrations means that we have a solid source of apprentices coming on stream in housing, retrofitting and infrastructure related programmes to help meet needs in these areas.

In addition, there is a programme of work set out in the Action Plan aimed at continuing to increase apprenticeship numbers to ensure that we meet workforce demand. 

The number of apprenticeships taken up in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to 31 December 2021, in tabular form is attached.

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