Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’sets 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 apprenticeship registrations per annum, across a wide range of programmes, by 2025.

The expansion of apprenticeship across all sectors has widened the impact of apprenticeship in areas of skills shortage such as engineering, retrofitting, technology and fintech. Under the Plan there will be increased online visibility regarding apprenticeship engagement and development processes for employers/sectors who wish to assess the potential for new apprenticeships. Applications for new apprenticeship development are open on an ongoing basis, allowing employers to progress the development of programmes in response to emerging skills needs on an as-needed basis in all sectors of the economy.

Development of new apprenticeship programmes has continued despite pandemic challenges. There are currently 65 apprenticeship programmes on offer: 25 craft programmes and 40 programmes introduced since 2016. Eight new programmes were launched over 2020 and 2021: arboriculture, equipment systems engineer, healthcare assistant, principal engineer – professional doctorate, recruitment executive, sales, scaffolding and supply chain associate.

So far this year, bar manager, wind turbine maintenance technician and transport operations & commercial driving apprenticeships have been launched. Programme development has been approved for programmes in areas such as farming, horticulture, finance, manufacturing, construction, cybersecurity and ICT, with several other programmes at the initial proposal stage. A full list of apprenticeship programmes available and in development is linked below.

Significant financial supports have been introduced this year under the Action Plan:

-The annual Employer Grant of €2,000 per apprentice means that, for the first time, employers of all apprentices now have access to financial support, either through direct payment of allowances to apprentices or through the grant. This will help to promote engagement with the non-craft programmes, including the development of new programmes.

-The gender-based bursary of €2,666 is available for those who employ apprentices in the minority gender on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender. It is an expansion of the ‘female bursary’ available to craft apprenticeship employers prior to 2022 and there are currently 42 programmes which meet the criterion.

Employer feedback during the consultation process of the Action Plan highlighted that non-financial supports were particularly important for SME employers. Recognising this, supports to be in place during 2022 include:

- The National Apprenticeship Office is linking potential consortia members, education providers, and supporting consortia members and/or provide supports to build in-company training capacity.

- A development plan is to be delivered for a user-centred apprenticeship management system to simplify employer participation within and across apprenticeship

- Proposed amendments to the Industrial Training Act, 1967, included in the Higher Education Authority Bill, 2022, will widen the scope for new apprenticeship programmes in an expanded range of sectors.

The increased diversity of new apprenticeships, many of which have off-the-job training delivered through online or blended learning provides a significant opportunity for widening of access to apprenticeship for rural businesses and learners. In addition, Education and Training Boards, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities are spread throughout the country and play a very important role in ensuring apprenticeship provision has a strong regional dimension.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A key commitment of the ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ is to grow the number of apprenticeship registrations across the public service, including local authorities, to reach 750 annual registrations by 2025. This represents a more than seven-fold increase on 2020 registrations and will support a long-term goal of 7% of the apprentice population being employed by public service employers.

Whilst it is not yet determined where the apprenticeship roles are best located, the diversity of the public service provides a wide basis for involvement with the range of existing apprenticeships and those programmes in development.

Apprenticeship provides an opportunity to target and widen the recruitment pool for both generalist and specialist roles within the public service.

My Department’s officials have undertaken a number of actions in order to make progress towards achieving this commitment:

- Several general and sector-focused information sessions on apprenticeship were held late last year.

- A Working Group has been established, representing Government Departments and agencies and local authorities, to develop a Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan by summer 2022. The Group’s work is based on surveying over 100 organisations in relation to their skills needs.

- More specifically, there has been extensive bilateral engagement with the LGMA to assist with surveying local authorities in relation to their skills needs.

There is also engagement with the HSE and Department of Health in relation to a commitment in the Action Plan to explore a healthcare assistant apprenticeship programme for the HSE and the options for how this might be piloted.

The results of the survey of Public Service organisations have now been analysed and a Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan, informed by the survey results, is being drafted.