Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider establishing a fund for which sectoral organisations should submit proposals to develop a coordinated approach to recruiting apprentices, which would make it easier for those contemplating an apprentice career to source a sponsoring employer. [58929/22]

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.

We have been working to improve the visibility of apprenticeships for prospective employers and apprentices. The Apprenticeship Jobs Portal () was launched in April 2019 to enhance the visibility and accessibility of apprentice job vacancies, and to assist small companies to advertise apprentice vacancies to a wide audience. Although not a matching system, the platform is building traction month-on-month. Prospective apprentices may also contact their local ETB who may hold information on local apprenticeship vacancies.

On 04 November 2022 the CAO 2023 application system opened and includes information on apprenticeship options with a link to . There have been 3,672 visits from 4th November to 24th November 2022 and a total 41,762 visits to apprenticeship.ie directly from CAO/options page since the links were first established on 5th November 2021.

Nobody understands the skills employers need better than the employers themselves and without their engagement there can simply be no apprenticeships or places on those programmes.That is why we are driving supports, both financial and non-financial to encourage and support their engagement. The National Apprenticeship Office will link potential consortia members, education providers, and supporting consortia members and/or provide supports to build in-company training capacity. A coordinated, streamlined approach is essential and the NAO will drive that change.

The approach suggested by the Deputy is something I have discussed with IBEC and the NAO will engage directly with them to proceed with such proposals.