Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of apprenticeships that have been approved for the year ending 31 December 2019, 31 December 2020, 31 December 2021 and to the 30 November 2022, if he is satisfied that sufficient opportunities are available for people to take up apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60678/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Apprenticeships are employer led demand-driven educational and training programmes, which aim to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. As apprentices are employees the demand for and number of apprentices is primarily dictated by the employer base in any area or sector.

The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship more accessible to employers and learners, to achieve a target of 10,000 annual registrations across a wide range of programmes by 2025. Expanding apprenticeship across all sectors of the economy has widened its impact in areas of skills shortage such as Engineering, Technology Skills, Logistics and FinTech. Under the Plan there will be an increase in online visibility of apprenticeship engagement and apprenticeship development processes for employers/sectors who wish to assess the potential for new apprenticeship development.

The development of new apprenticeships is employer-led, with consortiums comprising employer groups and educational providers coming together to identify a skills need and appropriate apprenticeship responses in their sector. It is open to any industry that wishes to explore such options to bring forward a proposal. Applications for new apprenticeship development are open on an ongoing basis, allowing all employers to progress the development of programmes in response to emerging skills needs on an as-needed basis.

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 consortium members and/or provide supports to build in-company training capacity. A co-ordinated, streamlined approach is essential and the NAO will drive that change.

There are currently 66 apprenticeship programmes on offer: 25 craft programmes and 41 programmes introduced since 2016. Eight new programmes were launched over 2020 and 2021, despite the pandemic; Arboriculture, Equipment Systems Engineer, Healthcare Assistant, Principal Engineer – Professional Doctorate, Recruitment Executive, Sales, Scaffolding, Supply Chain Associate. Four more programmes have been launched so far in 2022; Bar Manager, Wind Turbine Maintenance, Transport Operations & Commercial Driving and Cybersecurity Practitioner.

To meet our targets we require an apprenticeship system that is flexible and responsive, providing a strong value proposition for employers and potential apprentices, is attractive and easy to engage with, and which delivers high standards and sought after qualifications, therefore embedding apprenticeship as a preferred route to skills development.

Amendments to the Industrial Training Act, 1967, included in the recently passed Higher Education Authority Bill, 2022, will widen the scope for new apprenticeship programmes even further 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.

Such is the dynamic nature of apprenticeship programme development additional programmes continue to be proposed. Programme development has been approved for progression in areas such as farming, horticulture, engineering, finance, manufacturing, construction, ICT, and a number of others at the initial proposal stage.

A full breakdown of programmes launched from 2019-2022, 24 in total, in tabular form is attached.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the new action his Department taking to entice students to take up apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60679/22]

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 more 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.

Apprenticeship has undergone transformation over the past 6 years. Expansion to date has widened the impact of apprenticeship to areas of skills shortage such as engineering, technology skills, logistics, and fintech. There is a clear need to broaden the awareness of apprenticeship as a work-based route to internationally recognised qualifications and experience for people progressing in their career, school leavers, and career changers. Growing that message is a key feature of planning for apprenticeship in the coming years.

On 04 November 2022 the CAO 2023 application system opened and includes information on apprenticeship options with a link to www.apprenticeship.ie. 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 5 November 2021. As part of this landmark change, a freephone helpline has been introduced for learners, parents and guidance counsellors to provide information on apprenticeship, including how to find an employer. The helpline supplements the existing guidance counsellor service at post-primary and further education and training levels.

Both campaigns promote a number of key initiatives under the Generation Apprenticeship banner, targeting the employer audience regarding the Gender Bursary and Employer Grant, as well as targeting students, parents, and guidance counsellors regarding opportunities in apprenticeship. There is also ongoing engagement with employers through fora such as regular meetings with consortia representatives and the National Apprenticeship Alliance, which highlight opportunities for showcasing apprenticeship programmes and openings.

Data collected as part of the apprenticeship management system and the baseline study on outcomes for apprentices will be used to develop an evidence base which demonstrates the value of apprenticeship to learners who are choosing a qualification or career pathway.

The National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) will drive central branding and promotional activities targeted to heighten public awareness of the range of apprenticeship offerings. Visibility of programmes will be supported through the national Generation Apprenticeship campaign, to drive awareness of apprenticeship opportunities across a broad audience of stakeholders including radio, digital, and billboard advertising, and continued engagement with regional vocational skills showcases. The potential for co-location of the Ireland Skills Live event with other career and education showcases will also be assessed, demonstrating the value and range of practical and vocational skills, including those gained through apprenticeship, to school leavers in the midst of choosing their future learning pathway.

Working in co-operation with SOLAS under the #FutureFET vision, the NAO will ensure that school leavers will have access to the same level of information about apprenticeship options as those in further and higher education. The development of more vocational options and pathways, and apprenticeship taster courses, will be explored as part of Transition Year and Senior Cycle reform with the NCCA. The quality of information relayed to school leavers through guidance counsellors will also be enhanced through a dedicated information campaign.