Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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275. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work his Department is doing to expand the number of young people opting to take up an apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22112/26]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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It is a priority for me that apprenticeships are a visible, valuable, and accessible option for young people and career changers as a route to skills development and employment.

The Government continues to invest in the expansion of apprenticeships. This has supported the growth of apprenticeship options, with 81 programmes now spanning both skilled trades, as well as routes previously only accessible from university such as social work, engineering, and accounting.

My department and its agencies have led on a range of actions to boost the visibility and understanding of apprenticeship. The objective is to ensure that the full range of options is visible and understood.

My department's Careers in Construction Action Plan includes peer to peer promotion campaigns such as Building Heroes, and campaigns aimed at women and girls, including the National Apprenticeship Office’s Facts, Faces, Futures campaign.

In collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth, to increase awareness of apprenticeship routes in schools, the Initial Vocational Education and Training (iVET) module is now offered to all Transition Year students, giving hands-on exposure to vocational pathways through taster courses, career talks and workshops.

My Department also sponsors WorldSkills Ireland, an event that drew over 30,000 students from more than 300 secondary schools in 2025, showcasing skills based occupations like apprenticeships and the importance of skills for a future-ready workforce.

Financial supports are available for apprentices. Craft apprentices receive State training allowances along with travel, meal and accommodation supports where eligible. In addition, targeted bursaries support increased participation by under-represented groups, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and the Travelling Community.

These measures have directly supported the growth of apprenticeship registrations from 6,177 in 2019 to 9,352 in 2024, laying a strong foundation for achieving the Government target of 12,500 annual registrations by 2030.