asked the Minister for Labour the number of unemployed apprentices in the country at present; the reason AnCO are still taking on first year apprentices in view of the rate of unemployment that exists amongst apprentices; and the reason AnCO cannot be directed to use their instructor to give further instruction to redundant apprentices.
Written Answers. - Unemployed Apprentices.
577.
The number of unemployed apprentices currently stands at 2,453 according to information held by AnCO. It should be pointed out this figure would be a maximum as frequently apprentices report themselves as redundant but do not inform AnCO when they have regained employment.
AnCO are continuing to recruit first-year apprentices in order to meet requirements for skilled craftsmen in the next three to four years. Economic recovery might well be jeopardised or restricted by skill shortages in the years ahead if provision is not now made for future needs. Each year AnCO review the first-year apprentices intake numbers and set the number of AnCO sponsored first-year apprentices at a level designed to maintain a reasonable balance between supply and demand, taking into account the recession, the likely rate of economic recovery and the level of unemployed apprentices.
However, AnCO are continuing to allocate facilities for the continuing training of redundant apprentices. For the present year AnCO have planned such short training inputs of three to four months for some 3,600 redundant apprentices.
Where redundant apprentices are accommodated in AnCO facilities, continued practical training is given by AnCO instructors.