Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 January 2010
131 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of apprentices who are within six to 12 months of completion of their apprenticeship but are without a job placement; the types of apprenticeships involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2259/10]
View answer132 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans for apprentices who have been unable to complete their training due to unavailability of work placements; how they can continue their apprenticeships; the number of apprentices that have had their apprenticeships on hold in the past 18 months due to this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2260/10]
View answer133 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will introduce work programmes similar to the teamwork scheme from the 1980s in order to allow newly qualified apprentices to gain practical work experience on building projects; if she will seek a requirement among contractors who take up capital projects funded by her to require a certain percentage of apprentices to be involved in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2261/10]
View answer134 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of unfinished apprenticeships, both county-by-county and based on the type of apprenticeship involved; her plans for those persons who find themselves redundant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2262/10]
View answer135 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of persons who have had their professional apprenticeships halted after being let go over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2263/10]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 131 to 135, inclusive, together.
The number of apprentices within 6 to 12 months of completion of their apprenticeship without a job placement is currently 3,080. Of these, 495 are currently attending Phase 6 off-the-job training at an Institute of Technology. A total of 5,338 apprenticeships have been notified to FÁS as being halted as a result of redundancy since July 2008. A total of 719 apprentices recorded as redundant in July 2008 remained redundant at January 2010. The disaggregated data on a county-by-county and trade basis is not readily available.
The Teamwork Scheme was a full-time temporary employment programme for the under 25s which ran from the early 1980s until the mid-1990s. This Scheme ran alongside the Social Employment Scheme for the over 25s. Both schemes were then merged, with some changes, to form the Community Employment (CE) scheme in the mid-1990s. Training and education provided under measures other than the CE scheme are considered to be more appropriate to the needs of redundant or newly qualified apprentices.
FÁS has already put in place a number of measures to assist redundant apprentices. An outline of those measures is provided below for the Deputy's information. These measures will support around 4,000 redundant apprentices.
1. FÁS has put in place an interim measure whereby apprentices who are made redundant may progress to the next off-the-job training phase of their apprenticeship, in line with current scheduling criteria. In 2009, over 2,000 redundant apprentices were provided with off-the-job training and 1,041 redundant apprentices commenced off-the-job training in January 2010.
2. In 2009, FÁS introduced a temporary Employer Based Redundant Apprentice Rotation Scheme for apprentices made redundant in the Construction Industry. Over 460 redundant apprentices completed Phase 3, 5 and 7 training and assessments with employers under this Scheme in 2009.
3. ESB Networks has agreed a programme with FÁS to provide on-the-job training with ESB Networks to eligible redundant apprentices at Phases 5 and 7 of their apprenticeship. This programme will provide up to 400 places over a period of 18 months and is funded by ESB Networks. To date, 147 redundant apprentices have completed training, 92 are currently in training, and further placements will take place during 2010.
4. Redundant apprentices may also avail of existing trade-related specific skills training courses to enhance their employable skills. They may also avail of the range of trade-related evening courses available in FÁS Training Centres.
5. FÁS and the Institutes of Technology have agreed the PP5 programme for redundant apprentices who have successfully completed Phases 1-4 of their apprenticeship and where an on or off-the-job training opportunity is not currently available. The programme has both a Construction Stream and an Engineering Stream, with a number of core skills modules related to apprenticeship and a number of electives in specific skills. The programme provides apprentices with a Level 5 FETAC award and allows for access and transfer of credits to other post-apprenticeship programmes. The Institutes of Technology are currently issuing invitations to eligible redundant apprentices to participate in the programme commencing late January 2010.
6. FÁS has also developed Phase 7-equivalent assessments for redundant apprentices at the final phase of their apprenticeship in the trades of Carpentry & Joinery, Electrical, Plumbing, Brick & Stonelaying and Plastering. Eligible redundant apprentices will be scheduled by FÁS to these assessment events which will commence in February 2010.
7. Redundant apprentices registered for 4 years who have successfully completed all Phases 1-7 of their apprenticeship, but have not yet completed the required 4 years in employment as an apprentice in the specified trade, will be contacted by FÁS to submit a portfolio of evidence under Recognition of Prior Learning for consideration by the National Apprenticeship Advisory Sub-committee for the award of the Advanced Craft Certificate.
FÁS continues to closely monitor the situation in relation to redundant apprentices and newly qualified craftspersons. Further proposals to assist redundant apprentices to complete the on-the-job training of their apprenticeship with a FÁS approved employer are under discussions currently between FÁS and my Department.
