Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
509. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeships taken up in each of the years 2016 to 2020 inclusive; the number who left apprenticeship programmes in the same period in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43299/21]
View answerSince the release of the Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020, there has been an increase in the number of apprenticeship registrations year on year since 2016. Due to the unprecedented crisis that Covid-19 caused on our education and training sector, registrations for apprenticeships dropped but recovered strongly in the latter half of the year, with 5,326 registrations reached by year end.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 was launched on 19th April and sets out a five year plan which sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners. The actions set out in the plan seek to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of apprenticeships taken up in each of the years 2016 to 2020 inclusive and the number of those who have left apprenticeship programmes in the same period in tabular form is attached in Attachment 1.
The majority of apprentices leave their Apprenticeship as they withdraw from it, and they do this for a variety of reasons. The definition for each of three categories on the ‘left trade’ sheet is as follows:
- Withdrew – this could be for a number of reasons, including failed assessments / resit of assessments, pursued another career / educational programme, serious illness etc
- Redundant – released from employment due to lack of work – the apprentice is still eligible to re-sit assessments
- Unemployed – left employer for any other reason – the apprentice is eligible to re-sit assessments
