Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
85. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied that sufficient spaces are available in SOLAS training centres to progress current electrical apprenticeships waitlisted for phase 2 of their training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12462/22]
View answerCraft apprenticeships account for 25 of the 62 existing available apprenticeship programmes. Given the practical nature of off-the-job training for craft apprentices, the COVID-related shutdown of on-site learning activity significantly impacted their ability to access off-the-job training.
In response, capital funding of €20m was provided in 2020 to extend and upgrade craft apprenticeship facilities across further and higher education institutions. Additional funding of €17m was provided under Budget 2022 to further facilitate the SOLAS and HEA’s response to the backlogs. This included a significant recruitment campaign to increase the number of trainers.
At the end of February 7,796 craft apprentices were waiting for access to phase 2, 4 or 6 off-the-job training. This is down from nearly 12,000 apprentices who were waiting last August.
2022 will see an increase of over 3,100 off-the-job training places being made available across craft apprenticeship phases 2, 4 and 6 over 2021 scheduled numbers (pre-COVID expected provision).
This additional capacity has already begun to come on-stream from September 2021 and is being delivered under a three-step response plan agreed by SOLAS, HEA and education and training providers. The immediate focus is on the three craft apprenticeships with the longest waiting lists, namely Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry & Joinery.
For Phase 2, which is delivered in ETBs, a focused, time-limited response will increase the number of intakes per year from two to three. Planning is also underway for further expansion of workshops to facilitate additional classes in 2022. Phase 2 off-the-job training capacity is expected to increase to 5,390 places, with in the region of 8,800 off-the-job training places across phases 4 and 6 in 2022.
All of these measures combined put us in a good position to respond to the backlog and enable apprentices affected to continue with their training in as timely a manner as possible.
