Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
98. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on new plans for training and apprenticeship places in all trades that are needed to ramp up the supply of housing across the country; the role that local authorities might play in this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12871/22]
View answerAmong the 62 apprenticeships currently available at levels 5-10 of the National Framework of Qualifications, 25 are craft-related. More specifically, they include housing-related programmes such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry and joinery, plastering, painting and decorating and the recently launched scaffolding apprenticeship.
In recent years, annual intake in construction-related apprenticeships has been steadily increasing, from a low of 650 in 2010. In 2021, a record 8,607 new apprentices were registered. This was an almost 40% increase on the figures from 2019, the last “normal” pre-pandemic year. 6,955 of these registrations were in craft apprenticeships, and of these, 5,181 were in construction and electrical apprenticeships. As of January 2022 (the latest full month figures available), there have been 524 apprenticeship registrations, with 376 of these on construction-related programmes.
A number of local authorities throughout the country employ apprentices, with in the region of 50 apprentices currently employed by these bodies. The majority of the apprentices are employed in craft trades such as plumbing, carpentry and joinery, and electrical.
A key commitment of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is to grow the number of apprenticeship registrations across the public service, including local authorities, to reach 750 annual registrations by 2025.
Department officials have undertaken a numbers of actions in order to make progress towards achieving this commitment:
A number of general and sector-focussed information sessions on apprenticeship were held, including one for local authorities.
A Working Group has been established, representing Government Departments and local authorities, to develop a Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan by summer 2022.
More specifically, there has been extensive bilateral engagement with the LGMA, to assist with surveying local authorities in relation to their skills needs.
A public service wide skills survey is currently underway through the auspices of the Working Group. The survey results will inform the development of the Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan, with the content, level, and duration of public service apprenticeships determined by these identified skills needs.
