Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
717. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures that his Department is taking to address the current backlog for phase 2 electrical apprentices, wherein a four-year electrical apprenticeship may now take up to six years to complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14504/22]
View answer719. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures that his Department is taking to address the current backlog for phase 2, phase 4 and phase 6 craft apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14506/22]
View answer720. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the timeline for when craft apprentices currently waiting for off the job training will be called in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14507/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 717, 719 and 720 together.
Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the existing 64 apprenticeship programmes. Given the practical nature of off-the-job training for craft apprentices, the COVID-related shutdown of on-site learning activity over the last two years had a significant impact on the ability of apprentices to access off-the-job training. The other apprenticeships have not been delayed but may have had disruption to recruitment in, for instance, hospitality.
The waiting list is tackled in order of those apprentices who have been waiting longest.
Capital funding of €20m was provided in 2020 to extend and upgrade craft apprenticeship facilities across further and higher education institutions. Classes that were running at half capacity under COVID 19 measures are now back at their full intake of 14-16 apprentices since last September.
Additional funding of €17m was provided under Budget 2022 to further facilitate the SOLAS and HEA’s response to the backlogs. €6m is being invested in additional instructors, with over 100 additional posts approved.
Changed delivery structures for Phase 2 off-the-job training, facilitating a third intake of apprentices per annum have been introduced and an opt-in rapid employer assessment is being piloted at Phase 7 (on-the-job) for those apprentices who have completed Phase 6 and who have spent more than four years in their apprenticeship.
These changes are now running through the system with increasing numbers of apprentices being called to their off-the-job training. More than 7,500 apprentices who were delayed have now progressed in their off-the-job training.
SOLAS and the HEA are actively working with the education and training providers to identify additional solutions that will address the waiting lists for off-the-job elements of craft apprenticeship to ensure that apprentices are enabled to complete their training as quickly as possible.
