Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
86. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeships registered to date in 2023; his plans to promote apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15744/23]
View answerThe ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship more accessible to employers and learners. The Plan seeks to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum, across a wide range of programmes, by 2025.
Apprenticeship has undergone transformation over the past 7 years. Expansion to date has widened the impact of apprenticeship to areas of skills shortage such as engineering, technology skills, logistics, and fintech. There is a clear need to broaden the awareness of apprenticeship as a work-based route to internationally recognised qualifications and experience for people progressing in their career, school leavers, and career changers. Growing that message is a key feature of planning for apprenticeship in the coming years. There will be a continued focus on employers in 2023 and increasing the number of apprenticeship employers. It is proposed that a target is set for 1,000 additional employers active in 2023 bringing the total number of active employers up to 10,000.
We are making significant progress in realising the ambition of the Plan. A key objective is to make apprenticeship more attractive to employers and learners, to ensure their continued engagement and to attract those who have not previously
- ngaged with the system. Progress to date includes:
- The establishment of the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO), the appointment of its first Director and the initiation of its work plan;
- The removal of legislative barriers to the development of apprenticeship programmes in professions, enabled by the approval of the Oireachtas of the Higher Education Authority Bill, 2022;
- The establishment of the National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA), representing the broad range of partners involved in apprenticeship;
- The establishment of the Access and Inclusion subcommittee, to help make apprenticeship more reflective of the national population;
- Securing resources for access measures, including a bursary programme for under-represented groups;
- The introduction of the apprenticeship employer grant of €2,000 and a gender bursary grant of €2,666;
- The allocation of €17.2m in additional capital investment for SOLAS and the HEA, building on the €20 million Apprenticeship Capital Fund investment in 2021;
- The inclusion of apprenticeship options on the CAO website from November 2021.
- The National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) Freephone advice helpline was officially launched on 19 January 2023
- The expansion of apprenticeship to all areas of the economy, with 66 programmes currently available, thus widening the impact of apprenticeship to areas of skills shortage such as engineering, technology skills, logistics, and fintech
- The submission of a memorandum to Government in November 2022 detailing the progress to date of the implementation of the Action Plan
The positive impacts of these measures are already evident in apprentice registrations. 2021 figures showed 8,607 registrations – an increase of 40% on figures for 2019 (the last full pre-Covid year). 2022 saw 8,286 registrations and a population of over 26,000. The strong growth in apprentice registrations is continuing into 2023 with registrations of 1,301 at the end of February, which represents an increase of almost 30% on this period in 2022.
The National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) will drive central branding and promotional activities targeted to heighten public awareness of the range of apprenticeship offerings. Visibility of programmes will be supported through the national Generation Apprenticeship campaign, to drive awareness of apprenticeship opportunities across a broad audience of stakeholders including radio, digital, and billboard advertising, and continued engagement with regional vocational skills showcases.
Working in co-operation with SOLAS under the #FutureFET vision, the NAO will ensure that school leavers will have access to the same level of information about apprenticeship options as those in further and higher education. The development of more vocational options and pathways, and apprenticeship taster courses, will be explored as part of Transition Year and Senior Cycle reform with the NCCA. The quality of information relayed to school leavers through guidance counsellors will also be enhanced through a dedicated information campaign.
