Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
1445. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to address the skills gap to deliver the national retrofitting plan, including heat pump installation; if he has plans to expand green apprenticeships to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36853/23]
View answerDeveloping and delivering the skills required to support, sustain, and enhance the delivery of the National Retrofit Plan has evolved significantly since 2020. Retrofit skills training including Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) skills is currently provided nationally across the tertiary education system.
Since 2021, the retrofitting ecosystem has further evolved with the development of what was four, later increased to six, dedicated Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for NZEB specific training. Retrofitting centres of excellence provide the very highest standards of training and qualifications to people attending them. Education and training relevant to the skills needed in the retrofitting and construction sector are delivered through more than fifty programmes running in the centres of excellence. This is a very important area of the economy and there are huge employment opportunities within it.
Currently, four CoEs are fully operational and provide a full suite of NZEB related training provision, including training on heat pump installation.
• National Construction Training Campus, Mount Lucas, Co. Offaly.
• Waterford \ Wexford ETB
• Limerick Clare ETB
• Cork ETB
The remaining two CoEs which are located in:-
• Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim ETB will become operational in Q3 2023
• City of Dublin ETB will become operational in Q4 2023.
Courses in retrofit and NZEB skills are also delivered by Tipperary ETB.
The courses are free, fast and flexible with weekend and evening provision available. In many cases, where a person has an existing construction-related qualification, knowledge or experience, they can learn these skills quickly, usually within three-four days. Courses for beginners are also available.
To date in 2023, 4,800 learners have completed training and obtained certification from the four operational NZEB Centres of Excellence. In addition, the NZEB fundamentals programme is embedded into phase one of apprenticeship training. This action ensures that all newly registered apprentices receive their initial NZEB certification early on in their training cycle.
Arising from the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting, 2023 to 2030, SOLAS, in conjunction with the National Construction Campus, Mount Lucas, has also developed a retrofitting assistance programme. This new training course will produce workers who are capable of providing assistance to qualified craft workers who are engaged in the retrofitting of houses to an equivalent B2 standard. The course should be modelled on the current Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) fundamental awareness course. This new programme is in pilot stage.
A dedicated Construction and Green Skills Programme Office within SOLAS was established last year. This office works with ETBs nationally and is focused on developing programmes and initiative to drive forward the reform agenda with a particular focus on the construction sector.
The development of a specific green apprenticeship is not under consideration however, NZEB fundamentals have become part of the curricula of recently revalidated apprenticeship programmes in Plumbing, Electrical, and Carpentry and Joinery. NZEB awareness will also be addressed in the following craft apprenticeship programmes when they are due to go through the revalidation process:-
• Brick & Stone
• Plastering
• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• Pipefitting
