Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
619. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 237 of 4 October 2023, if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of apprentices currently waiting for off-the-job training at levels 2, 4 and 6, in the months of October and November 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53214/23]
View answerIn summary, at the end of November this year, 4,132 craft apprentices were waiting over 6 months to access off-the-job training: 4,081 for Phase 2 and 51 for Phases 4 and 6
This compares to the end of October figures, which saw 5,514 craft apprentices waiting longer than six months for off the job training: 5,319 at phase 2 and 195 at phases 4 & 6.
My Department continues to work closely with the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO), SOLAS and ETB and staff representatives, most particularly through the Department-chaired Apprenticeship Capacity Oversight Group, to increase training capacity.
The NAO and SOLAS are leading on measures being delivered to reduce the backlog. The overall aim is to right-size capacity within the system so that it can respond to demand for skills across the economy, and most especially in priority housing and climate- action areas.
The following actions, supported by a record €67m of additional investment in the system, will reduce the backlog in 2024:
- increasing the capacity of the ETBs to provide significantly enhanced phase 2 places, including through a third intake of apprentices.
- temporary provision of phase 2 places through higher education institutions and two colleges in Northern Ireland, on an emergency basis in 2024.
- partnership with employers who have in-house training facilities that can be utilised on a temporary, emergency basis.
- a national recruitment campaign for phase 2 instructors is in train, with prior approval of the posts being advertise, to speed up recruitment.
Delivery of these options will be driven by new forecasting, oversight and monitoring arrangements being put in place, supported by the Apprenticeship Capacity Oversight Group.
Waiting list for off-the-job training
|
31 October |
30 November |
|
|
Waiting longer than 6mths |
5,514 |
4,937 |
|
Of which: |
||
|
Ph2 >6mths |
5,319 |
4,729 |
|
Ph4&6 >6mths |
195 |
208 |
