Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
107. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship programmes experiencing delays in arranging off-the-job training in education centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2068/24]
View answerAll apprentices participating on the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes experience some delays between the completion of phase 1 (on-the-job training) and scheduling for phase 2 (off-the-job training) of their apprenticeship programme. However, where those delays exceed 6-months, it is considered to be in excess of the norm, and what has been referred to as 'the backlog', since the interruptions caused by Covid.
The highest numbers of apprentices experiencing excess delays are in programmes such as electrical (2216), plumbing (465), carpentry & joinery (301), heavy vehicle mechanics (169), and metal fabrication (145).
