Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
444. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprentices estimated to be enrolled in each of the years 2017 to 2021 inclusive of existing and estimated new registrations. [26754/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra449. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has set a target for the number of female participants to be enrolled in apprenticeships in each of the years 2017 to 2020. [26759/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 449 together.
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to target apprenticeship registrations in the period 2017 to 2020 is set out in the following table. It should be noted that SOLAS do not currently have forecast registrations beyond 2020.
The Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship & Traineeship 2016-2020 sets out annual target apprenticeship registrations in the period to 2020. The Plan does not set registration targets for female apprentices. However, as the Deputy is aware, the Apprenticeship Council is currently overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system into new areas of the economy. Many of the new programmes currently being developed are in sectors where there is a greater gender balance in the workplace and through this expansion programme we will see an increase in female participation rates. We have already seen evidence of this with almost 40% of participants in the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, launched last year, being female. However, female participation in the craft trades also needs to be examined and a review of pathways to apprenticeship, including female participation, will commence later this year.
|
Craft- based apprenticeships |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Forecast new registrations per annum |
4,147 |
4,697 |
5,087 |
5,587 |
|
New apprenticeships |
||||
|
Planned new registrations per annum |
800 |
1,500 |
2,297 |
3,413 |
|
Total target apprenticeship registration p.a. |
4,947 |
6,197 |
7,384 |
9,000 |
