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Apprenticeship Programmes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2022

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Ceisteanna (511)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

511. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number who have enrolled in the national commis chef apprenticeship programme that was launched by her Department in each of the years 2018 to date in 2022; the numbers who have successfully completed the programme each year to date; if her attention has been drawn to the acute shortage of suitably qualified chefs to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25791/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme was established by lead industry stakeholders such as the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland. It is a two year program and successful apprentices become a fully qualified Commis chef, with a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Culinary Arts

The numbers registered for the programme from 2017 to this year are as follows:

- 2017 - 25 apprentices registered

- 2018 - 112 apprentices registered

- 2019 - 62 apprentices registered

- 2020 - 16  apprentices registered

- 2021 - 75 apprentices  registered

Registrations were impacted by the pandemic in 2020 and the associated shutdown of educational and training facilities. However, registrations rebounded strongly in 2021 supported by the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme exceeding the numbers registered pre-pandemic. Numbers in 2022 indicate that the recovery in apprentice registrations is continuing, with 33 new registrations in the first four months of the year. 

Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, a key priority is to increase apprenticeship registrations to 10,000 new apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. Under that Plan, we have this year introduced an employer grant of €2,000 for employers of apprentices on consortia-led programmes to help level up the supports which other categories of employers receive.

This will be supplemented by further practical measures to support the employment of apprentices in SMEs, and to support the employment of under-represented groups in apprenticeship and the delivery of skills essential to the economy.  The employer grant and these other initiatives have the potential to play a very important role in securing engagement with employers in addressing barriers to participation in the apprenticeship system.

On 14th April, my Department announced a new gender-based bursary for apprenticeship employers. The bursary, which is worth €2,666, is available to employers who employ apprentices on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender. It is being implemented with effect from 01 January 2022, and covers all new apprentice registrations from that date on eligible national apprenticeship programmes.

The numbers who have successfully completed the programme are listed in the table below.

Regarding the data on completions, it should be noted that, there is a deviation in the figures between completions and registrations. The hospitality and education sectors were very badly affected by COVID resulting in delays in delivery of the apprenticeship.  In addition, the closure of hospitality for long periods may have led to apprentices being made redundant.

Year

No. of Apprentices completed the programme

2020

16

2021

11

2022

33

Total

60

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