In January, the Department of Education and Skills launched 25 new apprenticeship programmes. They are mostly in the trade industry with those apprentices being trained vital career skills like how to use an Amico Tig Welder and other basic mechanical knowledge that will allow them to qualify in their field. This ambitious new project is part of the National Skills Strategy 2025, in which the government committed to creating 50,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships by 2020. This is a move to diversify the options available to secondary school leavers, as well as those wishing to advance in or change their career. If you are perhaps looking to change your career path you may want to look into how to get a cscs card, and trying to get a footing in the construction industry.
With this being said, there are skills needed in construction that people interested in this industry might want to develop. From tech knowledge to flexibility, these skills could be the initial steps into getting into this field.
Indeed, the issue of apprenticeships has become a topical one, with Irish universities becoming increasingly oversubscribed and underfunded. With the number of Irish students applying to universities increasing year-on-year and with state funding decreasing, calls have been made for other options to be more available and to be accurately portrayed as an attractive path. Speaking on Vincent Browne last week, Sean Barrett, then-Trinity Senator, called on Irish organisations like Fas and Solas to do so, stating: “Those organisations have to step up to the plate and start producing apprenticeships like Germany and Austria.”
In an ever-fluctuating economy, the government strategy hopes to provide a practical alternative to the traditional university route, branching out beyond the careers typically associated with apprenticeships in Ireland. The high rate of non-progression (students who don’t finish their undergraduate course) of university students is another aspect which the strategy hopes to combat. The differences that this will entail include more diverse forms of post-secondary education and a wider range of paths into sectors such as business, finance, accounting and hospitality. As it stands, the apprenticeship scheme in Ireland is limited in its capacity to cater to a wide range of talents and interests.
Solas is the statutory authority responsible for the management of current apprenticeships in Ireland. In a phone interview with The University Times, Maria Walshe, the communications officer of Solas, outlined the current system of apprenticeships, pointing to the 27 trades – schemes that result in a level-6 qualification. Walshe is keen to point out that “some of the new apprenticeships will be at higher levels and some of the bodies that are coming on board to help with the development are third-level institutions and also the private industry … It’s just one of the suite of options that will be available for education beyond second level”. The 25 new apprenticeships being developed will be of varying durations and they have varying qualification levels, she says.
Some of the areas that the new apprenticeships will be in will probably have more of an attraction factor for females
Walshe points out that apprenticeships are currently spread across five trade families, including electrical, the motor industry, construction and engineering apprenticeships. “And then you have printing, which is print media”. she adds. These areas “would be male dominated”, she says, adding: “There wouldn’t be that many females on it.” While there are efforts in place to support the number of female students in these areas, Walsh suggests that the expansion into more diverse career sectors, which the new 25 apprenticeships will bring, will prove more attractive to girls: “Some of the areas that the new apprenticeships will be in will probably have more of an attraction factor for females.”
The diversification of the trades in which apprenticeships are available is one of the most interesting developments in the proposed scheme. The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) played a fundamental role in lobbying for a reform of the apprenticeship scheme. In conversation with The University Times, Conor Minogue, the education and innovation policy co-ordinator in IBEC, talked enthusiastically about the confederation’s role in the implementation of the new scheme: “The new apprenticeship model is something that we are very passionate about and is something that we’ve been pushing for for a long while now … this will be business led, you know, this is demand driven, and there’s that flexibility in the structure, so it can be responsive.”
Minogue explains: “Our feeling was that [the post-secondary level education system in Ireland] did not reflect the broad skill level of the Irish economy. For instance if you look across at Germany where they have apprenticeships, there’s over 340 recognised trades, ranging from bankers to opticians, so apprenticeships in Germany are highly sought after and a real destination for students after leaving the secondary school system.”
Minogue is enthusiastic about what the new schemes can offer: “First of all they will be business led. That means that companies will be involved in both the design of the curricula and the delivery of the programmes, some of which will now extend to honours degree level. This will ensure the continued relevance of qualifications in a rapidly changing market. Another big benefit of the new model is that it covers a broad range of industry sectors … the 25 new apprenticeships that have already been approved cut across ICT, software, medical devices, financial services, insurance, accountancy, logistics, hospitality.”
if you look across at Germany where they have apprenticeships, there’s over 340 recognised trades, ranging from bankers to opticians, so apprenticeships in Germany are highly sought after
He adds: “The new model is more dynamic than its predecessor … there’s a structure in place to develop or create new apprenticeships kind of on-demand, rapidly, to suit emerging needs and trends, to target resources at particular sectors that are in demand for skills.”
It’s hoped that the expansion of this area of education will be effective in combating the high level of non-progression in Irish universities. Minogue speaks particularly about what the programme had to offer young people as an alternative to the traditional route of university education: “It will lead to a more diverse talent pool. University is perfect for some people, and for others … they’re more drawn to the kind of vocational education, on the job, practical, expert training that they would get in a working environment, that they just might respond better to. The Higher Education Authority released their reports on progression rates, and it showed that the overall non-progression rate was about 16 per cent and it rose to about 34 per cent of students who had achieved 255-300 points, and then 55 per cent which achieved less than 200 points.”
He says: “It’s a real alternative for ambitious and capable young people looking for alternatives after school instead of direct entry into higher education. A big feeling in IBEC is that we need to move away from this defining education and payment in terms of direct entry into higher education from school, because some students simply have a greater aptitude for practical learning … I think there is evidence there that some people might be more suitable for this practical learning and on the job training.”
The practical implementation of the programme is progressing rapidly – it’s hoped that the proposed apprenticeships will begin in September. Walshe states: “It’s anticipated that they’ll start taking people on in the apprenticeships probably in the third quarter of this year. There’s a number of bodies involved in that, so it will be the Higher Education Authority, Solas will be involved in that, the Department of Education and Skills will take the lead on it.”
There remains a measure of uncertainty regarding the application procedure, as each programme is specific to the industry and the company sponsoring it. However, Minogue comments: “I think It will be a competitive process. Industry has a say in who is accepted. There’s no age limit, a lot of them will be for people in the 18, 19 kind-of age, coming out of Leaving Cert. Some maybe even a bit before. But it really depends on each individual apprenticeship, and the profile of what the company is looking for.” Minogue nevertheless emphasises that “the big thing to take away is that this model is more advanced than what we have had, in that it’s business led, it covers more sectors of the economy, it’s more dynamic, and it is a real alternative for more people”.
Certain sectors are already releasing information on the new programmes, Minogue indicates: “Financial services apprenticeships were launched last week, they’re a little bit ahead of others and they are taking queries directly by interested applicants. So if you go onto the financial services Ireland website, you’ll see some information about that. The others will be a matter of time before that infrastructure can be set up for interested applicants can apply and be matched with companies.”
The programmes will vary in what they offer students, similar to an academic degree course, but with a practical dimension: “The new model – basically it’s industry led, they’re all different … it depends on their design and the proposal from the sponsor, but they’ll be industry led … two years in duration at a minimum, so most will be four years. Learning will alternate between the work place and the education or training institute, with a minimum of 50 per cent on-the-job training and there will be a formal contract of apprenticeship between the employer and the apprentice.”
This model is more advanced than what we have had, in that it’s business led, it covers more sectors of the economy, it’s more dynamic, and it is a real alternative for more people
The new programmes are not exclusive to secondary school leavers, either. There is room for people looking for further education and training, or those considering a career change, Minogue is keen to point out the options available to those from all backgrounds with varying degrees of experience and qualifications. He says: “Some of them are for entry-level apprentices, so for people who have just left school. Others are for people looking to change career, who would have had experience, who are looking for a tailored service sector. And there’s another one for an advanced apprenticeship, so for someone who would have that bit more experience in the sector. So there will be a lot of variety, a lot of choice.”
The next step is to maintain the programme in coming years. Minogue appears optimistic that it will maintain government support: “I suppose we’re now asking the next government to put investment behind the commitment to ensure its full implementation … it’s now a question of investment and I suppose putting the right kind of resources in place and we’ll see what the next government is, but we’d be hopeful for this new model.”
The new programme is a move away from the narrowly academic approach to advanced education in Ireland, a system which arguably compares poorly with the more diverse and practical alternatives available in other European countries. The advancement of alternative routes into sectors not traditionally possible without a university degree is a positive step towards developing practical alternatives to academia.
