A new programme to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing apprenticeships was launched in Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) today by the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton.
The “Access to Apprenticeship” pilot programme will run throughout the upcoming academic year. The 12-week course gives students aged 16-24 the opportunity to experience different types of apprenticeships and will include a dedicated work placement for two weeks, with the other 10 weeks taking place in DIT’s campus on Bolton St.
The pilot programme will run during the upcoming academic year and will recruit 48 young people from communities in Dublin’s inner city. Recruitment of the first 16 students, who will start in September, has already begun and will be followed by two further groups of 16. The programme will have a particular focus on providing opportunities to these young people.
At today’s launch, Bruton spoke about the importance of tackling educational disadvantage, naming it as a “key priority”. The minister also focused on his recently introduced Apprenticeship Plan, one of the aims of which is to double the number of people enrolling in apprenticeships in Ireland.
“Doing an apprenticeship is an exciting career opportunity for many. Industrial leaders in many sectors place a very high value on a trained apprentice, with many moving into senior managerial roles”, he said in a press statement.
President of DIT Prof Brian Norton said that those involved in the development of this programme believed in its ability to offer young people access to opportunities. “Drawing on our long experience in apprentice education and our strong record in educational support for young people from areas of socio-economic disadvantage, we believe this programme can offer young people access to developing meaningful careers”, he said.
The programme, which is supported by JP Morgan and ESB, has also received help from various employers across a range of sectors.
While access was the key word at the launch today, the programme comes not long after DIT’s reversal of its controversial proposal to make garda vetting a requirement for the its access programme for mature students, which offers an additional route for applicants over the age of 23 who want to return to education. Senator Lynn Ruane and Fianna Fáil TD Thomas Byrne were among those who accused the college of discriminatory practices.
The pilot programme announced today will end in June 2018 upon the final group’s completion of the course, and any plans for an expansion have yet to be publicly announced.
