Minister Called To Review Options Available To Boost Appenticehips

Fianna Fáil has called on the Minister for Skills, John Halligan, to review the options available to boost apprenticeship numbers.

The party's housing spokesperson Barry Cowen TD made the call and also criticized the failure of the Government to roll out a shared apprenticeship scheme model in Ireland.

SOLAS, in partnership with Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and Waterford Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB), operated a pilot initiative in the last year to test the viability of a shared apprenticeship scheme. However it has been decided not to progress the new model across the country.


Deputy Cowen said: "CIF has predicted an intake requirement of 3,840 construction related apprentices by 2020. Around 2,500 apprenticeships were registered in 2017. We need to boost numbers to give young people more opportunities and secure the workforce needed to build homes. Shared apprenticeships help to reduce costs for the employer and give smaller companies a chance to use them.

"The decision to abandon the pilot project seems pre-mature and limited. We need to develop new ways to attract and retain apprenticeships for both employers and employees alike."

(CD/LM)