Time for us to change the negative view of apprenticeships

The word ‘apprentice’ prompts negative connotations in Irish minds, but our EU neighbours consider this trainee structure equal to academic qualifications.

“With so many chasing masters and PhDs, who will be available to fix my TV set or service my car”? an old professor of mine often remarked at the start of the new academic year.

While Ireland has 27 craft apprenticeships, in areas such as construction, engineering, and car mechanics, it lags behind other countries.

Germany has 300 apprenticeships, which are completed by 80% of trainees. The recently published Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland sets out a strategy for state agencies, training providers, and employers to work together to have doubled the number of annual apprenticeship registrations to 14,000, in 120 different schemes, by 2020.

“Qualifications are not the same as skills, and industry wants skills,” says general secretary of the Education and Training Boards, Michael Moriarty.

“There is a fixation with going to third-level directly from secondary school, and a look at the failure rates after the first year of university makes it clear that a large number of people have been inappropriately placed — and that, maybe, third-level isn’t the best place for them. Apprenticeships are comparable in status and value to third-level, and there really is a fantastic future for kids, if they go down this route.”

Since the 1970s, 105,000 apprentices have been trained in Ireland.

In 2016, there were 3,800 new apprenticeship registrations within a population of 10,316 apprentices and 3,919 participating employers.

Research by The Insurance Institute found that 62% of young adults would consider an apprenticeship, backed by 55% of parents.

The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship is Ireland’s only level 8-degree apprenticeship, an ‘earn and learn’, three-year programme enabling apprentices to work and earn a salary for an insurance employer, while studying for a BA Hons in insurance practice.

“The programme is only in its second year, but has been a game-changer, as it offers young people a real alternative to college, while also providing local jobs, to local people, throughout the country,” said Sandra Harvey Graham, apprenticeship programme manager, with the Insurance Institute.

“Cost, and the potential to secure a job, are concerns for parents and students, and, as the programme is also government-funded, students only pay €600 in registration fees annually, making it very affordable for potential candidates to kick start their career in a global and dynamic industry.”

Apprenticeships are being developed across a wide range of industries and sectors, including construction, electrical, engineering, and finance.

These range from the traditional trades of bricklaying and carpentry to aircraft mechanics, refrigeration, insurance practice, farriery, and agricultural mechanics.

Over a dozen further new programmes will get underway this year, in sectors medical devices, polymer processing, culinary and financial services. GSK is expanding its apprenticeship programme at its three manufacturing sites in Ireland and it plans to recruit more than 50 apprentices in 2017 and expand the programme to the US.

With the inclusion of non-craft apprenticeships, the pharma company is challenging the traditional perception of such training as a trade or craft. As well as earning an international qualification, participants gain valuable on-the-job experience, a competitive base salary, and access to GSK’s benefit scheme.

“Apprentices are a crucial part of our workforce, both now and for the future of GSK in Ireland,” said Fergus O’Brien, GSK talent acquisition manager.

“In addition to studying towards a qualification, apprentices will gain valuable on-the-job experience, alongside the industry’s leading talent, as well as a competitive salary. We have had some fantastic apprentices.”