More than 3,000 craft apprentices waiting over six months for training

Craft apprenticeships include carpentry, plumbing, motor mechanics and electrical apprenticeships. File picture

Some 3,017 craft apprentices were waiting more than six months to progress to the next off-the-job phase of their training.

A total of 454 apprentices had been waiting for more than a year.

The figures, which cover up to the end of June, were obtained by Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire in a parliamentary question to further education minister James Lawless.

Apprentices must complete a series of workplace and classroom-based training phases, with the off-the-job elements delivered through training centres and higher education institutions.

Mr Ó Laoghaire said it was unacceptable apprentices were facing significant delays in progressing to the next stage of their training.

He said lengthy waits risked discouraging people from entering trades at a time when the State was trying to encourage more apprenticeships. 

A properly functioning apprenticeship system is also essential to addressing challenges such as the housing crisis and the transition to renewable energy, he said.

"This issue very clearly needs investment and for it to be addressed by a change in policy," he said, adding apprenticeships should be treated as seriously as any other form of training.

Responding to Mr Ó Laoghaire, a spokesperson for the Department of Further and Higher Education said Solas, which is responsible for further education and training, continuously monitors apprenticeship demand with the Higher Education Authority and Education and Training Boards to ensure sufficient training capacity.

The spokesperson said apprentices must complete all required elements of their current training phase before progressing to off-the-job training and the system operated on a continuous intake basis to ensure classes were filled and training resources used efficiently.

They added off-the-job training was scheduled in line with the academic calendar and said there were no waiting lists for consortium-led apprenticeships.

In response to a query from the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for Solas said: "The apprenticeship system operates on a national and continuous intake basis. Maintaining a steady pipeline of apprentices is essential to ensure full classes and maximise value for money.

"Classes are scheduled on a rolling basis throughout the year. Scheduling for phases 4 and 6, when apprentices are typically in higher education, aligns with the academic calendar, which can also affect timing."

Solas said that since the end of June, 2,482 places have been scheduled for apprentices eligible for Phase 4 off-the-job training and 1,374 places have been scheduled for apprentices eligible for Phase 6 off-the-job training. Phase 2 scheduling takes place year-round on a rolling basis, with approximately 800 Phase 2 places planned to be scheduled during July 2026.

Across the craft apprenticeship system, the median time to certification was 239 weeks in 2024, reducing to 227 weeks in 2025, said Solas.

Craft apprenticeships include carpentry, plumbing, motor mechanics and electrical apprenticeships.

To be eligible for craft apprenticeship, the applicant must be at least 16 years of age and employed by an approved employer, who then registers the apprentice with Solas.