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 are waiting more than six months to progress to the next off-the-job phase of their training.

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

The figures 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.

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.