Ministers Harris and Collins welcome recovery in apprenticeship registrations

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins, have welcomed the ongoing recovery in apprenticeship registrations.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said:

“We have set ourselves ambitious goals to reach 10,000 new apprentices ever year. So far, this year we have seen 6,471 registrations – an increase that has not only exceeded expectations on recovery of 2020 registrations which were badly impacted by sector closures due to COVID-19, but also shows a 25% increase on 2019 figures for the same period.

“This means we have seen more apprenticeship registrations this year than before COVID-19 hit. This is really incredible news.

“There were 4,433 craft apprentice registrations at this point in 2019. This is now 5,098. There were 740 other apprenticeships at this point in 2019. This is now 1,373. Together, these figures show the early success of the Plan in contributing to our recovery and helping us address key targets identified in Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan.

“I hope this and the changes we made last week to the CAO webpage will help to deliver the message that apprenticeship provides a real and substantive career pathway for school leavers, career changes and the unemployed.

“We now have 62 apprenticeships from level 5 to level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications in sectors of the economy from construction and biopharma to hospitality and finance.”

Minister Collins added:

“The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out a road map for apprenticeship for the next 5 years.

“Apprenticeship has an important role to play in our recovery from COVID-19. Recognising this, resources have been provided to support 7,000 off-the-job training places for craft apprentices impacted by COVID-19.

“Supports are provided in Budget 2022 for a new grant for employers of apprentices who are not benefitting from direct off-the-job training allowance payments.

“For the first time, employers of all apprentices will now have access to some level of support, building on the success of the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme which remains available to all employers until December 2021.

“Providing support and surety for employers as they recruit apprentices in this uncertain environment is a key element in growing engagement with apprenticeship. Details of the scheme are being worked through and further information will issue in due course.

“The workplace is changing, and apprenticeship provides a route to rapid re-employment for those impacted by scarring effects and structural changes to the economy and labour market.”