From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
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The National Apprenticeship Alliance plays an important role in the delivery of the Government’s commitments in fully embedding apprenticeship in the national education and training system. The Alliance has an advisory role in relation to the development of the apprenticeship system and oversees and sanctions the development of new apprenticeships.
Included in this document is the membership representation and Terms of Reference of the Alliance for your information. We are now inviting applications for membership of the Alliance for two apprentice representatives, with a closing date of 24 May 2023.
Applicants will be considered on the grounds of suitable experience, gender balance, and being able to represent the full range of relevant interests in their area. Consideration will also be given to representatives of large population programmes and also representatives for the newer programmes, in making the final selection.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 to 2025 (APA) provides a roadmap to a single apprenticeship system that will fully embed apprenticeship as a valued route for skills development for employers and prospective apprentices.
Upskilling and reskilling are a key Government priority to foster an inclusive recovery and to support the digital and green transitions, all of which are key commitments in the Programme for Government.
Apprenticeship has been identified as having the potential to make a substantial contribution to these objectives through the development of structured pathways for skills acquisition through education and training embedded into the workplace experience.
Apprenticeship also provides a route to re-employment for those impacted by scarring effects and structural changes to the economy and labour market arising from COVID-19 measures and Brexit.
Key to the delivery of the ambition set out in the APA is a new organisational architecture, involving a National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) and National Apprenticeship Alliance. The Office has responsibility for all aspects of the management, oversight, and development of the apprenticeship system and for implementing the Action Plan. The NAO exercises, on a shared and conjoint basis, the relevant legislative and funding functions of SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
In summary, the Alliance’s purpose is to:
The Alliance provides advice and guidance to the NAO on the development of the apprenticeship system and the implementation of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. This is anchored in an annual programme of work, with the Director of the NAO reporting progress to the Alliance.
The Alliance delivers an annual progress report to the Minister for Further and Higher Education Research, Innovation and Science.
The Alliance reviews and approves formal occupational profiles in the development of new apprenticeships. The occupational profile is a core component of an apprenticeship programme, helping to ensure that skills needs are being met and that apprentices continue to have the knowledge skills and competence for a rapidly changing world of work. In carrying out its role, the Alliance will take account of:
Where relevant, direct input of Alliance members and other stakeholders into the work programme for the NAO is structured through working groups on specific thematic areas as set by the NAO.
The Alliance establishes specialist subcommittees as required – including a standing committee targeted to support access and inclusion.
The Alliance works with SOLAS and the HEA to implement the apprenticeship migration plan, enabling delivery of all apprenticeships within a single apprenticeship system.
The diverse range and number of stakeholders who took part in the process to develop the Action Plan demonstrates the level of commitment to and ambition there is for apprenticeship in Ireland. A key priority is to capture the wealth of perspectives and experience of this broad range of stakeholders in the new governance structures.
Collectively, Alliance members will:
The role of the Apprentice Representative is to contribute their experience and knowledge of their industry area and skills development in order to carry out the functions and deliver the objectives of the Alliance.
Applicants should:
Representatives will be required to devote as much time to the duties of the Alliance as is necessary for the proper and efficient discharge of their duties.
To be considered for the role of Apprentice Representative to the Alliance, please submit by email a cover letter and a curriculum vitae, no later than 5.00pm on 30 April 2023, to apprenticeship_ppp@dfheris.gov.ie .
Please take care when submitting your expression of interest as the assessment panel will make its recommendation(s) to the Minister based on consideration of the documentation which you submit. It is therefore most important that you ensure your cover letter and supporting CV clearly specifies how your particular background and experience meets the requirements of Alliance membership. This will help ensure that the assessment panel is as informed as possible as to the basis and suitability of your candidature.
You must also confirm that you do not have any conflicts of interest or legal impediment which would be likely to interfere with your ability to play a full part on the Alliance, as described in this information note. You must also confirm that you can make yourself available to attend meetings and to carry out the duties of the Apprentice Representative.
The selection process may include a short-listing process dependent on the numbers of applications received.
In submitting an application, and in line with best practice as set out in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, it should be noted that it is open to the Minister to consider suitable candidates other than those identified through this process provided his preferred candidate meets the specified criteria.
The Minister shall have regard to the desirability for gender balance on the Governing Body as the Minister considers appropriate and determines from time to time when making appointments.
Should the representative wish to terminate their position at any time, they may be required to remain in the post until a suitable replacement is appointed.
Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts, 2014, applications will be treated in strict confidence. All enquires, applications and all aspects of the proceedings are treated as strictly confidential and are not disclosed to anyone outside those directly involved in that aspect of the process.
Certain items of information, not specific to any individual, may be extracted from computer records for general statistical purposes.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is committed to protecting your personal data and takes the security of your information very seriously, adhering to the principles of transparency, accountability and security of the General Data Protection Regulation.
The main purpose for which the Department requires the personal data provided by you is to consider your Expression of Interest in the context of the qualifying criteria set out in this document and your suitability for the position(s) advertised.
The personal data provided as part of this recruitment campaign will be exchanged with other persons involved in the appointment process only as required, including with officials in the Department, any other relevant person who will assist in the appointment process, and the Minister.
If your application is assessed and you are considered to be suitable for consideration for appointment your curriculum vitae and cover letter (and any supplementary information requested as part of the application process), will be retained for up to one year following the appointments. In the event that you are not successful on this occasion, your data may be retained for a period of up to one year and used in considering your suitability for other similar vacancies/roles that may arise within that period.
Read our data protection notice or find additional information on data protection legislation .
