Opinion: there's a renewed interest in apprenticeships in Ireland, with more people realising it can lead to a successful and rewarding career
Have you tried to book a NCT for your car lately? One of the reasons for the lengthy delay in getting your car tested is the shortage of skilled motor mechanics. Or have you needed the services of a skilled tradesperson such as an electrician, plumber or carpenter for some home repairs? They're also in short supply, and rightly so as their time is a high-value commodity.
From very noble beginnings in the Middle Ages, apprenticeships are entering a new era. In the ancient past, apprenticeships were closely linked to the medieval crafts where a master craftsman would train up to three apprentices in his particular craft or skill. The duration of the apprenticeship ranged from between two to seven years.
Besides providing training in his particular craft, the master craftsman also looked after the apprentice's welfare and often provided accommodation. The apprentice was basically earning and learning by doing. On completion of his contractual time served, the apprentice submitted a piece of his best work to the relevant craft Guild. If this 'masterpiece' was of the appropriate standard, the apprentice become a master craftsman and could the open his open workshop and begin training his own apprentices.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, what's causing the shortage of apprentices in the construction sector? With Colin Donnery from FRS Network and Brian Nolan from the Connect trade union
Over the centuries, apprenticeships grew in volume and spread to many crafts and skills. While many of the guilds are still present today, governments in many countries became responsible for the regulation of apprenticeships.
In recent decades across the globe, the apprenticeship model had become a less attractive option for both school-leavers and parents, resulting in a global shortage of skilled trade/craft people. There were many reasons for this declining interest in apprenticeships including the growth in access to Higher Education from Elite to Mass to Universal; proliferation of degree programmes; poor and misinformed career guidance and a misconception that the apprenticeship model was for the academically challenged or "good with their hands" students.
There's also an issue around academic snobbery, where parents who want the best for their children believe that this means a college education and a white collar career. Indeed, during times of economic downturn, it is easier in many cases to get into college than it was to get an apprenticeship.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, interview with three people working in traditional crafts
In recent years, we are starting to see a renewed interest in the apprenticeship model in Ireland. Currently there are 26,300 apprentices in training in 66 apprenticeship programmes compared to fewer than 15,000 across 24 apprenticeships just five years ago.
Up until 2016, the apprenticeships were focused in the construction, manufacturing and motor sectors, and include carpenters, bricklayers and motor mechanics. But the range of industries now covered by apprenticeships has grown significantly. School leavers have a choice of choosing a traditional craft-based or one of the new apprenticeships from a wide range of industries such as logistics, supply chain, computer and technology, medtech, insurance, finance, accountancy and the hospitality sector.
Access to Apprenticeship (ATA) supports the transition of young people (16-24 years old) from disadvantaged backgrounds into an apprenticeship scheme. It is a 12-week full-time programme and is delivered by TU Dublin and TUSS. A key objective of the Access to Apprenticeship programme is to increase the participation of women in craft apprenticeships.
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From RTÉ Archives, Evening Extra report in 1988 on how the FÁS training centre in Athlone has allocated 10% of its places for women apprentices
Ireland also has a long history of providing high quality craft-based apprenticeships, and a very impressive track record of bringing home gold medals from the WorldSkills Competitions. In September, WorldSkills Ireland will host the third National Skills Competition at the RDS in Dublin. This annual showcase event promotes skills in craft-apprenticeship, traineeships and graduate degree programmes through competition linked to WorldSkills International standards. It encourages students, their parents and teachers and careers advisers to engage positively with career choices that provide learning and earning potential from the first day of registration leading to successful and rewarding career.
While we are not there yet, Ireland’s apprenticeship training and education offering is becoming more closely aligned with the highly acclaimed models of Germany and Switzerland. This is in no small part due to the efforts of the National Apprenticeship Office and in particular Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD.
This means school leavers and their parents and guardians now have an increased awareness of the wider range of apprenticeship programmes available. The CAO is not the only route to a successful and rewarding career...
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
