2025-12-11

199. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps his Department is taking to develop and reform the placement and allocation system for apprentices, ensuring that these are reasonably within a commutable area close to where they live; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67911/25]

One of the biggest issues for apprentices is placements for educational training. While there is an option to swap placements, sometimes there is not enough time to do this or to find someone to swap with. Apprentices have no idea where they will be placed, causing huge stress as they will need to budget for this added expense. Furthermore, the accommodation allowance for this is only €70 per week. Does the Minister accept that more supports are needed in the current cost-of-living crisis? If we consider the cost of rent in the country, the current system is forcing people into paying double for their accommodation and this is not acceptable.

I thank Deputy McGettigan. I understand well the issue that she raises and I share her concern. It is well-placed. I have heard this myself from apprentices out in the field in different locations. I have heard about the challenges they face when they are sometimes placed somewhere far from home and how difficult that is to manage. Finding accommodation, of course, is a big complication as part of that as well. I know the Deputy raised this issue before the committee recently when she was there with SOLAS. I have raised it with SOLAS myself on a number of occasions, including very recently. I have actually asked SOLAS as a starting point to review the current placement and allocation system for apprentices, and then to fix it, and to identify any opportunities for improvement. I have also heard anecdotally from engagement with employers who are taking on many apprentices that there can sometimes be a degree of arbitrariness in the system. Even though there is supposed to be a design and methodology in place, it appears that does not always manifest. This is something I have asked SOLAS to look at and take on. It is worth noting that apprenticeships are national programmes. As with every other post-secondary education route, it is not possible that every programme will be provided in every educational institution. An apprenticeship may be delivered through a particular local ETB but it is actually a national scheme. In our own county of Kildare, which myself and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach share, farrier apprenticeships are available. They are not available anywhere else, as I understand it, and that is because there is a particular speciality and set of knowledge within Kildare. There are probably exceptions. If people are doing a farrier apprenticeship, Kildare is where they go to do it. There are other skills. Wind turbine maintenance is available on the coast in Tralee, for example. There are other skills that are particular to specific areas. There is also the situation where apprentices are given an offer of a placement and they can decline that if it does not work for them. They can say "No" and then the place will be allocated to the next person on the list to take up. They get up to three refusals.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I welcome that he has been in contact with SOLAS, as have we on the committee. In some cases, we were finding at the committee that someone in Donegal was going to Cork and someone from Cork going to Donegal, both doing the same apprenticeship. It just beggars belief how that happens so I welcome the fact that SOLAS will review, and also fix, this. During recent committees, we heard directly from apprentices about the challenges for their placements. The situation is affecting all ages of apprentices now within a wider age range as the demographic for apprentices has changed significantly, as the Minister knows. There are now more and more apprentices who have families to support and mortgages in one location. This means that their responsibilities at home would be severely impacted as they would need to leave for 12 weeks. It is not sustainable. I welcome the fact that the Minister is going to get SOLAS to look into this. It should stop this whole lottery basis and apprenticeships should be closer to home.

Again, I agree with the Deputy. Part of the situation is that when an apprentice is offered a place, they are offered the next available place. There is pressure on for good reason. I put that pressure on myself to get as many people trained as quickly as possible. I addressed some of the backlogs that had previously arisen during Covid, etc. As a place becomes available on a particular course, the student will be offered the next available place. That may not be close to home but they do have the option to refuse that place. They can do that up to three times without any consequence in terms of their allocation or their place in the queue. Sometimes, by doing that they can wait and get a place closer to home. Some apprentices come forward and say they are happy to travel because they want to get through their programme and out the far side and increase their earnings, etc., by doing so. Supports are available in particular circumstances as well, particularly for members of the Traveller community, young people from particularly disadvantaged groups and learners from other under-represented groups in further education. There are some targeted schemes and financial supports available to assist in particular circumstances.

The only issue there is that they have to accept a placement within seven working days of the notification date. If they start declining, there is a fear that they may not ever get placed on this. It is an absolutely hellish situation out there for student accommodation and there is the fear too that if they do not accept the place they may not get accommodation. This process should ensure fairness for all apprentices. The Minister has said that himself. Is it fair for apprentices, many of whom are paid below minimum wage and are already paying extra rent, to be forced into living in unregulated digs because of their placement? They also may not even find a place to live and instead have to make long commutes. Once again, let us hope SOLAS rectifies all this for them.

The Deputy will be aware that there are allowances available to the apprentices who have to travel. There are various different rates and different bandings depending on whether they are travelling 5, 10 or 20 miles, right up to 40 miles or more. There are different travel allowances available to apprentices to help them in meeting those travel costs. While the issue is a real one, and one which I have asked SOLAS to examine and tackle, there is an induction module for apprentices when they start. Depending on the particular apprenticeship, and I gave the example of the farriers located in Kildare but there are many across the country, it should be known by people entering that these are based in a particular limited location. Equally, some of the larger courses, like those for electricians, plumbers or wood manufacturing, are available more widely and in those cases it is reasonable to expect that a place closer to home would come available. I expect a certain degree on knowledge on the part of the apprentice. Certainly, that should be communicated during the induction stage. Even though there may be a seven-day window to accept or refuse the place, there should have been an awareness of what is likely to arise long before that stage.