Attracting and retaining talent is a key challenge for the engineering sector across all disciplines, and with so much to achieve as a country in terms of infrastructure, housing and sustainability, every effort must be made to attract people into the sector. Another important way of getting new talent into engineering is through apprenticeships, and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is playing an increasingly vital role in plugging that skills gap and answering the needs of industry.
“We continuously work with industry to identify and address skill shortages in many areas,” said Gillian Ryan, assistant manager stakeholder engagement and promotion at the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO). “Apprenticeships couldn’t exist without our employers. Together we are constantly looking at those gaps and see where we can help by bringing in that apprenticeship model into whatever area that needs and progress it from there.”
The NAO was established by Solas and the Higher Education Authority in 2021 to implement the action plan. A key goal is to achieve 10,000 apprentice registrations per annum by the end of 2025; according to the latest progress report published by the NAO, there are over 9,352 registrations over 77 Generation Apprentice programmes.
In accordance with industry needs, the scope of apprenticeship schemes has widened considerably. There are currently 77 programmes available, with a further 23 programmes in development. These programmes answer skills shortages in a range of diverse industries, including ICT, engineering, construction, farming, civil engineering, digital marketing and healthcare.
A further change is the level of qualifications apprentices can earn. Now, apprenticeships lead to awards on the National Framework of Qualifications from certificate to PhD level. In fact, many of the apprenticeship programmes in engineering offer impressive qualifications upon completion.
“Engineering is our largest area,” said Ryan. “We currently offer 19 engineering apprenticeship courses, which range from civil to mechanical to manufacturing. We have four more in development, including civil engineering at level 8 and level 9, precision machinist quality control, and robotics and automation – again they range from level 6 to level 8.”
As a male-dominated area, the NAO is also addressing the skills shortage in engineering by actively encouraging more women to embark on the engineering apprenticeships.
“We run a campaign each year called Facts, Faces & Futures, which aims to encourage women to apply for apprenticeships. In 2016, we had 37 registered female apprentices; last year we had 2,643. We are continuously working with schools, educational training boards, guidance counsellors and more. From an engineering perspective, in 2023, our Apprentice of the Year was Hazel Johnston, a manufacturing engineering apprentice with DePuy Synthes. She was actually our first female winner.”
With engineering skills so vital in tackling our most urgent societal issues, such as climate change and housing, current apprenticeship programmes are clearly focused on specific skills to tackle these issues.
“For example, we have a wind turbine maintenance technician course, which is offered in Kerry College. That apprenticeship directly addresses the issue of sustainability and the real need to harness and use renewable sources of energy. These types of skills are key to our economy and our society going forward.”
For more on engineering apprenticeships, see apprenticeship.ie