Harris to push public sector to take on more apprentices

The Minister for Higher Education is set to impose new targets to boost apprentice numbers in state departments, councils and government bodies

Simon Harris has previously complained at the Oireachtas Education Committee that there is a “snobby attitude in this country”

Simon Harris, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, is planning to oblige government departments to recruit more apprentices to “change the conversation” about apprenticeships.

There are currently just 309 apprentices in the public sector, which employs a total of 330,000 people.

Government departments, councils and state agencies are going to be given targets to recruit far more apprentices, who will be able to “earn and learn” in their roles. There will also be “cross ...