Employers should consider taking on apprentices – Bruton

Employers should consider taking on apprentices who can benefit their organisation and create new employment opportunities for the individual, Fine Gael TD Richard Bruton has said.

The Dublin Bay North representative encouraged employers to avail of a new financial incentive that Government is offering to recruit apprentices as part of the July Stimulus package.

Deputy Bruton said, “During the last financial crisis the number of apprentices collapsed. This set back the efforts to embed in Ireland a system of learning which has proven itself in many other countries by years. We must not let this happen again as a result of Covid, especially since great effort has been made to establish it on a broader base.

“In a few short years Ireland has doubled the number of fields where quality assured apprenticeships are in place. Soon there will be 78 fields of apprenticeship to choose from.

“It is essential that employers respond to the new financial incentive that Government is offering to recruit apprentices.

“We now need employers, including the public service, to consider the role apprenticeships can play to enhance and benefit their organisation.

“Amongst the 55 apprenticeships already available, there are 5 in finance, 6 in ICT, 6 in logistics and 16 in engineering, with a further 22 in development. This gives scope to new sectors that never recruited apprentices before to take up the scheme.

“As part of the July Stimulus package employers who take on apprentices from March to December of this year will be eligible for a grant of €2,000 upfront and another €1,000 in 12 months’ time.

“The scheme is among a range of measures contained in the July Stimulus package aimed at helping people get back to work or education quickly and amount to Government investment of over €200 million,” Deputy Bruton concluded.

ENDS