Public service should provide apprenticeships in recovery from Covid-19 – Bruton

The Government should begin apprenticeships in the public service as the country emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, Fine Gael TD Richard Bruton has said.

Deputy Bruton said, “A simple idea for the July stimulus or the National Economic Plan would be for the public sector to commit to recruiting 1,000 apprenticeships each year.

“The public service employs 300,000 people and could easily have this target of 0.5% of places devoted to apprentices. In Germany an equivalent figure would be 3%.

“As the types of apprenticeships available go from 25 to 100, there are huge opportunities now that would be relevant to the public service in areas such as:

• Laboratory Assist/Technician
• Accounting Technician
• Supply Chain Specialists
• Maintenance Technician
• Digital Service Technician

“Indeed the public service should embrace a role as a new provider of apprenticeships in order to meet the skills needs of the public sector.

“I raised this issue with An Taoiseach in the Dáil on Wednesday and I am pleased that he committed to reviewing the possibilities of introducing apprenticeships in the public service,” Deputy Bruton said.