liebherr container cranes submissionliebherr container cranes ltd. was founded in killarney in 1958....
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Response to Consultation on Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland
Company Name: Liebherr Container Cranes
Address: Fossa, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Occupational Sectors covered: Mechanical Automation and Maintenance Fitter
Electrician
Date of submission: 30/08/2013
Company Profile:
Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. was founded in Killarney in 1958. The company provides
container handling equipment to ports globally. Our sales, design, manufacturing and
installation / service operations are all based in Killarney. The company currently
employees over 600 employees including 40 apprentices. We recruit apprentices annually
and employ dedicated apprentice trainers for both mechanical and electrical apprentice
training.
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Area 1
Overview
Having regard to the issues outlined in the Press R elease and Discussion Paper,
please set out your views of the effectiveness of t he current apprenticeship
programme, highlighting the issues you consider sho uld be addressed to ensure a
skilled workforce to meet Ireland's current and fut ure needs.
The current apprenticeship structure has served our company and the country well.
The proof of this is the fact that Irish apprentices are recognized throughout the world as
being excellent employees and tradespersons, and the fact that our apprentices
consistently perform well in the World Skills competitions. However, there are ways in
which the system can be improved to ensure that we maintain a skilled workforce into the
future.
Apprenticeship system:
The overall apprenticeship system is too rigid. Every apprenticeship (apart from
print media) is designed in the same way, 7 phases, 4 years, on and off the job training
durations are set etc. Some apprenticeships could be completed in less time. The system
needs to be more flexible, each occupation should be assessed individually to determine
the duration and learning outcomes etc. required.
The system is also very narrow. A lot of the apprenticeships are aimed at
construction, and related trades. The economic requirements 10, 15 or 20 years ago were
very different to those today. We still have a need for the trades covered under the current
apprenticeship system, but we also have a need for new skills in other industry sectors, e.g.
IT, retail, services etc. New skills required by employers should be able to be incorporated
into the system as demand increases. There should be an opportunity for employers to
suggest new apprenticeships on an ongoing basis.
Training Standards:
Training standards differ significantly between organizations, even though every
apprentice is supposed to complete the same curriculum. This difference has become more
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obvious in recent years. We recruited a number of apprentices through the redundant
apprenticeship scheme. While most of them were able to reach the standard required here
after a period of time, some, when they started at our company did not possess the skills
that would be expected of a Phase 3 / 5 / 7 apprentice. There is no set standard required
for an apprentice trainer, and there is no significant quality auditing function built into the
current system (for either on or off the job training).
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Please set out an overview of your ideal model for apprenticeship in the future,
indicating whether the programme should be extended to cover new occupations,
and whether there should be various sub models for different fields of activity.
The current system of block release phases should continue. This allows employers
to plan ahead for times when they know apprentices will be away from the company.
On the job phase assessments should be more company specific. The broad outline
of an assessment should be provided to companies but they should have the ability to tailor
it (materials, time, tasks etc.) to suit their own needs. On the Job assessments are
designed to test the core skills of apprentices, so there should be more flexibility around
materials, time, and dimensions etc. as long as the core skills are still being assessed to the
appropriate standard.
Employers should have more input into what is included in off the job phases.
Employers are in the best position to judge whether apprenticeships are training participants
to an acceptable level. Therefore, their input to the design and review or curricula is
essential.
New apprenticeships should be introduced, both in industries served by the current
apprenticeship programme and different industry sectors as required. Employers should be
able to suggest new apprenticeships on an ongoing basis. Each new apprenticeship should
be assessed in terms of duration, assessment, curriculum design and final qualification.
Where demand is not sufficient to warrant a new apprenticeship for a specific occupation, a
system should be introduced to allow employers to complete traineeships in conjunction
with SOLAS / LTB’s / IoT’s. One possibility would be for the employer to complete agreed
assessments for the trainee similar to current on the job assessments. In conjunction with
this, throughout the duration of the traineeship, the trainee can attend set courses run by
SOLAS / LTB’s and IoT’s. Some employers may already have set training programs in
place for trainees outside of the current apprenticeship system. There should be a
mechanism to assess these for the purposes of conferring an apprenticeship / traineeship
award at the appropriate level on the NFQ. This does not necessarily need to be at FETAC
Level 6.
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Apprentice recruitment numbers cannot be limited or set by the state. This will
undermine the needs of enterprises, especially those in the private sector. In the last 10
years there was an increase in apprenticeships but this was due to issues in the wider
economy, and particularly in the construction sector. This had a knock on effect for the
state and increased the cost of providing apprenticeships through FAS, IoT’s etc. However,
this cannot be used as a reason to limit numbers of new entrants as this will unfairly punish
companies who have traditionally recruited apprentices annually. For the wider economy,
Ireland’s competitive edge will be detrimentally affected if we do not have adequate
numbers of skilled employees to meet future demand.
Apprenticeship costs for employers need to be maintained as they are at the
moment. The majority of the current cost associated with apprenticeships is borne by the
employer. The cost of training apprentices is a huge challenge and risk for employers
(especially smaller employers). After 4 years of training and investment there is no
guarantee that the employer will ever see any benefit from their investment. Following
qualification the apprentice can decide to transfer to another employer, or emigrate, taking
their newly developed skills with them. Any changes which will increase costs for
employers will lead to further reductions in the number of apprentices being trained.
Employers who have not in the past employed apprentices will also be discouraged from
doing so in the future if costs are increased.
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How should the Irish apprenticeship system fit into the EU and international
structures?
Irish apprenticeships are currently measured on the NFQ, which equates Irish
qualifications to those in other countries. This should continue to be the case. We need to
ensure that we are training apprentices to a standard which will meet the future needs of
Ireland. If this leads to a similar system as that used in other EU countries, very well, but
we should ensure that our apprentices are trained to a standard to meet the needs of Irish
employers and the economy as a whole.
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Area 2
Looking forward, what changes would you recommend i n a re-structured or
fundamentally reformed apprenticeship system in reg ard to any or all of the
issues below. Please feel free to consider a signif icantly broader approach
which embraces a wide range of occupations, and pro vides for different
modes of funding and delivery.
1. Governance
1.a. Should future apprenticeships have a statutory underpinning? What
aspects, if any, should be statute regulated, and w hat aspects should be
market or stakeholder controlled?
Apprenticeships should continue to have a statutory underpinning, and should
continue to be regulated by an agency similar to the role of FAS at present. More emphasis
needs to be placed on training standards and quality control. Curriculum design and task /
assessment requirements should be controlled by the various stakeholders and this must
include more employer input.
1.b. How and who should be involved in planning, cu rriculum development,
support, regulation and monitoring of apprenticeshi ps to ensure compliance
with national objectives? (Quality assurance to be through Quality and
Qualifications Ireland (QQI))
Employers and employer representative bodies must play a more active role in
curriculum development for apprenticeships.
1.c What would be the most effective system of gove rnance to combine
long term system and brand stability with an agile response to national needs?
How can governance arrangements be simplified or st reamlined?
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2. Equity
2.a How can a better gender balance be achieved in apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships need to be encouraged in schools. Some employers proactively do
this on a local basis but there should be a national strategy for this. Career guidance in a
lot of schools is aimed very much towards formal 3rd level education, with very little
information being provided to students regarding their other options including
apprenticeships.
Better gender balance can only be achieved through better guidance to female
students. Subject choices, career guidance information and work experience at second
level would all have a beneficial effect on the numbers of females applying for
apprenticeships.
The occupations that are currently covered in the Irish apprenticeship system have
traditionally been considered to be male orientated. If the system is extended to cover
further occupations, better gender balance may be achieved.
A quota system must not be implemented. This could lead to a situation where
better candidates for apprenticeships miss out on the opportunity to complete an
apprenticeship because of requirement to give the position to a female candidate.
Employers in general are quite willing to consider female candidates if they demonstrate the
interest and aptitude for an apprenticeship. In the last 4 years we have had over 1300
applications for apprenticeships, but only 1 of these was from a female! A quota system will
not solve the gender imbalance if females don’t apply.
2.b How can education and training and labour marke t entry routes for early
school leavers, and those ill equipped for direct e ntry to more academically
oriented FE and HE programmes, be best protected an d expanded?
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Pre-Apprenticeship programmes should continue to be offered to early school
leavers. The information regarding these options has to be provided to students in schools.
A database of participants who have completed these programmes should be established
and regularly updated. This database could be used by prospective apprentice employers
to find suitable candidates. This would be especially beneficial to smaller employers. A
financial incentive (e.g. First 3 – 6 months wages paid / subsidised) could be awarded for
employers who recruit apprentices from this database. As employers buy into this system
the incentives could be phased out.
2.c How can the interests of persons with disabilit ies be advanced within
future apprenticeships?
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3. Range of Occupations
3.a Should the range of occupations covered by appr enticeship /
traineeships be broadened outside the traditional c raft industries? If so, what
occupations / programmes should be covered and how would this be
achieved? Please state why you consider these occup ations suitable for
apprenticeship
New apprenticeships should be considered to meet industry demand. Examples that
would be of benefit to our company are as follows:
• Welding – At the moment welding is partially covered in a number of
apprenticeships, and FAS also offer 6 – 26 week courses. Our experience is that
following these courses the participant still requires a lot of training. A dedicated
welding apprenticeship should be considered.
• Industrial Coating and Painting – This is not covered under the current painting and
decorating apprenticeship curriculum. This occupation requires knowledge of steel
and other metals, preparation of surfaces, shot blasting and cleaning, spray painting,
touch up etc.
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4. Funding
4.a How can the costs of apprenticeship be shared b etween apprentices,
employers and the State?
This should remain the same as at present.
4.b How can the costs of expansion into new discipl ines be best supported
given economic constraints?
Occupations to be included for expansion in the short term should be carefully
selected to ensure that resources that are currently available can be utilized. For example,
welding would not require additional resources. Employers interested in training apprentice
welders probably already employ welders and have all of the required plant and equipment.
FAS training centres an IoT’s throughout the country provide courses involving welding so
tutors and equipment are already in place in a lot of areas. As our economy recovers in the
medium to long term other occupations could then be considered.
Links with other training organizations, state bodies in other European countries, and
employers should be investigated. Certain elements of off the job training do not
necessarily need to be provided by LTB’s or IoT’s. There may be an employer with
specialized machinery / equipment, or a training organization that specializes in certain
types of training. Financial incentives would be required for employers who provide training
services. By sub-contracting specialist training subjects the state would save the cost of the
capital investment in specialist equipment and the salary costs of specialist trainers.
4.c Who should pay the learner (a) on the job (b) o ff the job?
On the job – Employer
Off the job – State
4.d Should pay or allowances vary by discipline?
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Pay rates will vary by discipline and employer. These should not be set. Training
allowances should be based on average pay rates. These should be reviewed as a matter
of urgency as the pay rates in many sectors have dropped in recent years. Travel and
accommodation allowances etc. should also be revised. Most apprentices are earning
significantly more during off the job phases than they are during on the job phases. The
cumulative sum of training, travel, accommodation etc. allowances should not exceed the
apprentice’s normal wages.
4.e What supports, if any, should be available for learners availing of off the
job training away from home?
Support for apprentices while off the job should be maintained but the cumulative
total of all allowances should not exceed their normal pay rates.
4.f Describe how the changes you propose will decre ase or increase the
costs of apprenticeship to Employers, apprentices o r the State.
There will not be any significant difference in the costs for current apprenticeships as
a result of the changes suggested. Revision of the training allowances paid may produce
savings for the state for the provision of off the job training. There will be additional costs
for all parties associated with the development and introduction of new apprenticeships, but
these costs are unavoidable.
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5. Recruitment
5.a Who should control recruitment to apprenticeshi ps and how should this
be done?
Employers should continue to control recruitment to meet the demands of their
company and the industry as a whole.
5.b Given that an agile response to labour market n eeds inevitably gives
rise to peaks and valleys in demand, how can the im pact of this on planning,
infrastructural investment, and employment of train ers, be best catered for?
As discussed earlier, links with other training organizations, state bodies in other
European countries, and employers should be investigated. Certain elements of off the job
training do not necessarily need to be provided by LTB’s or IoT’s. There may be an
employer with specialized machinery / equipment, or a training organization that specializes
in a certain types of training. By sub-contracting specialist training subjects the state would
save the cost of the capital investment in specialist equipment and the salary costs of
specialist trainers.
At present there are three 11 week training periods per year for phases 4 and 6
(January – March, April – June, and September – December). A fourth 11 week period
could be scheduled between June and September during times of high demand?
5.c Should State provision of training be decoupled from employer
recruitment?
State provision of training needs to be maintained. As discussed earlier (Area 1),
training standards can differ significantly from employer to employer for Phase 1, 3, 5 and 7.
Phases 2, 4 and 6 ensure that every apprentice, no matter who they are employed by,
completes standard training exercises, and must pass the same assessments. This
ensures that apprentices have at least some transferrable skills on completion of their
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apprenticeship. If state training provision is removed the variance between employers could
increase even further. The state should play a more active role in ensuring the quality
standards of on the job training.
5.d How can the supply and demand for the different disciplines be most
effectively planned?
Employers will continue to be in the best position to plan their future needs for skilled
employees. Planning the needs of the overall economy for the next 5 – 10 years should
include all the social partners including employer groups and economic experts. They
should advise on the probable requirements in the future but apprentice numbers should not
be limited on the basis of their recommendations.
5.e What should be the minimum entry requirements? Should these vary for
individual occupations?
For this point we considered a number of different options:
(1) Increase the standard to 5 D’s at Leaving Cert
(2) Increase the standard to 5 C’s at Junior Cert
(3) Specify subjects that applicants must receive a D grade in
(4) Leave the requirements unchanged (5 D’s at Junior Cert)
After consideration of all of the above we chose option (4). Our reasons are outlined below.
Option (1) will remove any possibility for early school leavers to complete an
apprenticeship. However, as discussed in Point 2 (b) it should be mandatory for early
school leavers to attend a pre-apprenticeship course (and an entrance exam as described
in 6 (a) below).
Option (2) will not have a significant impact on the standard of entrants to
apprenticeships, and a ‘D’ grade is a pass so applicants who pass the Junior Cert should
have the option to progress to an apprenticeship.
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To list specific subjects required for entry to an apprenticeship (Option 3) would be of
benefit in that an employer could be sure that the applicant has reached a certain level in
the relevant subject area. For example, an applicant to a Mechanical Automation and
Maintenance Fitter apprenticeship would need at least 5 D’s at Junior Cert but at least 3 of
those D’s would need to be in Mathematics, Engineering and Technical Graphics. This
makes sense because these are all core skills required in that occupation. However, not all
schools offer the same subject choices, and sometimes a student doesn’t have the option to
complete Engineering or Technical Graphics. Implementing this change could disqualify
students from possibly completing an apprenticeship of their choice, because the post
primary school they attended did not offer the relevant subjects required. Therefore, a D
grade in specific subjects should not be a prerequisite.
The minimum entry requirements should remain unchanged. If an employer is of the
opinion that a higher level is required to enter their apprenticeship program, they have the
option to recruit apprentices who have completed Leaving Cert or completed specific
subjects at either Junior Cert or Leaving Cert.
Although we are recommending that the minimum entry requirements remain
unchanged, we would strongly recommend that secondary school students fully complete
their Leaving Cert, and schools and society as a whole should also continue to recommend
this. During the apprenticeship they will need to attend an IoT for 2 phases, and as part of
this they must attend and sit formal exams. The experience of completing the Leaving Cert,
and the learning that occurs between Junior Cert and Leaving Cert is hugely beneficial
when it comes to successful completion of phases 4 and 6.
5.f Should there be a probationary period?
Yes, this should be co-ordinated by employers. This does not necessarily need to
be monitored by the state.
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6. Curriculum
6.a What is the appropriate balance of (a) technica l and occupational skills
and (b) transversal skills, and what subjects shoul d be added or strengthened
in the programme? (e.g Transversal skills could inc lude mathematical skills,
ICT, communications, literacy, teamwork, planning, research and evaluation
skills)
Technical skills must continue to form the core of the apprenticeship programmes.
Certain traversal skills such as teamwork, planning, research and ICT are currently built into
the training provided by some employers both intentionally and unintentionally.
Some apprentices struggle with some of the core skills in our experience, especially
literacy, numeracy, technical graphics and science. Consideration should be given to all
apprentices attending an entrance exam as part of their FAS / LTB induction. To assist
apprentices who are experiencing difficulties standard tutorials (possibly online) could be
offered in these subjects. These should be offered to all apprentices, but should be
compulsory for any apprentices who fail to reach an acceptable standard in the entrance
exams. Apprentices who have to complete these compulsory tutorials should be unable to
progress past an agreed point (Possibly Phase 2) in their apprenticeship until these have
been completed.
ICT skills should be incorporated into the apprenticeship system. Even the
completion of a basic ECDL (or similar) qualification would be a very beneficial introduction
to ICT for apprentices.
6.b Should the programmes for various trades and oc cupations have
different learning outcomes and durations?
Each trade should be individually assessed in terms of duration and learning
outcomes. Some current trades could probably be completed in less than 4 years.
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6.c How should the programme provide for progressio n beyond
apprenticeship?
Most people who embark on apprenticeships do so with the intention of working in
the chosen occupation. However, there are people who will realize throughout their
apprenticeship that they would prefer to take another route. At present there is no direct
entry route for qualified apprentices to any courses in Universities. There are a range of
opportunities for progression to HETAC Level 6 and Level 7 courses in IoT’s and limited
opportunities for progression to Level 8 courses in IoT’s.
The current system discourages qualified apprentices from considering further study,
as the exemptions being offered are minimal, and in some cases non-existent. For
example, an apprentice who has qualified with a FETAC Level 6 Certificate (Electrical) can
progress to a HETAC Level 6 Certificate in Electronic Engineering at one particular IoT, but
there are no exemptions for this. This is basically telling the apprentice that the last 4 years
of study and work were of no benefit whatsoever, they could just as easily have applied
directly through the CAO system on completion of their Leaving Cert.
A one year exemption should be the minimum for any qualified apprentice applying
to join a relevant Higher Level course. Apprentices entering Higher Level courses may lack
theoretical knowledge but their knowledge of the practical application of technologies etc.
will be far greater than that of other 3rd level students, and this needs to be taken into
account.
6.d How can learners be best prepared for potential career change in a
knowledge based society?
6.e What transition measures/programmes, if any, ar e needed to prepare
students to enter an apprenticeship, (a) in the cas e of early school leavers and
(b) in the case of those with a Leaving Certificate or equivalent and (c) those
with significant experience beyond school?
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As discussed above, Pre-Apprenticeship programmes should be maintained for early
school leavers, and these should be compulsory for all early school leavers. Transition
measures are not required in the case of (b) or (c).
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7. Assessment
7.a Should the different disciplines/trades lead to awards at different levels
of the national framework of qualifications?
No, current apprenticeships should all continue to lead to the same level of award. If
some awards are lowered, this would lead to a perceived ‘dumbing down’ of these
apprenticeships.
New apprenticeships being considered should be assessed to determine their
qualification level. If learning outcomes do not reach the standard required for FETAC
Level 6, then Level 6 qualifications should not be awarded.
7.b Should interim awards be provided for during tr aining?
No, some apprentices may equate this to a qualification in their relevant trade.
Awards should only be conferred on successful completion of the whole programme, similar
to Higher Level courses at third level institutions. At present phase assessments are used
to record an apprentice’s progress through the apprenticeship and therefore interim awards
are not required.
7.c Should time spent on and off the job be more fl exible where learners are
assessed as meeting the final learning outcomes for the relevant discipline?
Time spent on and off the job can be more flexible provided an apprentice has met
the learning outcomes for that particular phase. The total duration however should be set,
i.e. an apprentice should not be able to finish their apprenticeship before the full time has
been served. Learning on the job is continuous, even if an apprentice has completed the
assessments for the relevant phase they are still learning and perfecting their new skills,
and therefore they should serve the full duration.
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7.d How should arrangements for accreditation of pr ior learning be best
delivered?
If an apprentice has completed a HETAC course at Level 6 or higher in a relevant
discipline (e.g. electrical engineer applying for an electrical apprenticeship) then an
exemption should be granted from the 1st year of the apprenticeship. In this case the
apprentice could start at Phase 3, and have 52 weeks of time credited. A list of relevant
qualifications should be established for each apprentice occupation.
For shorter courses (e.g. 6 month FAS Advanced Welding course) more limited
exemptions could be granted, perhaps apprentices would be exempt from welding elements
of Phase 2 training or something similar. Exemptions should only be granted for relevant
courses that have been fully completed.
7.e How can redundant apprentices be best catered f or ?
In a normally functioning apprenticeship system redundant apprentices can easily
transfer between employers. In recent years this was not possible due to the high numbers
of redundant apprentices. The redundant apprentice and Competency Determination
mechanism schemes were successful in clearing the backlog. In the future if there is a
similar backlog, a financial incentive for employers should be available, but this should be
on the condition that the employer allows the apprentice to complete all of their time
required, not just 26 or 12 weeks for the particular phase.
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8. Delivery
8.a What should be the appropriate balance between work-based learning
and education/training?
This should be the same as at present.
8.b How should this be best structured in terms of phases, duration, block
or day release, e-learning etc
Training should continue being delivered in phases as at present. E-Learning should
be used to supplement training, e.g. extra tuition modules for apprentices who fail to reach
the required standard during the entrance exam.
8.c Can employers play a greater role in delivery a nd how should this be
done?
This should be the same as at present.
8.d Should web based learning form part of the appr oach and how would
this be integrated into the programme?
E-Learning should be used to supplement training, e.g. extra tuition modules for
apprentices who fail to reach the required standard during the entrance exam.
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9. Providers
9.a What providers should deliver the off the job e lements in regard to (a)
technical and occupational skills (b) transversal s kills
This is a decision for all of the relevant stakeholders, to be considered with the
changes currently taking place with the introduction of SOLAS.
9.b How should this be structured?
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10. Economy
What is the impact of your proposals on the economy in terms of
(a) meeting Ireland's current and future skills nee ds
The extension of the apprenticeship scheme will ensure that we have better trained
employees in a wider range of disciplines. We still have huge numbers of school leavers at
both Leaving Cert and Junior Cert level who do not proceed to any further form of
education. Extending the apprenticeship programme will ensure that more of these
progress to a formal recognized training course and gain a nationally and internationally
recognized qualification upon completion.
Better alignment of FETAC and HETAC qualifications will make it easier for
apprentices to progress to HETAC courses and vice versa. These trainees will gain a more
rounded education covering both theoretical and practical skills.
The availability of additional tutorials will ensure that all apprentices have a good
level of literacy, numeracy etc. skills upon completion of their apprenticeship.
(b) providing a high quality entry route for appren tices to sustainable
employment
(c) costs to the State, to employers and apprentice s
The proposals included will not have a significant impact on the costs for the state or
employers. If a review of training allowances is completed apprentice may receive a lower
amount for off the job phases.
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Area 5
Broader integration of other disciplines into an apprenticeship or
traineeship model in Ireland.
Name of programme:
Welding
Occupations covered:
General Welding (covering MIG / MAG, TIG, MMA, Brazing, Soldering, Gas
Welding)
Target Group:
School leavers or trainees who have completed the 6 month FAS Advanced welding
course.
Level of Certification and Certifying Body:
FETAC Level 6 Advanced Craft Certificate
Duration (a) in work (b) in an education centre (c) in a training centre:
Total duration of 2 – 3 years. Time spent on and off the job should be in a similar
ratio to current apprenticeships.
Nature of payment or training allowance to learner, if any
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
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Who controls recruitment?
The employer should control recruitment.
Who funds the programme?
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
How and who should regulate the operation of the programme and the curriculum?
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
What are the advantages of incorporating this into an apprenticeship / traineeship
model?
The welding courses currently available do not provide training to a sufficient level
for the steel manufacturing industry. Courses available at present include basic welding
(generally 6 weeks part time), a six month Advanced Welding course and Coded welding
courses.
It is our experience that following completion of these courses trainees still require a
further period of on the job training before they are competent to carry out their duties.
Through this on the job training the employees skills are significantly improved. However, if
the employee wishes to move to another company, they have no recognized qualification
which takes account of the time spent training on the job. Creating an apprenticeship in
Welding will provide welders with a higher level of training, more suitable for industry, and a
recognized qualification which is transferrable and internationally recognized.
What key interests should be engaged with in developing such an approach? (e.g.
name key unions, employer bodies, providers)
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
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Core Competencies (Examples)
• Metal and metal types (e.g. steel, stainless steel, brass etc., grades, quality etc.)
• Treatments of steel (Hardening, Tempering etc.)
• Manipulation of steel (Straightening, pre-heating etc.)
• Welding processes including practical:
o MIG/MAG
o TIG
o MMA
o Brazing
o Gas
o Soldering
• Welding joints (Fillet, butt, V-butt etc.)
• Weld positions
• Machine setting
• Wire types and sizes
• Welding gases
• Multi-run welding
• Technical drawing (incl. welding symbols)
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Broader integration of other disciplines into an apprenticeship or
traineeship model in Ireland.
Name of programme:
Industrial Painting and Coating
Occupations covered:
Painter and shotblaster
Target Group:
School leavers
Level of Certification and Certifying Body:
FETAC Level 6 Advanced Craft Certificate.
Duration (a) in work (b) in an education centre (c) in a training centre:
Total duration of 2 – 3 years. Time spent on and off the job should be in a similar
ratio to current apprenticeships.
Nature of payment or training allowance to learner, if any
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
Who controls recruitment?
The employer should control recruitment.
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Who funds the programme?
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
How and who should regulate the operation of the programme and the curriculum?
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
What are the advantages of incorporating this into an apprenticeship / traineeship
model?
The apprenticeships and training courses currently available do not provide training
to a sufficient level for the steel manufacturing industry. ‘Painting and decorating’ and
‘Vehicle body repairs’ apprenticeships cover some of the requirements of this role, but their
applications are limited.
It is our experience that following completion of these apprenticeships trainees still
require a further period of on the job training before they are competent to carry out their
duties. Also, general labourers are currently being trained to become painters /
shotblasters. Through this on the job training the employees skills are significantly
improved. However, if the employee wishes to move to another company, they have no
recognized qualification which takes account of the time spent training on the job. Creating
an apprenticeship in Industrial Painting and Coating will provide painters / shotblasters with
a higher level of training, more suitable for industry, and a recognized qualification which is
transferrable and internationally recognized.
What key interests should be engaged with in developing such an approach? (e.g.
name key unions, employer bodies, providers)
This should be the same as current apprenticeships.
Core Competencies (Examples)
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• Paint
o General knowledge (Types, uses etc.)
o Volume of solids
o Wet / dry ratio of solids
o Wet gauges and their application
• Health, Safety and Environmental
o ATEX environments
o PPE
o Extraction
o Material Safety Data Sheets
o First Aid
o Disposal and clean up
• Surface preparation
o Blasting specification
o Blasting practical
o Metals and Steel (General)
o Steel profile (Acceptable standards etc.)
o Masking
• Paint Spraying
o Mix ratio (Hardening agents etc.)
o Setting up pumps
o Cleaning pumps, lines etc.
o Tip size selection
o Practical
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Area 6
Please make any other points you consider relevant to the
review.
This review is an excellent opportunity to put changes in place that will improve our
apprenticeship program as a whole, and will provide suitably qualified employees for all
industries into the future. Improvements in any area of training will ultimately lead to more
skilled employees and better economic prospects for our country as a whole.
For the review to be most effective it is of the utmost importance that the main
providers and beneficiaries of the training programmes should be involved in the review.
Over the course of a standard 208 week apprenticeship, apprentices spend approximately
150 weeks (removing FAS and IoT phases and 4 weeks annual leave per year) training on
the job with employers. Following completion of their apprenticeship employers see first-
hand the benefits of their training, but, they also see what’s lacking? What areas need to be
improved? What could have been done better?
For this reason, employers should have been more actively targetted to make
submissions to this review. Notification of the review should have been sent directly to
apprentice employers; FAS must be in a position to provide a list of apprentice employers
nationally. We were not notified directly about the review; we received notification through
an IBEC publication. Smaller apprentice employers in a lot of cases will not receive such
notifications and will not be monitoring press releases from the Dept. of Education.
In the interests of completing the most effective review possible, should the
submission date be extended, and notification sent to apprentice employers
nationally?