Fás will handle 2,700 fewer trainees

SOME 2,700 less apprentices will train with Fás in 2009 than did in 2008, the training authority has said. The estimated throughput for apprentices who complete off-the-job training with Fás is 15,500 for next year, compared to 18,207 in 2008.

The 2009 figure includes 2,500 apprentices who have been made redundant, but are moving on to the next phase of off-the-job training anyway.

Apprentices train in seven phases, with three blocks of off-the-job training slotted in between four blocks of training on site. In the last six months in particular, many apprentices have been made redundant before completing their apprenticeships.

Fás has said that to date over 560 redundant apprentices have been permitted to progress to their next phase.

"The estimated number of redundant apprentices to be provided with phase two, phase four and phase six places in 2009 is 2,500," a spokeswoman for the training authority said.

She said Fás has responded effectively to the increase in the level of redundant apprentices by amending the rules of the apprenticeship scheme to permit redundant apprentices to proceed to their next off-the-job phase and also by providing employment services to redundant apprentices.

"Fás continues to monitor the situation in relation to redundant apprentices and will, with the support of the stakeholders in apprenticeship, take further additional measures as may be required within the available resources," she said.

However, the Building and Allied Trade Union has said Fás is not doing enough to protect young apprentices.

Regional organiser Andy Smith said many apprentices have found themselves completing their final training phase with Fás only to be laid off by their employer and so unable to complete their apprenticeship.

"Though they've done all the Fás training and almost finished their training at work, they cannot get their papers and can't even go abroad to work," he said.

"Fás should organise some way for them to complete their training."

He said that, under AnCO, the forerunner to Fás, apprenticeships involved training one day a week instead of in blocks, and when apprentices were laid off they could sign on the dole but still attend their weekly training as scheduled.

"So when they did get back to work they had more skills to offer and were more attractive to employers," he said.

Mr Smith said highly skilled Fás instructors would be underworked because of the reduction in apprentices, and their skills could be utilised in public works projects.

Local councils and the OPW could work with Fás to help give on-the-job training to apprentices, and at the same time provide a much needed service such as pointing old brickwork and refurbishing listed buildings.

"We need to keep them training and keep up their self-esteem, or we'll find in two or three years' time there will be no one in the trades and when there is an upturn there will be no skilled workers and we'll have to import them," he said.