Earn and learn: Apprenticeships offer great options in new areas such as financial services

General learning courses, which help reintroduce people to a learning environment, have attracted 157,000 people

Government must help if a ‘two-tier recovery’ is to be avoided, IFA president Eddie Downey says

Follow example of Jamie Oliver, Stella McCartney, Alex Ferguson, says Jan O’Sullivan

Apprentices will be able study to honours degree level under expansion of scheme

40% rise in number of apprentices since 2013 is evidence of change, English tells Dáil

Ireland lags countries such as Germany in developing a structure for teaching trades in traditional and new sectors of the economy but new Apprenticeship Council may fill the void

The new further education and training strategy marks a major shift in Government policy but it faces problems with its implementation