Have you tried getting a plumber recently? Or a carpenter or electrician for that matter? Everyone knows that a shortage of tradespeople can mean a long wait. So, what if your son or daughter came home from school knowing how to install your toilets and radiators – and were also, for the first time, considering a career as a tradesperson?
At Adamstown Community College, students are getting a real taste of what it could be like.
About six years ago, engineering teacher Paul Hollywood, with the support of the school and the local education and training board, introduced a new module to help his students learn practical skills.
“I worked as a plumber for 11 years on industrial building sites, before returning to college for four years to train as an engineering teacher,” Hollywood says.
“I’m a big advocate of apprenticeships, as I wouldn’t be a teacher without a trade behind me. So I asked if I could develop this course, got the go-ahead and fitted out a training room in the school over a summer.”
Participants on the course start by learning about safe manual handling and are awarded a certificate for their efforts. Then, they learn the theory behind plumbing and heating systems before they fit out working toilets, pipe them up and get them flushing, before doing work on radiators and hand basins.
The materials for the module were supplied by Chadwicks, a builders’ provider and DIY shop, and further support was provided by CJK, a specialist engineering firm.
“Both companies have done interview and CV workshops with the students, and some have had work experience with them,” says Hollywood.
The programme has since spread to two other Dublin schools, Greenhills Community College and St Kevin’s Community College. It’s an innovative approach that ensures respect, attention and opportunity for students who might prefer a vocational career but are caught up in Ireland’s heavily academic senior-cycle system.
The transition-year module is part of what’s known as Ivet (initial vocational education and training), an initiative offering a variety of taster courses that aim to help students develop real, practical life skills, as well as increase the number of further education and training and apprenticeship pathways for students.
Andrew Brownlee, chief executive of Solas, which oversees further education and training (FET), says a wide variety of FET pathway courses are being rolled out for transition year.
“These include multimedia, hairdressing, beauty, engineering, basic welding, hospitality, culinary arts, barista, arts, equestrian, aviation, plumbing, outdoor education and advanced robotics,” he says.
Different schools are delivering these modules in different ways.
“School ‘A’ may be delivering the Ivet module through a further education and training pathway course in outdoor learning, whereas school ‘B’ may be delivering the module through a further education pathway in culinary skills,” Brownlee says.
The module format has been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Solas and Education and Training Boards Ireland, and aims to encourage greater links between schools and FET providers.
“It’s a flexible module that can be delivered as part of a TY programme . . . [but] if a school wished to open the Ivet module to other students, there are no restrictions to prevent this,” Brownlee says.
Caítriona Murphy, CEO of Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, says the Ivet module helps raise awareness among students of apprenticeships and the career opportunities that allow them to earn and learn at the same time when they leave school.
“Students are provided with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and career exploration through apprenticeship-taster courses, career discussions and career pathway events,” Murphy says.
“The benefit for students is that they gain valuable experience by connecting with employers, which can lead to work experience opportunities or potential employment in the future. Additionally, it provides employers with the chance to engage with prospective employees, aiding in workplace development.
“From a student perspective, seeing themselves represented in different areas of FET can help boost self-confidence and make students aware of the opportunities available to them. And most importantly, students are enjoying the experience.”
The push to give students a real opportunity isn’t just about increasing apprenticeship numbers; it’s also about moving away from a model that tends to push students – particularly those attending schools in wealthier areas – towards college, whether it suits them or not.
Ireland is an international outlier in terms of its focus on one pathway through senior cycle, with less than 10 per cent of senior-cycle students enrolled in a vocational programme, compared with more than 40 per cent in Finland and Norway and more than 50 per cent in the Netherlands, Romania and Poland.
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In France, about 20 per cent of students choose the vocational option. In Sweden, it’s about a third.
In Ireland, however, only 6.4 per cent opt for the Leaving Cert Applied, described by policymakers as a “prevocational” programme.
Patrick Atkinson, CEO of Chadwicks Group, says vocational and academic routes are equally valued in other countries.
“But there’s a snobbery here,” he says. “I’ve sat at dinners where a parent says that apprenticeships sound great, but they’re not for their child.
“But people learn in different ways, and some want to learn by doing, working with their hands. Not only is there good money to be made, but a tradesperson like a plumber or electrician can either immediately go to work for themselves or be snapped up as a subcontractor. It’s time for the Department of Education to see this as a real alternative.”
The plumbing taster course: what students at Adamstown Community College think about it
Christina Shaju: “This was an optional course, and I wanted to do it as it was totally different and a good opportunity to learn useful skills. When we got that toilet to flush, everybody clapped.
“I’d no idea about apprenticeships, and I didn’t know that, even after qualifying as a tradesperson, you can go on to specialise. As a girl, I thought university was the only option, but this has removed that stigma around apprenticeships. I’m interested in a course like this, perhaps mechanical engineering or something in construction.”
Kaylesha Naicker: “I’d always had an interest in engineering. This allowed me to gain hands-on experience. We had a great teacher, and I enjoyed learning in a calm, relaxing, educational and fun environment. When I leave school, I am looking at apprenticeship options.”
Kenneth Low: “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to study science or take a more practical subject. This module helped me to learn that I am more hands-on than academically focused. I was considering medicine, but now I’m thinking about engineering.”
Lianne Esguerra: “I wanted to learn common skills that a lot of older people have or used to have. There was a strong focus on problem-solving skills. There are other pathways besides college, and I have learned that I like working with my hands.”
Mussique Hasan: “A practical, hands-on course that isn’t focused on writing – sign me up. At one point, I was hesitant about apprenticeships, but I’ve learned that I am capable and can work well on a team with others, so it’s become a more intriguing option.”
Nivedha Chandrasekera: “I have learned skills for day-to-day life and got to build and work with my hands. I really liked how our teacher taught it. Before this, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and assumed I’d have an office job. Now that I have been building things, and enjoyed it, other options – perhaps engineering or the aircraft industry – are opening up for me.”
