However, when I attended a seminar on the subject and questioned this 8-month apprenticeship proposal, stating that no one would want their electrical work done by someone with only 8 months experience under their belt, the response was that of course the duration of the apprenticeship would depend on the trade being undertaken.
It did sound to me like the 8-month apprenticeship being touted was for headline grabbing only.

Also, it is a bit much to accuse the government of prioritising cutting costs over skills, when the major firms in the industry itself, did the same thing. They abandoned hiring apprentices in favour of sub-contracting out, followed by the sub-contractors, themselves, using only self-employed people. There is no room for employing apprentices here.

Once again, I say, there is plenty for training providers to do when it comes to providing the foundational diplomas, but there is nowhere to go to when seeking an apprenticeship afterwards, the bit that provides the much-needed experience needed to qualify.

Denise Brennan