Jen Cummins
Question:884. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the completion percentages in apprenticeship courses at third level, in tabular form. [35974/25]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2025
884. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the completion percentages in apprenticeship courses at third level, in tabular form. [35974/25]
View answer885. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the apprenticeship courses available at third level; and the number of apprentices enrolled, in tabular form. [35975/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 884 and 885 together.
Currently, there are 77 national apprenticeship programmes available spanning from level 5 to level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
The programmes cover an extensive variety of areas that feed into the development of the growing Irish economy. This ranges from construction and engineering to health, hospitality, finance, information technology and agriculture, among others. A full list of the programmes is set out below, grouped by apprenticeship family and indicating NFQ level as well as including population figures for each programme.
|
- |
Apprenticeship |
NFQ Level |
Population at end-May 2025 |
|
AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE |
|||
|
1 |
Arboriculture |
Level 6 |
48 |
|
2 |
Farm Manager |
Level 7 |
18 |
|
3 |
Farm Technician |
Level 6 |
22 |
|
4 |
Horticulture |
Level 6 |
36 |
|
5 |
Sportsturf Management |
Level 6 |
60 |
|
BIOPHARMA |
|||
|
6 |
Laboratory Analyst |
Level 7 |
94 |
|
7 |
Laboratory Technician |
Level 6 |
41 |
|
CONSTRUCTION |
|||
|
8 |
Advanced Quantity Surveying |
Level 9 |
3 |
|
9 |
Brick and Stonelaying |
Level 6 |
275 |
|
10 |
Carpentry and Joinery |
Level 6 |
2,652 |
|
11 |
Geo-Driller |
Level 6 |
8 |
|
12 |
Painting and Decorating |
Level 6 |
74 |
|
13 |
Plastering |
Level 6 |
112 |
|
14 |
Plumbing |
Level 6 |
3,093 |
|
15 |
Stonecutting and Stonemasonry |
Level 6 |
28 |
|
16 |
Wood Manufacturing and Finishing (c) |
Level 6 |
411 |
|
ELECTRICAL |
|||
|
17 |
Aircraft Mechanics |
Level 6 |
248 |
|
18 |
Electrical |
Level 6 |
10,997 |
|
19 |
Electrical Instrumentation |
Level 6 |
469 |
|
20 |
Electronic Security Systems |
Level 6 |
228 |
|
21 |
Industrial Electrical Engineer |
Level 7 |
79 |
|
22 |
Instrumentation |
Level 6 |
44 |
|
23 |
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning |
Level 6 |
561 |
|
ENGINEERING |
|||
|
24 |
Civil Engineering Technician |
Level 6 |
30 |
|
25 |
Civil Engineering |
Level 7 |
103 |
|
26 |
Engineering Services Management |
Level 7 |
64 |
|
27 |
Equipment Systems Engineer |
Level 9 |
12 |
|
28 |
Farriery |
Level 6 |
32 |
|
29 |
Industrial Insulation |
Level 6 |
40 |
|
30 |
Lean Sigma Manager |
Level 9 |
122 |
|
31 |
Advanced Manufacturing Engineering |
Level 8 |
36 |
|
32 |
Manufacturing Engineer |
Level 7 |
125 |
|
33 |
Manufacturing Technology |
Level 6 |
131 |
|
34 |
Mechanical Automation and Maintenance Fitting |
Level 6 |
722 |
|
35 |
Metal Fabrication |
Level 6 |
895 |
|
36 |
OEM Engineer |
Level 6 |
90 |
|
37 |
Pipeftting |
Level 6 |
406 |
|
38 |
Polymer Processing Technology |
Level 7 |
40 |
|
39 |
Principal Engineer – Professional Doctorate |
Level 10 |
42 |
|
40 |
Sheet Metalworking |
Level 6 |
117 |
|
41 |
Toolmaking |
Level 6 |
168 |
|
42 |
Wind Turbine Maintenance |
Level 6 |
27 |
|
FINANCE |
|||
|
43 |
Accounting Technician |
Level 6 |
403 |
|
44 |
International Financial Services Associate |
Level 6 |
73 |
|
45 |
International Financial Services Specialist |
Level 8 |
34 |
|
HAIR |
|||
|
46 |
Hairdressing |
Level 6 |
548 |
|
HEALTHCARE |
|||
|
47 |
Advanced Healthcare Assistant Practitioner |
Level 6 |
35 |
|
48 |
Social Work |
Level 9 |
44 |
|
HOSPITALITY & FOOD |
|||
|
49 |
Bar Manager |
Level 7 |
92 |
|
50 |
Chef de Partie |
Level 7 |
30 |
|
51 |
Commis Chef |
Level 6 |
166 |
|
52 |
Sous Chef |
Level 8 |
0 |
|
ICT |
|||
|
53 |
CGI Technical Artist (Animation, Games, VFX) |
Level 8 |
0 |
|
54 |
Computer Networking Associate |
Level 6 |
82 |
|
55 |
Cybersecurity |
Level 6 |
72 |
|
56 |
Cybersecurity Practitioner |
Level 8 |
0 |
|
57 |
Digital Marketing |
Level 6 |
26 |
|
58 |
Software Development Associate |
Level 6 |
176 |
|
59 |
Software Solutions Architect |
Level 9 |
0 |
|
60 |
Telecommunications and Data Network Engineering Technician |
Level 6 |
143 |
|
INSURANCE |
|||
|
61 |
Insurance Practitioner |
Level 8 |
276 |
|
LOGISTICS |
|||
|
62 |
Logistics Associate |
Level 6 |
139 |
|
63 |
Supply Chain Associate |
Level 7 |
57 |
|
64 |
Supply Chain Manager |
Level 9 |
59 |
|
65 |
Supply Chain Specialist |
Level 8 |
49 |
|
66 |
Transport Operations and Commercial Driver |
Level 6 |
26 |
|
MOTOR |
|||
|
67 |
Agricultural Mechanics |
Level 6 |
226 |
|
68 |
Construction Plant Fitting |
Level 6 |
289 |
|
69 |
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics |
Level 6 |
712 |
|
70 |
Motor Mechanics |
Level 6 |
1620 |
|
71 |
Vehicle Body Repairs |
Level 6 |
166 |
|
PROPERTY SERVICES |
|||
|
72 |
Auctioneering and Property Services |
Level 6 |
333 |
|
RECRUITMENT |
|||
|
73 |
Recruitment Executive |
Level 8 |
61 |
|
SALES |
|||
|
74 |
Retail Supervision |
Level 6 |
237 |
|
75 |
Sales |
Level 6 |
161 |
|
Total: |
29,138 |
Between 2019 and 2024 there have been 19,317 completions in apprenticeship programmes.
The complexities of the demand led apprenticeship system, with continuous intake and multiple course durations, compounded by previous delays for craft apprentices at phase two, mean that commencement data is not currently divided into cohorts to enable calculation of completion percentage. Initial SOLAS analysis suggests that completion rates are broadly comparable to those in the higher education system.