There was a significant increase in the number of people starting new apprenticeships last year, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) has revealed.
The business and employer group today (Monday, April 15) published its Q1 economic outlook and detailed the current statistics of those undertaking apprenticeships across the country.
Ibec acknowledged that while Irish education policy traditionally focused on “university-based education”, recent years have shown it has “begun to reflect the value of both academic and trade qualifications, and the need for a broad skills base for a well-functioning economy”.
On the back of initiatives aimed at increasing apprenticeship uptake, there were 8,712 new apprenticeships commenced last year, bringing to 27,470 the total of apprentices currently in training.
This marks a significant improvement in apprentices over the past decade, when Ireland was producing closer to 3,000 qualified apprentices annually.
Ibec detailed that “just 8% of apprenticeships” are “taken up by women”.
Increasing the number of apprenticeships, particularly in industry-led training, is key to delivering the policy goals of increased housing provision and the climate and digital transitions, according to the business and employer group.
The numbers registering for construction apprenticeships has been falling over recent years, down 7% in 2023, after an initial bounce in the latter part of the pandemic.
This was offset by an increase in electrical and engineering apprentices, which together make up the majority of apprentices.
Ibec analysis of regional employment
Ibec stated new job creation has been broad-based across the country, with particularly strong growth in the border, west and southern regions, where employment growth over the past year has been in the range of 4.5% to 6%, compared to an average of 3.4% for the country as a whole.
In Dublin and the mid-east employment growth is a more moderate 2%, coming off a much higher base.
The one exception is the midlands region, with muted employment growth at 0.5% and currently the highest rate of unemployment in the country at 5.6%.
Of the 90,000 new jobs created in the past year, half were in the southern region and quarter in the northern and western regions.
Rates of remote work have also stabilised across the regions after several years of disruption, with just over a third of all employees working mostly or partially remotely.
Rates of remote working are at their lowest in the border and midland regions at 23% and 27% respectively, Ibec revealed.
Building and construction
The Q1 economic outlook revealed the building and construction materials price index is down marginally, reducing by 0.7% over the past twelve months.
Structural steel, engineered timber and insulation have seen price reductions of 12.6%, 18.1% and 6.2% respectively.
While Ibec stated this is a “welcome reversal in trend after several years of sharp cost increases”, prices remain significantly elevated.
As shortages in key trades continue, and building costs rise, delivering construction projects efficiently while making best use of the existing labour supply is essential to meet targets and preserve viability of new building.
Labour productivity in construction, output per hour worked, has been falling over recent years, as employment in the sector increased while gross value added plateaued amid rising input costs.
In an effect experienced across developed nations, as wages in general rise, costs of production in labour intensive sectors increase due to the need to compete with highly productive, high paying sectors for workers.