Working with many young unemployed people and engaging with employers to get the best job opportunities and skill solutions is central to what I do. Youth unemployment across Ireland and Europe is worryingly high. According to recent CSO figures in August the monthly unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 years stood at 16.9%, in October 2020 the figure was 19%. What does this mean for our youth? Well in the current climate it may become increasingly difficult to get on the employment ladder, especially when faced with increased competition from more experienced and skilled candidates competing for the same opportunities. Now more than ever apprenticeships can play a pivotal role in offering this cohort real opportunity to gain the necessary skills and experience. 

The perception of apprenticeships

The wider perception of apprenticeships is that they seem to be primarily driven by trade occupations and this is what I hear when I mention the topic. What may not be widely known is the work that is being done in many other areas for example, recruitment apprenticeships, ICT apprenticeships, logistics apprenticeships, sales & finance apprenticeships, with many more in the pipeline. You can find out more information by visiting apprenticeship.ie

Our Part to Play and Increasing Engagement

Getting the information out there and making that early connection with many of our young people is so important. Young people who have been unemployed most, if not all of their life so far, need to be informed about the expectations around work, they need to get the experience and get a taste for what the world of work is about. Learning the values and possibilities that work brings is so important.

I remember speaking with a customer on a coaching session one day and she picked up the apprenticeship information leaflet that was on my desk and she was looking at it. So, we had a chat about it, the women’s eyes light up, not because I had information that was useful for her own situation, but it was immediately relevant to her son. I was happy that in Turas Nua I was able to give that wider insight that a family needed to connect to an opportunity. We need to use every avenue available to communicate and engage to build participation in apprenticeships and bridge that gap to employment.

The future

I have no doubt that apprenticeships will continue to gain traction, as perceptions change and the value of the model is understood on a wider scale. It’s wonderful to see many companies taking the lead, and by doing so taking personal responsibility for ensuring they have the skilled talent and workforce. The value of career guidance in schools will also contribute to engagement and growth of such programmes. There is wonderful work being done out there in increasing the range of apprenticeships available through Generation apprenticeship. Getting information out there to those that will most benefit from such an initiative is key and we all have part to play in creating better futures and career opportunities for all our young people.
 

While I have but made a few personal observations I’m sure there are many of you out there with greater insights into engagement of young people in apprenticeship schemes and we would love to hear from you with suggestions. If you're an employer and want to get involved in giving young people an opportunity through apprenticeships with your business then email us on recruitment@turasnua.ie or visit our recruitment page to find out more.