Serious lack of tradespeople in Laois amid push for more apprenticeships
Laois TD Brian Stanley has called for more apprenticeships
There is a serious lack of tradespeople in Laois, according to a local TD who has argued that there is a “skills shortage and an imbalance.”
Raising the issue with the lack of tradespeople in the county, Laois TD Brian Stanley called for an increase in the number of apprenticeships to address the problem.
Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Stanley said: “A high proportion, in excess of 60%, of our young people go to third level. It is good that people are becoming highly qualified and are able to get quality jobs. However, there is a skills shortage and an imbalance.”
He told the Dáil that there is a shortage of people with construction skills and people undertaking such apprenticeships. The Independent TD pointed out that this problem began during the Celtic Tiger and has continued since.
In particular, there is a shortage of electricians, plumbers, plasterers, carpenters and mechanics, according to Deputy Stanley.
He noted that Laois County Council has even experienced difficulties in getting technicians to service heat pumps and finding people to repair them, as he put it, “because the skills are not there.”
“We need apprenticeships. I welcome the fact that the Government has expanded the programme. There are over 80 apprenticeships at the moment. We need to be promoting that in accounting, IT, manufacturing, logistics and so on,” Deputy Stanley said.
He urged that apprenticeships offer an alternative route for young people and they need to be further developed through the Laois and Offaly Training Board.
“Apprentices have an advantage because they are earning and training. That is better than being in a third level college in a lot of ways. They have on-the-job and real-life experience, which is hugely important. They also have progression to secure employment and the exceptionally high rate of employment after apprenticeships shows that.”
However, the Laois TD warned: “There is exploitation of apprentices by a small number of employers. They use them as a means of cheap labour by paying less than the minimum wage. Instead of apprenticeships being used as an opportunity for learning and training, they are being used for that.
“It is important that apprentices have the right to be represented, like all other workers, by a trade union. We do not have the right to collective bargaining here and we need it, particularly for apprentices.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme