Recreating apprenticeship: lessons from the irish standards-based model

Abstract

Apprenticeship systems have come under scrutiny in a number of European countries since the 1970s. The article describes the introduction of a standards-based approach to apprenticeship in the Republic of Ireland in 1994 and provides an assessment of its achievements in its first 5 years. Although the standards-based approach shows a number of similarities to new apprenticeship systems elsewhere, the Irish system was unusual in arising from the social dialogue between unions and employers, rather than from government initiatives, and it has continued to operate and evolve on the basis of social partnership. Drawing on a smallscale survey of employers and apprentices in the North-Eastern Region of the Republic, it is suggested that there are a number of strengths and weaknesses in the new system. It has been widely adopted, and it has commanded considerable respect from apprentices, employers, fellow workers and young peoples’ families from the outset. Yet there are also problems: quality assurance is not yet secured, and recruitment has been restricted to the traditional sources, rather than embracing previously excluded groups. Both the strengths and weaknesses are related to the social partnership approach adopted in Ireland.