Sir, – Buried in the Department of Education and Skills website there is a statement in relation to apprenticeships. Essentially, from 2014 onwards, the onus is placed on apprentices to directly pay the institutes of technology for their tuition.
Previously this fee was paid by the government.
Some of these fees could run as high as €1,890 per student.
Apprentices already pay “part registration fees” for their time on campus and this will add to the economic burden on some of these young people. In addition, given that apprentices will now be paying registration and tuition fees to the institutes while the CAO first-time applicant pays only registration fees this is grossly unfair.
This type of action shows the Minister’s lack of regard for vocational training in the State.
Moreover, the covert manner of its publication leaves me with a worrying feeling in respect of the future of apprenticeships in the State. – Yours, etc,
PAUL GOREY, Med BSc,
Lecturer in Aviation
Technologies,
School of Transport
Engineering,
DIT Bolton Street,
Dublin 1.