THE traditional four year apprenticeship route to qualified motor mechanic is in the process of being replaced by the new standards based apprenticeship. Michael of FAS's Finglas training centre explains that the new system works on the basis of seven phases with alternating on and off the job phases. The off the job training will be provided both by FAS and the regional technical colleges or the Dublin Institute of Technology.
The transition to the new apprenticeship has drawn some criticism from the Society of the Irish Motoring Industry. "It is not working out. A lot of our members are unhappy with the lengthy release and the work ethic with which the students return. There is a tempo and pace to work in a garage that has been lost," says Cyril McHugh, chief executive of SIMI.
FAS contends that in the development of the new scheme it engaged in extensive consultations with the industry. " A key aspect of the new curriculum is that there is a requirement for an extended initial period of off the job training to give the apprentice basic skills. In the new system this first off the job phase is 22 weeks which is considerably shorter than the 44 weeks of the "year of the job" system which it replaces," a FAS spokesman says.
FAS has had positive indications from employers participating in the new system, he adds. An independent survey of employers found that all employers felt their motor mechanic apprentices had improved in attitude, ability to relate to people and actual work.
Second level students seeking an apprenticeship must first find an employer willing to take them on. FAS keeps a register of people seeking apprenticeships, which it supplies to employers on request, so your local FAS office would be a good starting place. Shanahan says that over the past three or four months there have been regular advertisements in the newspapers looking for qualified mechanics. This demand will filter down to apprentices, he predicts.
In recent years, Post Leaving Certificate courses in the motor mechanic and transport engineering areas offer students more choice. Some of these courses are specifically pre apprenticeship courses while others are more broadly based. Davis College in Mallow, Co Cork, has been involved in apprentice education since 1967 and has 55 apprentices on day release course. The college, which hosted the national apprentice competition in 1994, also offers a one year PLC in transport technology.
Students study a range of subjects including auto engineering, electronics/pneumatics and CAD/ CAM. They also spend one day a week on work experience. About 95 per cent of last year's students are in full time employment, according to Donal Buckley, head of the transport engineering department. Some have become apprentice motor mechanics others are working as machine operators, forklift operators and fitters as well as finding jobs in the building industry.
In Kylemore college, students doing the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme have an opportunity to do four modules in motor engineering, over two years. Micheal Howlett, who wrote the modules for the LCAP, explains that the college also offers an NCVA level 2 course for Post Leaving Certificate students.
At interview, the college is looking for motivation and interest. Howlett, who co ordinates the NCVA course in Kylemore college, explains that the main reason for this policy is to open up the course to students, especially girls, who may have no technical experience or who may not have taken technical subjects in the Leaving Cert.
