Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme

HABIC and the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship (NHA) consortium steering group have been busy. We have been lobbying Government for support for our Members and for Employers and Apprentices. Our efforts to-date have delivered results and we are very proud and happy to bring you today’s update.

In September 2020, HABIC produced and submitted to the Minister the ‘The HABIC Apprenticeship Consultation Submission’. This was a report researched and delivered by HABIC on behalf of the hair, barbering, beauty and spa industries of Ireland. It was delivered in response to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s consultation review process, and the Apprenticeship Action Plan 2021 – 2025. In this submission HABIC puts forward feedback and suggestions in relation to apprenticeships nationally. We offered insights and engagement in the format of ‘deep dialogue and robust discussion on the future of apprenticeship within the hair, barbering, beauty and spa sectors’.

Let’s start back at the beginning…

You may remember, back in July 2020, the Government presented the July Jobs Stimulus. The objective of which was to help to get Ireland’s businesses back on their feet and to get as many people back to work.

In summary the Stimulus set out to achieve the following:

• help businesses to protect jobs and create new jobs
• support people without jobs, especially young people
• build confidence and solidarity in consumers and communities
• start preparing for a greener, more sustainable economy in the future

In an effort to ‘support people without jobs, especially young people’, the Stimulus Plan announced among other plans, the confirmation of The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme. The plan detailed that this scheme would ‘provide a €2,000 payment to support employers to take on new apprenticeships in 2020.’ A further €1,000 payment to the employer would be made in year 2 of the apprenticeship.

National Hairdressing Apprenticeship

HABIC Ireland’s CEO is part of the NHA Steering Group which in 2019 successfully achieved ‘The first nationally-recognised hairdressing qualification in Ireland’. And since then it has been working hard to lobby for support for the Hairdressing Industry of Ireland, and it has been delivering!

• The July Jobs Stimulus support package and payment to employers who take on an apprentice now totals €3,000
• The timeframe for this support plan has been extended to the end of 2021
• To date over 1,500 employers have benefited from the scheme with in-excess of 3,000 apprentices now employed.

In his announcement today, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD said

 “The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme provides financial support for employers who register apprentices to a national apprenticeship programme”.

Employers who are approved by SOLAS to employ apprentices are eligible for a €3,000 payment for each new apprentice registered.

€2,000 per apprentice is paid to eligible employers following the registration of apprentices with a further €1,000 is payable in Year 2 for each apprentice retained on their apprenticeship.

Speaking about the extension to the scheme, Minister Harris said: “During an incredibly challenging year with Covid-19 and the impact it has had on our society, the apprenticeship system has remained resilient. 

Since the launch of the Incentivisation Scheme, €5.7 million has been paid to over 1,500 employers throughout the country supporting almost 3,000 new apprentice jobs, with many more in the pipeline.

Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 it is intended to ensure that all employers of apprentices will be financially supported either through the direct payment of training allowances to craft apprentices during periods of off-the-job training, or through an annual base grant per apprentice for employers of all other apprentices.  This will be implemented in early 2022.”

For now, we will continue to support employers through this scheme and I would encourage everyone to help us spread the word and get the message out there. Apprenticeship is good for businesses and good for learners”.

Apprenticeship explained:

Apprenticeship – this is a nationally recognised way people are trained in a craft, trade or profession.

Hairdressing Apprenticeship – As of 2019, a 3-year apprenticeship in Hairdressing is available with the Apprentice earning a QQI Level 6 Qualification in Hairdressing.

Apprentice –  As an Apprentice you earn as you learn. The employer pays you a salary while you are being trained on-the-job. The rate of pay is between the Apprentice and the Employer. The Apprentice is not required to pay a student contribution for this learning. For more information see: https://apprenticeship.ie/career-seekers/get-started/next-steps/hairdressing/hairdressing-l6

Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme – The hairdressing apprentice employer is eligible for a €3,000 contribution payment for each new apprentice who is registered before 31^st December 2021. An initial €2,000 is payable per eligible apprentice at the point of registration and an additional €1,000 payable in 2022 for each apprentice retailed on their apprenticeship.

How to Apply to become an Apprentice? – Please see the Applicant Information Guide for all you need to know: https://hairdressingapprenticeship.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/10/2020_NHA_Applicant-Guide.pdf

How to Employ an Apprentice? – Please see the Employer Information Guide for all you need to know: https://hairdressingapprenticeship.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/10/2020_NHA_Employer-Guide.pdf

The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme and how to apply:

As an employer interested in hiring an apprentice, and interested in applying for the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme here’s what you have to do…

• Register as an Apprenticeship Employer.

If you haven’t already, you must submit and expression of interest and complete the online registration: https://www.apprenticeshipjobs.ie/#/employer/register

• Advertise the Apprentice position

Registered Employers wishing to avail of the scheme as of July 1^st  2021 must advertise the position on www.apprenticeship.ie. This is a free service.

• Register your Apprentice

Proceed with your selection process and when you have employed your apprentice/s you must register them with SOLAS . This part of the process is completed with your Apprenticeship Advisor in your local ETB (Education and Training Board). To find your local board, click here. https://www.etbi.ie/etbs/directory-of-etbs/

• When all of the above it complete, eligible employers are then invited by SOLAS to complete and submit an online form to claim payment.