Generation Apprenticeship – How the insurance industry is shaking up the Irish apprenticeship landscapeIssue 17 - Summer 2021
Apprenticeships are having their moment – the benefits of apprenticeships and work based learning are finally being realised. Businesses, Industry and Government understand that in order to excel in global competition and as a way to promote strong employment and growth outcomes, investment in apprenticeship programmes is the only way forward.
In recent years we have seen an influx of new apprenticeships come on board – once considered to be only for trade or craft career paths – we have seen their breadth and scope expand to include everything from accounting, to hospitality, to engineering and software development. Apprenticeships are now being seen as a central route to skills development and are open to school leavers, career changers and older learners, as well as to people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, talents and abilities.
An apprenticeship is defined as a programme of structured education and training which formally combines both. Ireland has a long history with the apprenticeship model, which can be traced all the way back to 1898 when the first formal regulated apprenticeship was established under the Agricultural and Technical Institution Vocational Act.
Over the past 10 years, apprenticeships in Ireland have gone from boom to bust – and this mainly mirrored the performance of the Irish economy - however apprentice numbers are now growing steadily year-on-year. The number of school-leavers choosing apprenticeships has doubled in recent years as rising numbers of pupils look towards “earn and learn” options. Some 20,000 people are now completing apprenticeships, more than twice the 8,300 in apprenticeships in 2015. Latest figures show there are more than 7,000 apprenticeship employers, compared to about 3,500 in 2015.
Similar to other countries around the world, Ireland is engaged in a major expansion of its apprenticeship system – with the Government due to invest €198 million in the area this year alone. Building on a strong tradition of apprenticeships since the 1970s, the system is undergoing a significant and welcome transformation, steered by a National Apprenticeship Council, which was set up in 2013, following a review of apprenticeship training in Ireland. SOLAS, the state agency with responsibility for Further Education and Training (FET) and the Higher Education Authority along with The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and apprenticeship partners are spearheading this transformation.
Just last month, Minister Simon Harris and Minister Niall Collins announced a three year strategy which seeks to transform the higher education sector and grow research and innovation to develop the skills agenda. The Ministers have made great efforts to promote apprenticeships and this is contributing hugely to the change in perceptions. This new strategy will see an overhaul of the apprenticeship system as well as an ambition to increase apprenticeships registrations to 10,000 per year by 2025.
“The growth in apprenticeship opportunities over the past six years has been remarkable” says Mary-Liz Trant, Executive Director with responsibility for apprenticeship in SOLAS. “We have gone from 25 programmes to 60, and more to come in 2021. The message is getting out there to young people leaving school, their parents, people in work who want to upskill or change career, teachers and guidance professionals.”
The landscape around apprenticeships is changing at a rapid pace – it’s only five years ago, in 2016, when The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship was first established and back then it was seen as a completely unique and new approach to professional training and recruitment. It was the first degree level apprenticeship the country had ever seen (more have come on stream since) and it also held a record for the most female apprentices on one programme. In fact, in its first year, the programme alone assisted SOLAS with exceeding its target for the volume of female apprentices the state agency was tasked with recruiting. It’s worth noting that in January 2021, the 1,000th woman training in apprenticeships in Ireland was registered – a hugely significant and encouraging figure.
The apprenticeship programme was born out of a desire to future proof the insurance sector – recruitment and retention of staff had become an issue and there was a strong sense of nervousness around the future of the industry and the potential for a major skills shortage. Insurance itself was also changing – new technology and innovation meant there was a need for new knowledge and for new skills. Set up in 2016, the ‘earn and learn’ programme set out to establish an effective recruitment and training structure for the industry.
Dermot Murray, CEO, The Insurance Institute says, “The apprenticeship is hugely advantageous for everyone involved. The programme provides apprentices with a completely unique opportunity – they get to work for an insurance employer where they gain real experience, they earn a salary and all whilst working towards a third level qualification.”
“Over the past five years we have seen 87 apprentices, across Life and General, graduate from the programme – all of whom have proven themselves to be highly ambitious and dedicated individuals. Undertaking the programme is not for the faint hearted – working and studying means you need to really want it but the rewards are tenfold and everyone who has been through the apprenticeship knows it’s worth all the hard work.”
The programme has been of immense benefit to the insurance sector and has provided insurance employers with access to a pool of high quality employees, all of whom are invested both in the industry and in their employer’s company.
Dermot says, “Insurance employers had been struggling to find the right talent for their business and the programme has resulted in an influx of new people with fresh ideas coming on board – the next generation! Employers have the chance to hire someone who has a career mindset, rather than a job mindset – someone who is keen to make their career in insurance. It also provides employers with peace of mind, knowing that the apprentice is at the cutting edge in terms of their education and training – not to mention the savings that are made in terms of training and development.”
Dermot continues, “The apprenticeship came at the right time for our industry – and we’ve been equally amazed and delighted at its success. From the onset insurance employers were behind the programme and for this we’re hugely thankful – without their support and trust we wouldn’t have an apprenticeship. The programme has ensured we have the right talent and skills for the future, and it has also radically transformed the industry’s image and it is now viewed as an exciting and interesting career path.”
The programme was set up in 2016 but its content and delivery are constantly evolving to ensure they are relevant and applicable to the modern world of insurance. The Apprenticeship Consortia Steering Group (CSG), which is made up of industry representatives, an apprentice spokesperson, IT Sligo, LIA and The Insurance Institute, is tasked with ensuring the programme is fit for purpose and meeting the needs of the industry at all times. As a result of this constant review and input the programme is able to equip apprentices with the necessary hard and soft skills needed for a career in insurance, and also ensures their learning is always applicable to their day to day work, as well as to trends that are coming down the line.
Marie Moran, Head of The Department of Business at IT Sligo believes that it’s this strong collaboration between academia and industry that makes the programme so successful.
“What makes this unique apprenticeship programme work really well is the strong relationship between IT Sligo, the insurance industry, The Insurance Institute and LIA,” she said. “We all work together to ensure that at all times the apprentices learning is directly related to what is needed in the workplace, as well as meeting the requirements of the level-8 degree – we have a Programme Board which regularly reviews the content of the programme to ensure it is always capturing any current and future industry developments.”
Commenting on this, Paula Hodson, Director of Development Services and Education at The Insurance Institute says, “The programme is designed specifically to ensure the apprentices have the skills needed for insurance today but also for the future. The industry has changed dramatically in recent years, with innovation and technology now very much at its core – the programme ensures the apprentices are at the forefront of these developments and provides them with the knowledge and the confidence to apply their learning to their work.”
Marie Moran says that by marrying academia with real work experience you can see the difference in the engagement of the apprentices. “Lecturers of the apprentices see very high levels of engagement in the online classroom – they are able to tangibly put into practice their learning from their studies daily, and this leads to a very valuable understanding of theory in practice.”
Thankfully the academic element of the programme has been largely unaffected by the pandemic, and this is because since the beginning it has relied on remote learning. Apprentices work four days for an insurance employer with one day additional day devoted to their online lectures.
Paula says this online academic element is a critical aspect of the programme, “The online learning element is one of the key features of the insurance apprenticeship and is in many ways what makes it sustainable. It means that regardless of location apprentices can log on and join their lecture, safe in the knowledge that they are receiving the very best in terms of their education and development. It’s also worth mentioning that the apprentices really came into their own during this past year –they were already so proficient in studying remotely that working from home and having the self motivation came naturally to them.
Like every other sector, insurance is facing its own set of unique challenges as a result of the pandemic. However, the industry has time and time again proven itself to be resilient and will no doubt prevail again. Essential to this however is having the right talent. Therefore, in many ways The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship in 2021 has never been more important.
While some insurance employers may be slightly more hesitant this year to take on new recruits there is the option whereby an existing employee can join the programme. The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme, which has been extended until the end of June, is also an attractive offer for any employer interested in the programme (they receive a grant of 3,000 Euro for hiring an apprentice).
Recruitment for the 2021 apprenticeship programme has already commenced and The Insurance Institute is striving to ensure it will be the most successful programme to date. In many ways the apprenticeship has proved itself to be Covid-proof, with learning and recruitment continuing regardless.
As always, The Institute will be on hand to support employers and apprentices throughout the entire process and would encourage any business or individual interested in getting involved to get in touch.
There has never been a better time to ensure we are prepared for the future.
To find out more about the programme or to speak to someone about the possibility of taking on an apprentice, please contact apprenticeship@iii.ie or download our Employers Guide today.
