The country is facing an "imminent and serious" shortage of skilled tradesman to build enough homes to end the crippling housing shortage, the Construction Industry Federation's (CIF) newly elected president has warned.

New figures show just over 1,100 people had begun apprenticeships by the end of October. It is an overall increase of 481 since the massive shortage of trainee tradesmen and women was revealed by the Irish Independent earlier this year.

But there will still only be seven newly qualified plasters, eight painter/decorators and 26 bricklayers in 2018.

CIF President Michael Stone says there are still not enough apprentices to meet the country's new housing needs and says contractors now have "a moral obligation" to start hiring apprentices again in order to build the 110,000 new homes announced by the Government last week as part of its new housing strategy.

"I think we all realise we are facing an imminent and serious problem with the lack of skilled persons in the marketplace, to carry out projects as the industry picks up. We need to come together as a sector to address this problem," Mr Stone said.

"That's why I am asking all the larger main contractors to step up to the plate and start hiring trainees and apprentices directly again. We have a moral obligation to do so for the long- term good of the industry."

Apprenticeships are seven-phase programmes run over four years. The phases are split between on-site training, where trainees gain first-hand experience of working in the trade, and classroom-based phases. Apprentices are assessed at the end of each phase.

Only applicants who have secured work with a company which has agreed to sponsor the entirety of the apprenticeship can take up a place.

The new figures show electrical apprenticeships remain the most popular, increasing by 285 to 670 by the end of October.

Plumbing saw the second greatest increase, up 91 to 259, with carpentry and joinery rising by 65 to 134.

But more worryingly, painting and decorating, plastering and construction plant fitting all recorded only single digit increases.

In August, the Irish Independent revealed the country was facing the prospect of having just four newly qualified plasterers and three bricklayers in 2018.

The new figures indicate there will now be seven plasterers and 26 bricklayers.

Incentives

Emigration is believed to be a major contributor in the drop in the numbers taking up apprenticeships, with the collapse in the building industry resulting in a mass exodus of young people seeking opportunities in places such as Canada, the United States and Australia.

Mr Stone added: "There have been discussions with the Government about introducing incentives for employers to take on apprentices. But this alone should not be the sole reason we act.

"We need to start thinking about the future and that means addressing the apprenticeship issue now," he said.

A review of the apprenticeship scheme was carried out last year by Labour Court chairman Kevin Duffy.

He made a number of recommendations including the expansion of the apprenticeship model into a range of new sectors.

Irish Independent