National Hairdressing Apprenticeship Employer Survey - We need your Help!

Dear Employer or Manager.

The Irish hairdressing sector is a vibrant and creative sector that is highly visible, creating meaningful employment, delivering a sought-after service in area of high demand.  

Yet from an educational perspective the point of entry into the sector does not cater for a National Hairdressing Apprenticeship program that offers a qualification that is mapped to the National Framework of qualifications.  

Image Learning and Development Training Network is an Industry based, Enterprise Led Network that has been established to support the hair and beauty sector across Ireland. Image Learning and Development Training Network in conjunction with the Irish Hairdressing Council, Image Skillnet, Industry leaders and various other industry stakeholders have come together to form a consortia to investigate the potential for a new National Hairdressing Apprenticeship that is relevant, efficient, effective and meets the needs of industry, while offering the apprentice a clear career progression path that is mapped to the National Framework of qualifications.

Subject to industry support an application will be submitted very shortly to the National Apprenticeship Council for the consideration of a new fit for purpose apprenticeship, to strengthen this application we need your help! Can we ask as employers that you would take 10 minutes to air your views on this subject to get a true National reflection of the needs and demands of the sector.

Apprenticeships are overseen by a National Apprenticeship Council. The further education and training authority SOLAS is the lead agency responsible for apprenticeships on behalf of the Government, working in close partnership with the Higher Education Authority, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, industry and education and training providers across further and higher education. More information on apprenticeships can be found here; https://aps.apprenticeship.ie/

New apprenticeship programmes must meet the following criteria:

- Industry-led by consortia of industry and education partners
- Lead to an award at Levels 5 to 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)
- Between 2-4 years in duration
- Minimum 50% on-the-job learning
- Flexible delivery – online, blended, off-the-job learning
- Apprentices are employed under a formal contract of apprenticeship.

- The employer pays the apprentice for the duration of the apprenticeship a set apprentices wage.
- Both the employer and apprentice sign up to the National Apprenticeship Code of practice for Employer and Apprentices, which outline the roles and responsibilities details can be found here http://www.apprenticeship.ie/Documents/ApprenticeshipCodeOfPractice.pdf

Thank you for taking the time to complete this industry survey.

The survey is broken into 4 sections, all questions are relevant to establishing the need, demand and long-term viability of a National Hairdressing Apprenticeship program. Therefore, we kindly ask that you complete all sections.

Questions 1 to 3 will focus on the current employment within the sector.
Questions 4 to 5 will focus on the current learning and development of trainees within the sector.
Questions 6 to 8 will focus on the Employer and Apprentice.
Questions 9 to 12 will focus on the design of the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship.

Rest assured all your responses will be held in the strictest confidence and used only for the purpose of demonstrating industry support and strengthening the apprenticeship application.

Margaret O’Rourke Doherty

Network Manager,
Image Learning and Development Training Network Ltd
Phone; 0719640438