More women need to take up apprenticeships, TD urges.

Latest figures show that over 99% of apprentices in Ireland are male and that only 33 out of 10,314 state funded apprenticeships in 2016 were undertaken by women.

Fianna Fail TD Fiona O’Loughlin said the system needs to be overhauled to encourage more women to participate in the sector.

The Opposition Equality Spokesperson said: "Apprenticeships are a great career choice offering the opportunity to pursue a funded course of study.

"They give people the opportunity to gain applied, technical skills in a variety of sectors including new areas like financial services, medical devices and polymer processing in addition to the existing ones in construction, engineering and the motor sector.

"They are essential to national economic growth but the current system is failing to encourage young women to consider apprenticeships as a career option."

A range of new apprenticeships is being launched by the government aiming to deliver 50,000 apprenticeships and traineeships by 2020 and women in Kildare are being encouraged to apply for these new programmes.

Deputy O’Loughlin said “I would encourage young women to check out the apprenticeships available in their area.  A new Introduction to Construction Course for example is enrolling for spring 2017 in Athy and Kildare Town and is just one of the really interesting courses available in South Kildare. Also, the opening of new centres for apprenticeships across the county is giving further opportunities.  ”