An apprenticeship programme designed to tackle an ageing workforce in the DoI has been delayed.
Jeff Robinson, Deputy Chief Officer, said the launch had been put back due to lack of staff bandwidth, a Tynwald committee has heard.
“The launch has been delayed, unfortunately, and that’s purely bandwidth of the management team,” he said.
He added: “That’s not to say we’ve stopped taking on the trickle of apprentices that we traditionally have in various areas.”
The department is aiming to create a cohort-based model. Mr Robinson said: “One of the concepts we’re going to try and develop is this idea of bringing in a cohort.”
He said the department could offer opportunities “from the 16-year-old leaving school right through to their degrees and their masters”.
Mr Robinson acknowledged past weaknesses. “What I think we’ve been really bad at is actually selling that as a great place to work.”
Minister Tim Crookall noted that even if apprentices left, it remained valuable. “It’s another way of, you know, we’re a feeder for other industries or other companies,” he said.