Just 15 of almost 4,000 new apprentices trained this year by FÁS are female, according to the latest figures.
The State's training and employment agency reported 3,943 new apprentices up to the end of August, and the 15 females represent just 0.38 per cent of that total. There are currently 117 women among the 25,615 "live" apprenticeships, where recruits could be in any of the four years of the their training. The statistics cover 27 types of apprenticeship from aircraft mechanic, to wood machinist.
Most women train as either electricians, motor mechanics, cabinet makers, painters and decorators, carpenters/joiners or tilers.
Apprentices are recruited by employers and have 20 week training blocks with FÁS. It cites a lack of interest from women and employers' reluctance to take them on, despite €2,000 bursaries for companies who recruit female apprentices. The employers' body IBEC says, however, that it has initiatives in place to encourage women into the trades but these have a slow pace of impact.
IBEC's director of human resources, Mr Brendan McGinty, believed that the uptake by women of apprenticeships will increase in coming years.
He said, however, that the problem could not be seen in isolation. While FÁS maintains that overall apprentice levels are holding up, Mr McGinty said the greater choices for school leavers, including at third-level, meant a lowering of interest by young men and women in traditional sectors.
There were concerns about areas such as engineering, he said, citing 13 per cent few students doing chemistry and 17 per cent fewer doing physics for the Leaving Certificate.
Mr McGinty believed that career guidance for girls and boys should include options in alternative careers and apprenticeships.
A FÁS spokesman said the authority was "constantly looking at new areas of training and initiatives to encourage women into trade areas".
Last year, there were 17 new female entrants, while for each of the previous six years there were between 31 and 46 women recruits.
The highest recent female recruitment level was 46 in 2001.
