QQI publishes findings of focused review of electrical apprenticeships

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state body with statutory responsibility for external quality assurance (QA) of the Irish tertiary education and training system. Individual education and training providers have responsibility for their own internal quality assurance and are subject to QQI’s monitoring and review processes. QQI works with providers to ensure confidence in the quality of education and training experienced by learners. 

Craft apprenticeships are structured, standards-based training programmes that combine on-the-job and off-the-job experience, training and learning to qualify apprentices as skilled craftspeople. They include carpentry, electrical and plumbing.  

As the awarding body for craft apprenticeships, QQI certifies learners who the coordinating provider (SOLAS) confirms have achieved the relevant standards of knowledge, skill and competence for QQI awards.      

Craft apprenticeship programmes – roles and responsibilities 

QQI and SOLAS have distinct roles in relation to the education and training elements of craft apprenticeships.  

QQI is the independent state agency that oversees quality and qualifications. It is responsible for: 

• developing national quality assurance guidelines and advising providers on quality assurance and qualifications matters; 

• approving SOLAS’ quality assurance procedures for craft apprenticeships;  

• validating craft apprenticeship programmes against national standards of knowledge, skills and competence; 

• certifying apprentices who SOLAS confirms meet the required standards for the National Craft Certificate; and 

• monitoring the effectiveness and implementation of SOLAS’ quality assurance procedures and its validated programmes. 

SOLAS is the coordinating provider of craft apprenticeships. It is responsible for: 

• developing and implementing its own quality assurance procedures for craft apprenticeship programmes; 

• designing and maintaining the curriculum and assessments for each programme; 

• working with Education and Training Boards (Phase 2), the technological universities and Dundalk Institute of Technology (Phases 4 and 6) to deliver off-the-job training, and with employers to deliver on-the job training (Phases 1,3,5 and 7). 

Monitoring quality  

In line with its monitoring policy, QQI may conduct a focused review of a provider’s quality assurance procedures  as it considers appropriate or in response to concerns that have come to its attention about the implementation and effectiveness of a provider’s QA procedures.  

QQI received protected disclosures in 2024 and 2025 which raised concerns about the predictability of assessments and the operation of the assessment system as well as three instances of leaked exam papers for Phases 4 and 6 of craft electrical apprenticeships. 

Following initial engagements with SOLAS to investigate these disclosures, QQI began a focused review of the implementation and effectiveness of SOLAS’ quality assurance procedures.  

In March 2025, QQI established an independent expert review team to investigate:  

• how SOLAS develops, approves and distributes assessments;
• subject-matter expertise used in developing assessments;
• the integrity, security and validity of assessments;
• vulnerabilities in the assessment system and processes in place to mitigate them; and
• how SOLAS ensures that their QA procedures and processes link effectively with those of the TUs and IoT who deliver Phases 4 and 6 of the programme. 

The review team assessed relevant documentation and conducted a site visit to SOLAS’ head office in April 2025. Its final report was considered and approved by QQI’s Approval and Review Committee in October 2025. The published report includes the report of the review team, the response by SOLAS and the resulting quality improvement plan to be implemented by SOLAS. 

QQI oversight of actions to address and improve quality 

SOLAS has committed in the quality improvement plan to strengthen:  

• the governance of the craft electrical apprenticeship programme;
• the relationship between SOLAS and education and training providers who deliver the apprenticeship programmes; and
• various aspects of assessment including currency, appropriateness, security, feedback and alternative assessment systems. 

QQI has established an oversight group to ensure that the quality improvement plan is implemented, with priority to be placed on strengthening the security of assessments for electrical craft apprenticeship. This group will be chaired by QQI. It includes an apprenticeship expert from the technological university sector and senior officials from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and SOLAS.