Plumbers' exam springs a leak as apprentices share questions
Solas, the agency that took over State apprenticeships from Fás in 2013, expressed 'great concern' about the leak and said it is 'taking this matter very seriously'.
However, a union for tradespeople this weekend said there are 'a lot of questions about the delivery of apprenticeships and standard of quality assurance' from Solas.
An apprentice plumber who sat the leaked test in March told Extra.ie: 'This is a QQI Level 6 exam – a State exam higher than the Leaving Cert – and we had questions and answers going in.'
He said he was aware of the paper being shared before the exam in WhatsApp groups in at least four technological universities, where the courses are delivered, nationwide. He said he was aware of the paper being shared before the exam in WhatsApp groups in at least four technological universities, where the courses are delivered, nationwide. Pic: DenPhotos/Shutterstock
'There were lads in the class who did not turn up [for classes during the year], did not know the content, and they were getting merits and distinctions, and now they're going out into the world and plumbing,' he said. 'If you put a valve on an uncontrolled heat source, that's a bomb. Pressure builds, it explodes. People have been killed in Ireland in recent years with that.
'If you pipe gas wrong, that can lead to explosions, death. Carbon monoxide, [that can lead to] death.'
The apprentice said the exact same theory exam – the final of three taken along with four 'on the job' tests for plumbing – had been used for the previous group, and that lecturers had already 'been complaining' at how 'easy' the papers are.
'The exact words were, 'A monkey would have passed the last one',' he said.
'There were three thick folders of notes, and they prepared us as best they could, covered the entire syllabus, only for the same exam to come up again, word for word. Then a few days before the exam, we got a leaked copy.
'I worked my a**e off. I spent 11 weeks studying, and then there was no need.'
Asked if it was aware of the leak, Solas told Extra.ie: 'We note this and the details from your query with great concern and are taking this matter very seriously.' Pic: Shutterstock
The spokeswoman confirmed 224 people took the two-part exam on the same days in March as the apprentice who spoke to Extra.ie.
Asked what the pass rate for the exam was, and if the agency has safety concerns about potentially unskilled plumbers passing the leaked exam, the spokeswoman said: 'We are examining the matters raised in your query. Craft apprentices undergo continuous and multiple practical and written assessments throughout the seven phases of their apprenticeship to ensure that they are competent, working safely in the workplace and that their skills levels are up to date and in line with industry standards.'
Assistant general secretary with Connect trade union, Brian Nolan, said he was aware of 'accusations of things that compromise the standard', including exam papers being posted on social media.
He told the Extra.ie: 'In our opinion, there's a lot of questions about the delivery of apprenticeships and the standard of quality assurance, off the job and on the job.
'We represent the workerlearners in the apprenticeships. We taught apprentices before we ever had Fás or AnCO [An Chomhairle Oiliúna, which oversaw apprenticeships until 1987]. We taught them in the workplace.
'And there's a fear here that as quality assurance is slipping, you could have these exam issues.'
Mr Nolan said the course was also in danger of 'being led as academic and not vocational'. Pic: Getty Images
He said he 'recently raised' the union's concerns about the exams to the Department of Higher Education. Solas said that in March, 'eight different phase 6 plumbing apprenticeship assessments were delivered, each of which was drawn from a range of different papers'.
It added: 'Solas is working with its partners in the Technological Universities to identify if the assessment paper you had provided was one of the assessments delivered and if this was the case, we will agree the urgent actions needed to ensure the integrity of the assessment process.'
Solas said new apprenticeship curricula 'are being implemented across all craft apprenticeship programmes' this year.
'Alongside this, new question banks for assessments are being developed and rolled out across the system. This is part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and integrity of our apprenticeship programmes and ensure that they meet the highest standards,' it said.
The apprentice who spoke to Extra.ie said plenty of apprentices fail their practical exams 'if they aren't up to scratch'.
He said: 'It's not that people are just being slapped through. Lecturers are trying their best to train the next generation.
'And it's also not a plumbing issue alone – it's across all the trades. I know there was an audit into some of the electrical papers being leaked [in his institute].'
There are 29,347 apprentices across 77 different Solas apprenticeship programme types.
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