Apprenticeships, traditionally seen as a means to enter a trade, has diversified significantly in recent years. They have come to be recognised as a feasible route across a multitude of career options, boosting their accessibility.
So, what indeed is an apprenticeship?
Typically, apprenticeships are viewed as schemes that let you earn while acquiring new skills. In simpler words, it offers dual-learning, amalgamating academic learning at an education and training institute with practical work learning within a company.
The Government in Ireland has been actively promoting the uptake of apprenticeships. Going by the 2023 progress report, the previous year witnessed substantial growth with more than 70 apprenticeship schemes on offer and another 17 on the verge of being introduced.
There appears to be an uptrend of new apprentices seeking training, with the numbers expected to touch 30,000. An addition of nearly 9,000 fresh apprentices was noted the previous year, as per the report.
Also, it’s noteworthy that the rate of women opting for these programmes has shown a rise. Previously considered a male-centric education pathway, the percentage of female apprentices has seen a hike from a mere 2% in 2018 to nearly 10% in the past year.
What kinds of apprenticeships can one opt for?
Apprenticeships come in two flavours. The more familiar ones, the craft apprenticeships, includes professions like plumbing, carpentry, motor mechanics, and electrical trades.
From 2016 onwards, new types of apprenticeships have been made available in varied sectors such as ICT, hospitality, finance, software development, accounting technician, and commis chef.
What is the eligibility for applying for an apprenticeship?
Eligibility requirements stipulate that an apprentice must be at least 16 years old and should have achieved no less than five D grades in the Junior Certificate exams. There is no maximum age cap, which makes apprenticeships an apt option for both young school-leavers as well as mature learners or individuals opting for a career shift.
However, the eligibility criteria for apprenticeships running alongside various organisations can vary, with some stipulating particular academic qualifications. If you lack the necessary credentials for an interested apprenticeship, your prior learning experiences, including work and other types of experiences, may make you eligible. Alternatively, in some instances, you might be given the opportunity to undertake a preparatory ‘pre-apprenticeship’ course.
The duration of an apprenticeship is highly dependent on the nature of the programme. Trade apprenticeships normally last four years that usually consists of three separate off-the-job training sessions. Recently introduced apprenticeships can last between two and four years, depending on the individual’s chosen programme.
In terms of qualifications, a craft apprenticeship will test a person’s skills via on-the-job competence checks and off-the-job modular exams. Upon successful completion of these assessments, they will be rewarded with an advanced certificate – craft, recognised as Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications. On the other hand, apprenticeships that started in 2016 result in an award ranked between Levels 5 and 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
To secure an apprenticeship in Ireland, you will need to be employed by an employer. By using the job portal on apprenticeship.ie, aspiring apprentices can find potential employers by filtering searches by profession and location. Potential apprentices may also find suitable employers through local education and training boards.
Prior to an employer hiring an apprentice, they must be accredited by Solas, the institution that governs the further education and training sector in Ireland. The prospective apprentice is expected to find an employer willing to participate in the programme. Once found, both parties are obligated to sign a contract, ensuring the fulfilment of certain conditions. Additionally, the employer must accept to financially compensate the apprentice throughout the programme.
To incentivise employers to register for apprenticeships, the government proposed an annual grant of €2,000 per apprentice. Furthermore, an employer who hires apprentices in industries with over 80% of a single gender representation becomes eligible for a gender-based bursary worth €2,666.
Determining whether to choose traditional higher education or opt for something else is a personal decision. For many, university can be rather costly, leading a lot of students to work part-time to manage living expenses. In this context, the concept of apprenticeships can be incredibly beneficial as they incorporate work as part of their learning process.
This could be particularly attractive to individuals who have had difficulties with academia. Some may find ‘learning by doing’ a more enriching educational journey. The lesser academic prerequisites also make apprenticeships a more attainable path for those who found conventional schooling challenging.
As to how much apprentices earn, it depends on the agreement between the apprentice and their employer which is stated in the apprenticeship contract. Commonly, in craft apprenticeships, as apprentices advance through the stages of on-the-job and off-the-job training, their pay increases.
Concerning financial aid, apprentices don’t qualify for educational grants like Student Universal Support Ireland. However, those with children might be eligible for the working family payment.
In contrast, the National Apprenticeship Office has initiated a bursary that offers up to €3,000 in financial assistance to eligible apprentices to help with living expenses such as travel, accommodation, and materials. This is for those enrolling in an Access to Apprenticeship programme at Technological University Dublin or Technological University of the Shannon and is designed to aid the transition of 16 to 24-year-olds from underrepresented groups into national apprenticeships.
There usually isn’t a fee for undertaking an apprenticeship. But, apprentices are required to pay a proportional registration fee or student contribution if their off-the-job training happens at a technological university or an institute of technology.