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Posted on 2010-10-15 in Other Options

Apprenticeships & Traineeships

Many people have had their fill of academic, classroom based learning by the time the Leaving Cert exams are done and dusted. Ireland’s national training and employment authority, FÁS (www.fas.ie), provides these school leavers with the opportunity to earn an internationally recognised qualification by learning a craft or training for a career – all while simultaneously earning a wage.

Apprenticeships

The title of popular TV series The Apprentice is a bit of a misnomer. The besuited popinjays vying to become Bill Cullen or Alan Sugar’s latest helper regularly appear to be master of nothing but self-promotion and backbiting. Real-life apprentices on the other hand, become the valued trade and craftspeople upon whose skills industry, and society in general, are so reliant.

Getting started

First off, some groundwork is required. The programme applies to 27 crafts (see accompanying table) so research what type of work is done in your intended apprenticeship by speaking to your career guidance counsellor, relevant employers and current apprentices. You should also try and observe a craftsperson in action.

It is important to also speak to these people, as well as your local FÁS Employment Office, about current and prospective employment opportunities, because it is up to you to obtain a position with a FÁS-approved employer before you can enrol in the apprenticeship programme.

Minimum requirements

An apprentice must be at least 16 years’ of age and meet one of the following requirements:

Grade D in five subjects of the Junior Cert (employers may require additional qualifications)
Completion of an approved pre-apprenticeship training course and assessment interview (contact local FÁS office)
Have at least 3 years’ relevant work experience and are over 18 years of age

Course structure

Unsurprisingly, learning a craft involves significant periods of getting your hands dirty and honing your skills in the workplace. The majority of apprenticeships last four years and comprise of three phases of off-the-job training and development, and four phases of on-the-job practice and work experience. The only exceptions being Floor/Wall Tiler and Print Media apprenticeships which both involve just five phases in total (three on-the-job and two off-the-job).

Employers provide the on-the-job training, while a FÁS training centre or institute of technology normally provides off-the-job phases. In both cases the apprentice needs to meet a certain standard. He/she is assessed by way of practical and theoretical assignments in the classroom, and by the employer according to a pre-specified standard of competence in the workplace.

The money

A highly attractive feature of apprenticeships is that the apprentice receives payment throughout the 4-year programme. This is made up of a training allowance from FÁS during off-the-job training, and a wage from the employer during on-the-job training. The level of payment depends upon the trade and needs to be agreed with the employer beforehand, but it is normal for wages to rise the more experienced the apprentice becomes.

Female apprentices

FÁS are committed to increasing the number of women in the traditionally male-dominated crafts. A special bursary boosts their chances of finding employment by providing employers who take on a female apprentice with a grant of €2,667.

Certification and progression

A welcome development in 2008 was the quality assurance agreement between FÁS and FETAC, which meant FÁS awards are now assigned a level in the National Framework of Qualifications. People who successfully complete an apprenticeship are therefore awarded a FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate.

For apprentices, this means that not only are their qualifications recognised worldwide (always useful for those considering working abroad), but that academic progression is also much more possible. Many qualified apprentices go on to improve their skills by enrolling in a part time degree programme.

Apprentices and the recession

Unlike undergraduate or further education programmes, the need for on-the-job training means that apprenticeships can be badly affected by adverse economic conditions. The slowdown in construction in particular has led to a situation whereby hundreds of apprentices lost their jobs with only part of their training completed. Indeed there has been a dramatic fall off in new apprentices, with just 1,535 enrolling in 2009 compared with 8,318 in 2006. Construction industry sources believe that such low numbers will not be enough should there be a big upswing in the economy.

All is not doom and gloom however, and significant steps have been taken to reduce the bottleneck of partially trained apprentices. Bodies such as ESB and various local councils have established employment schemes that enable apprentices to finish their training and earn a wage. FÁS programmes such as the Redundant Apprentice Placement Scheme are also helping to ease the problem.

Try not to be too disheartened by the current economic crisis. New opportunities are arising for apprentices in areas such as alternative energy (fitting solar panels, etc), and the Government is intent on pushing ahead with several national development building projects. The key is to be committed to your intended craft, and to be prepared to search high and low for an employer.

Apprenticeship Craft Occupations

Agricultural Mechanics*
Aircraft Mechanics*
Brick & Stonelaying
Cabinetmaking
Carpentry & Joinery
Construction Plant Fitting*
Electrical*
Electrical Instrumentation*
Electronic Security Systems*
Farriery
Fitting*
Floor & Wall Tiling*
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics*
Industrial Insulation*
Instrumentation*
Mechanical Automation & Maintenance Fitting
Metal Fabrication
Motor Mechanics*
Painting & Decorating*
Plastering
Plumbing
Print Media*
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning*
Sheet Metalworking
Toolmaking
Vehicle Body Repairs*
Wood Machining

*Applicants must pass a colour vision test approved by FÁS

Traineeships

Similar to an apprenticeship, a traineeship comprises on-the-job and off-the-job training. Available in a wide range of careers the participant receives a FÁS training allowance for the duration of the programme.
In most cases however, the average traineeship is less than one-year in length and is therefore a good deal shorter than an apprenticeship.

The trainee begins the programme in a FÁS training centre, learning the initial skills and knowledge that will be further developed in the host company. An experienced member of staff in the host company is nominated as a skills coach, and oversees the trainee’s on-the-job training and workplace training plan. In many cases the successful trainee will be offered a full time, permanent position with the host company.

Traineeship awards are also now part of the NFQ. The FETAC accredited award of either a Certificate (Level 5) or Advanced Certificate (Level 6) is recognised nationally and internationally, and as is the case with apprentices, facilitates academic progression to degree level.

Traineeships are aimed at new labour markets and the unemployed, and as such there are only two minimum requirements for applicants: they must be at least 16 years of age and have registered with their local FÁS office.

Please contact your local FÁS employment office for more information on any of the above issues.

Traineeship Occupations

Technical & Operative