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FUNDING OF €17 million has been announced to expand apprenticeships across the higher education sector.
The funding will be used across four Technological Universities and one Institute of Technology in the higher education sector to deliver an additional 132 apprenticeship craft training blocks.
The four Technological Universities to benefit are the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Munster Technological University (MTU), and the South East Technological University (SETU).
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) is the Institute of Technology set to benefit.
This will support the expansion of registrations across crafts including electrical, electronic security systems, pipefitting, plumbing, metal fabrication and refrigeration and air conditioning.
The funding has been announced by Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins to “respond to the growing demand for apprenticeships in the higher education sector”.
This additional capacity is also required to meet the increase in apprentice registrations as indicated by SOLAS in a number of trades.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said: “This investment reaffirms once again the Government’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding the apprenticeship system, putting apprenticeships at the centre of the education and training system by building on previous apprenticeship programme funding.”
Harris added that today’s funding announced is “also critical to the Government meeting our housing targets”.
Also included in the investment is an allocation of €220,000 so that SETU’s Carlow campus can procure all the equipment required for the delivery of its Aviation programme.
Minister of State Niall Collins said the Government “has been relentless in promoting apprenticeships” and noted that in order to meet demand, “we must continuously invest in infrastructure”.
He added: “I am really pleased to see this investment being made across our TUs. It will help us grow our infrastructure and meet the demands of our growing apprenticeship population.”
Ciarán McCaffrey is the head of Capital Programmes in the Higher Education Authority and he said “investment is key to facilitating a strong pipeline in crucial skills areas through the expansion of craft apprenticeships”.
Best thing I ever did was take up a fabricating apprenticeship when I left school. Find something that’s interesting and it won’t be work. I’m lucky enough to love my job.
More than 1/3 of Irish journalists faced some legal action, would that be the mainstream journalists then who are stenographers of government? Ironically on the subject above no one needs a degree to be a journalist these days (those days are long gone) trust in legacy media is at an all time low (take note Journal) until journalists (however bad they were in previous generations) their was always checks and balances, now the new draconian measures cooked up by government is about to tell us what ‘truth’ looks like, outside a few their’s no generation of journalists challenging that..dark days indeed.
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: Any facts to support your opinions?
@Kilkenny Proud: Er, it states in the article that 61% (of Journos) see themselves as left leaning. I would disagree, most are liberal, not left, that would be a position I hold, they (the same left Journos) called me “right wing” this is the level of journalism you think acts like fact, or truth telling, anyone who disagrees with the narrative, that is the level of journalism in this country and that’s a fact you can take to the bank.
@Kilkenny Proud: Can you define what a ‘fact’ is ..? in the same way you would define,let’s say, ‘hate’ or a ‘woman’ ? Definitions of words are over rated and not entirely necessary anymore .. didn’t you get the memo ? One would assume that an institution/business that relies on the accurate definition of words for its very existence would call out the flagrant disregard of said definitions. Instead, what we have in our left leaning (which I consider myself to be) media is not only a free pass for such behaviour but a soapbox for groups and government to pedal their opinions without an ounce of journalistic integrity to challenge them on the most basic thing of all ! Facts? Pah.. don’t make me laugh.
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: So the only fact you have to share is one that contradicts your opinion.
@Brian: And that is your opinion.
@Kilkenny Proud: Nope .. it’s a good auld fashioned ‘fact’. You were asked to define a few simple words .. you’ve declined to do so.. You’re a great man for challenging people’s ‘facts’ without any of your own. You sound like the dude.. but not in a remotely funny way. Get some new material.. or some ‘facts’.. Maybe ask Santa for some ..
@Kilkenny Proud: No man, but facts being the government preparing a bill/draft that outlines “Hate speech” defined by their metric or parameters, to me this is code for anything “they” deem unsuitable to the paradigm or narrative they don’t agree with, their is nothing democratic about that other than the “fact” it could well be brought onto statute books whereby anybody expressing their right to free speech could have a knock by the Guards or arrested on the spot, tell me “if” that passes if I need facts to see how that plays out?
Electrical and plumbing apprenticeships are grand when your young. Go work abroad in Europe with a big electrical or mechanical company and you’ll be paid fantastic money. You will have a house deposit in your bank account after a year…but have another 3rd level qualification to go with it come 30 so you can move into a handy office job, that’s the downside and catch with them. You don’t want to be working hard on sites come 40.
@Dan The Man: Mechanical engineering apprenticeships and electrical apprenticeships are seen as the 2 most highly regarded apprenticeships to have. Great money to be made when you complete your apprenticeship particularly if you get a job working for a multi national company which I was lucky enough to do in the car manufacturing industry abroad.
@Dan The Man: most who work on the trade would never work in an office job
Left wing, Right wing. I prefer salt and pepper wings!
Well, we love Bart.
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