Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has announced 17 new apprenticeship programmes will be developed during 2022.
The development of the new programmes are intended to help deliver on the commitments made under the Programme for Government to support and drive the economy, while addressing the skills requirements identified across society.
“We now have 62 apprenticeship programmes. Eight new programmes were launched over 2020 and 2021 despite the challenges presented by Covid and we have a further four programmes close to launch. People are responding to this variety and as of last week, we had over 8,000 new registrations this year. Across 2022, we will expand the system further, to create even more employment and learning opportunities for people.”
Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeships, the number of new apprentice registrations is to grow to 10,000 per year by 2025.
The 17 new courses being developed over the coming year are in the areas of agriculture, engineering, construction, equine, finance, hospitality and food, ICT and logistics.
Among the new apprenticeships is the Advanced Cyber Security Practitioner apprenticeship which the Mid West Regional Skills Forum was instrumental in developing in conjunction with the Limerick for IT network and the University of Limerick.
“I hope these new opportunities to learn in a practical way, as well as the changes we recently announced to the CAO webpage, will help deliver the message that an apprenticeship can provide a real and substantive career pathway for school leavers, those looking to upskill, change career or for people who are looking for a route back to employment in new and growing areas.”
The 17 new apprenticeships being developed in 2022 are as follows:
| Apprenticeship | NFQ Level |
| AGRICULTURE |
1 | Farm Manager | Level 7 |
2 | Farm Technician | Level 6 |
3 | Sportsturf Management | Level 6 |
| CONSTRUCTION |
4 | Advanced Quantity Surveyor | Level 9 |
5 | Roofing and Cladding | Level 5 |
| ENGINEERING |
6 | Manufacturing Data Integration Engineer | Level 7 |
7 | Precision Machinist and Quality Control | Level 6 |
8 | Science Aircraft Asset Management | Level 7 |
9 | Wind Turbine Maintenance | Level 6 |
| EQUINE |
10 | Stud Farm Assistant Management | Level 7 |
| FINANCE |
11 | International Financial Services Advanced Specialist | Level 9 |
| |
12 | Applied Horticulture | Level 6 |
| HOSPITALITY & FOOD |
13 | Bar Manager | Level 7 |
14 | Executive Chef | Level 9 |
| ICT |
15 | Software Solutions Architect | Level 9 |
16 | Advanced Cyber Security Practitioner | Level 8 |
| LOGISTICS |
17 | Transport Operations and Commercial Driving | Level 6 |