The Leaving Cert results have been totted up and students are waiting on their CAO offers, but it's always important to look at all your options. So, we are going to give you information on Generation Apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships last between 2 and 4 years, and lead to qualifications up to PhD level. There are currently 77 different types of apprenticeship programmes. One of the great things about apprenticeship is you can earn money while you learn.
Get all the information at the official site - apprenticeship.ie.
Here, with thanks to the Department of Further and Higher Education, you can find out about some new options for 2024.
There are so many career paths and you can read more about Further Education and Training Options on RTÉ Learn.
You can become an apprentice in areas such as engineering, agriculture, sport turf management, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, hairdressing, finance, IT, insurance, sales, healthcare, property, recruitment, science and many others once you find an approved apprenticeship employer.
New programmes added in 2024:
- Digital Marketing L6
- Horticulture L6
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineering L8
- Farm Technician L6
- Farm Manager L7
- Social Work L9
- Software Solutions Architect L9
Let's take a deep dive into the Horticulture, Farm Manager and Social Work programmes below...
Horticulture Apprenticeship
Duration: Two years
NFQ Level: 6
Award Title: Higher Certificate in Horticulture
Credits: 120 ECTS
Overview
The Horticulture Apprenticeship Programme aims are to:
- Offer apprentices a specified pathway to gain a qualification while in employment.
- Prepare the apprentice to work safely and productively in a commercial unit.
- Develop a range of skills (technical, personal, inter-personal) to independently complete unit operations and to contribute to a work environment.
- Develop competencies in the areas of sustainable, health and safety requirements, regulatory compliance, biosecurity and work organisation mechanisms.
- Provide apprentices with transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, supervisory, computer and leadership skills.
- Bring apprentices together as a community so as to enable cross-collaboration on projects and knowledge transfer.
- Provide apprentices with a thorough scientific grounding and factors specific to enterprises.
- Allow apprentices to learn from a nominated skilled mentor on-the-job.
- Equip apprentices with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to complete and oversee daily and seasonal operations on a commercial unit to the highest standard.
Year 1/ Stage 1
- Growing media and plant nutrition
- Plant science
- Plant propagation
- Sustainable plant protection
- Plant ID l Sustainable IT skills
- Horticultural machinery and health and safety
Note: All streams complete year 1 modules, content and assessment tailored to the relevant stream.
Year 2/ Stage 2
- Mandatory for all streams:
- Financial management for horticulture
- Sustainable horticultural practice
Note: All streams complete year 2 mandatory modules, content and assessment tailored to the relevant stream
The following are the specific stream modules:
- Fruit Stream: Fruit production
- Garden and Parks Stream: Advanced plant identification and cultivation techniques/ Garden and parks management
- Garden Centre Stream: Customer service for horticulture/ Garden centre management
- Landscaping Stream: Advanced plant identification and cultivation techniques/ Hard landscaping
- Nursery Stream: Customer service for horticulture/ Nursery stock production
- Vegetable Stream: Vegetable production
Entry Requirements
Option 1: Successfully completed the Leaving Certificate (NFQ Level 5*) with 5 subjects with a minimum of O6 / H7 to include English or higher and a minimum of foundation mathematics F6.
Option 2: Successfully completed Level 5 Certificate in Horticulture 5M2586 or equivalent major horticulture course.*
Option 3: A candidate 17 years or older who does not hold the above Level 5 qualifications as set out in categories 1 or 2 above, but who has a minimum of 48 weeks cumulative experience working in horticulture, is recommended by their employer, will also be eligible to apply.
* A qualification deemed equivalent on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications to any of the qualifications listed above.
Note: The English language entry requirements for the programme are CEF B2+ or equivalent. Candidates with English language levels below CEF B2+ must first reach this minimum standard before enrolling on the academic programme.
Where there is a mathematics requirement at Leaving Certificate (NFQ Level 5), obtaining a minimum grade O6/ H7 in Maths or a F2 in Foundation Maths, mature and international applicants may be required to demonstrate that they possess the required competency through the completion of a maths assessment.
Farm Manager Apprenticeship
Duration: Two years
NFQ Level: 7
Award Title: Batchelor of Science in Professional Sustainable Farm Management
Credits: 180 ECTS
Overview
Year 1 / Stage 1
- Farm Finance & Strategic Management
- Health & Safety Management
- Sustainable & Environmental Farm Management
- Farm Product Quality & Operations Management
Year 2 / Stage 2
- Manager Skills – Leadership; Delegation; Decision Making
- Economic Sustainability & Labour Management
- Farm Infrastructure & Regulations 4Climate Smart Farm Technologies
- Apprentice Project
Entry requirements
Option 1
Be directly employed by a SOLAS approved Employer.
Option 2
Hold a Farm Technician Apprenticeship qualification (Higher Certificate in Technical Farm Operations – NFQ Level 6*)
Technician Apprenticeship qualification (Higher Certificate in Technical Farm Operations – NFQ Level 6*)
- Or Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (or equivalent) Award*
- Or Level 7 Specific Purpose Professional Dairy Diploma in Farm Management*
- Or Anyone working in the agricultural sector must be 18-year-old or older working in the agricultural sector (2 years full-time) with the relevant experience and equivalent educational experience (NFQ Level 6 or higher*) deemed acceptable by employer and consortium and subject to the validation of supporting evidence and/ or assessment process
* A qualification deemed equivalent on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications to any of the qualifications listed above.
Note - Where there is a mathematics requirement at Leaving Certificate Established or Vocational Programme, obtaining a minimum grade O6 /H7 in Maths or a F2 in Foundation Maths, mature and international applicants may be required to demonstrate that they possess the required competency through the completion of a maths assessment.
Social Work Apprenticeship
Duration: Two years
NFQ Level: 9
Award Title: Level 9 Master of Social Work or Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies
Credits: 120 ECTS
Overview
The Apprenticeship in Social Work is an innovative dual programme designed to provide participants with fully paid, on-the-job practical experience, alongside the opportunity to earn a Level 9 Masters of Social Work or a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies, both of which are CORU approved. This programme is a collaboration between employers and educational institutions, ensuring that training and learning opportunities are tailored to individual needs, learning styles, and life situations.
This two-year apprenticeship is structured for blended delivery of online learning and face to face sessions which minimizes time off- the- job. Apprentices will benefit from small-class sizes when in college and learning and teaching methods will facilitate students to put their knowledge into practice through, for example, small group activities, role-plays, student presentations and report writing tasks.
Year 1
On-the-job learning where you will learn from experienced social workers and real-world practice and benefit from mentoring and being part of a wider community of practice.
You will bring your college-based learning into the workplace.
Off-the-job study blocks in UCC will include the study of the following areas:
- Social work theory and practice skills
- Human development
- Child and family welfare
- Safeguarding adults at risk
- Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence
- Law and social policy and Research
Year 2
In Year 2, you continue with on-the-job learning blocks where you will bring more advanced college-based learning to the workplace.
Your off-the job study block in UCC will include the study of areas including:
- Law
- Probation
- Adoption
- Fostering
- Disability
- Ageing
- Working with young people
- Social Work Theory
- Practice and Community Work
- Climate Change
- Migration and Geo-Politics and their impact on Social Work
- Social work's role in preserving human rights and social justice for all
Entry Requirements
To widen access, there are a variety of pathways onto the Level 9 apprenticeship, leading to either a Master of Social Work or Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies award which are both CORU approved.
- Applicants must have at least a Second Class Honours Grade 1 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in social science or its equivalent, or have an approved Level 8 conversion programme ie the Higher Diploma in Social Policy with at least a Second Class Honours Grade 1, and have completed a minimum of three-months' relevant work experience in a social work or social work-related field.
or
Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who:
- hold an honours primary degree (NFQ, Level 8) in any discipline, and have completed a minimum of twelve months' relevant work experience in a social work or social work-related field.
or
- Hold a primary ordinary degree (NFQ, Level 7) in social science or its equivalent with an overall result of at least a Second Class Honours Grade 1 and have completed at least three years' experience in a social work or social work-related field.
or
- Non-graduates with at least five years professional experience in a social work or social work-related field may also be considered for admission.
- Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements - this is a 'note'.
