Clare students are being encouraged to apply for a national accounting technician apprenticeship programme which will create jobs in the region as part of 125 positions nationally.
And local employers have been encouraged to sign up for the scheme to avail of a government annual base grant per-registered apprentice from early 2022.
The Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship is a funded, work-based learning programme in which locally-placed apprentices earn at least €19,890 a-year.
Applications for the apprenticeship, which will be based at colleges in Limerick, Galway, Dublin, Cork, Monaghan, Waterford and Wicklow are now open.
Accounting Technicians Ireland, whose apprenticeship programme has been the source of over 456 jobs, has embraced blended learning.
Their Accounting Technician Apprenticeship allows students to spend four days a week working, often online with the agreement of the employer since the pandemic, and one day a week studying.
School leavers, Leaving Cert students, career changers, and mature learners can all apply for the programme through Accounting Technicians Ireland.
The Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship provides a real alternative for school leavers who prefer practical training to a full-time college programme, or those who embarked on a college course and found it did not suit them.
It is also an attractive option for existing employees and mature learners who want to pursue accounting. Large firms and smaller practices, as well as industry and the public sector have all embraced the programme.
This is the third year of the National Gallery of Ireland’s participation in the programme, and according to Mary Leane, its head of finance, it is a great way to upskill.
“Apprentices are not just gaining a qualification, they are also learning work based skills which they can continue to build on throughout their career. Apprentices are delighted with the opportunity to earn as they learn while gaining practical experience in the workplace.
“The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship works for both the younger and more mature student. There are many reasons why someone may not have completed formal training earlier in their career, and the apprenticeship provides an opportunity to progress into new roles and areas.”
According to Gabriela Airini, Head of Apprenticeship at Accounting Technicians Ireland, the government grant will increase employer participation.
“Accounting Technicians Ireland is pleased our apprenticeship contributes towards job creation and economic recovery. Since the programme’s foundation in 2017, the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship has been the source of over 456 jobs. Graduates are capable of filling all kinds of accounting and finance roles across all sectors of the economy.
“Each year, more employers sign up and we now partner with over 302 employers across 17 sectors.”
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