An accountancy apprenticeship programme which allows students to work, earn and learn is to create 125 jobs. 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 Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship, which will be based in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Monaghan, Waterford and Wicklow, are now open.
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.
Dublin-based Accounting Technicians Ireland apprentice Rosario Rowe (47), was a fulltime homemaker looking to return to the workplace before discovering the programme. Now, Rosario is in her second year of an apprenticeship in the finance department of the National Gallery of Ireland. “I love it. Initially, I thought this path was a long-shot, because I mistakenly believed apprenticeships were for young people. “But the Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship caters for everybody. It is a wonderful programme, with great resources which help you study whilst working.
“Most companies look for a minimum of two years’ experience before even looking at a job application. “With the Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship, you will have two years’ experience and all the necessary knowledge to be employable. “Many people put off continuing their studies due to financial pressures, but I earn while I learn, and the programme helped me build up my professional network. “There are also great options to allow you continue your studies when you complete the apprenticeship. “I have met lots of great people, learned a lot, and get to look at some of the works of the Old Masters anytime I want.”
This is the third year of the National Gallery’s participation in the programme, and according to Mary Leane, its head of finance, 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.” As part of the Department of Further and Higher Education’s new Apprenticeship Action Plan launched in April, employers will be eligible for an annual base grant per registered apprentice from early 2022.
According to Gabriela Airini, Head of Apprenticeship at Accounting Technicians Ireland, the incentive 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.”
For more details see accountingtechniciansireland.ie
