Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB ) recently presented craft certificate to the some of the 162 apprentices who graduated in Galway and Roscommon in 2022. The ceremony took place at the Menlo Hotel, Galway on November 28.
The graduates qualified in some of the following apprenticeships: electrical, plumbing, carpentry and joinery, mechanical automotive maintenance fitter, motor mechanics, metal fabrication, refrigeration and air conditioning, vehicle body repairs, toolmaking, construction plant fitting, heavy vehicle mechanics, and electronic security systems.
Main speaker at the event was Mayor of Galway City Clodagh Higgins, who praised the apprentices for choosing this career option and reminded the apprentices of the current shortage within the Irish economy for craft skills.
Also speaking at the ceremony was GRETB director of further education and training Sinéad Morgan, who outlined some of the literacy and numeracy supports available in GRETB for apprentices and thanked the employers within the region for supporting the apprentices on their journey.
In his closing remarks, GRETB training manager Ken Farragher spoke of the difficult journey the apprentices had to take during the pandemic. He thanked the families, employers, and mentors for their support throughout the apprentices' journey and he wished them all continuous success.
An apprenticeship offers an excellent opportunity to gain an internationally recognised qualification; it is delivered through a combination of on-the-job and off-the-job training that allows the apprentices to earn while they learn. In 2022, more than 8,400 employers used apprenticeships to help support and grow their businesses, with some 24,000 apprentices currently completing their training throughout Ireland.
For more information about the apprenticeship programmes available, to become an approved employer, or to register as an apprentice, contact [email protected], visit apprenticeship.ie, or call the free phone number 1800 794 487.
