Government leads the way on ICT Apprenticeship – Donohoe

The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, has announced the first ICT Apprenticeship Scheme for Government Departments and Offices.

Minister Donohoe said: “We are seeking applications from those interested in becoming an Apprentice ICT Specialist to fill opportunities to work on digital initiatives which will arise across Civil Service Departments and Offices.”

Run in conjunction with FIT, (Fastrack to IT), the national coordinating provider for ICT Tech Apprenticeships, and City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB), this is a two year full-time programme which offers participants an opportunity to develop a career in ICT in some of the largest organisations in the state.  Successful candidates will be placed with a government department to undertake a two-year full-time Tech Apprenticeship programme in either software development or in infrastructure and operations.

The programme includes both on-the-job and off-the-job elements, and those succeeding on the programme will attain a National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Computer Networking or in Computer Programming, depending on which stream is pursued.

Minister Donohoe added: “The Office of Government Chief Information Officer in my Department has been working with Civil Service HR departments to develop this concept as a key part of ICT Professionalisation. The Government is committed to creating great career opportunities for a broad range of people and this apprenticeship scheme is a new and exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to play a role in delivering on the government’s ambitions for Ireland to be a digital leader. Candidates will receive recognised training, practical experience and an opportunity to earn while they learn.”

Peter Davitt, CEO of FIT said: “FIT as the Coordinating Provider for Tech Apprenticeships is delighted that Government is adopting the apprenticeship model as a means of broadening recruitment into ICT roles within the Civil Service. The ICT Associate Professional Apprenticeship programme was approved as a statutory apprenticeship in 2017 for those wishing to pursue a tech career.  FIT is enthusiastic to engage the first apprenticeship intake for the Civil Service and to support their development and progress into government roles requiring tech talent to advance the country’s interests.”

Commenting on the announcement, Government Chief Information Officer and Head of Profession for ICT within the Civil Service, Barry Lowry added: “The Civil Service needs to become more innovative in how it finds, develops, retains and maximises the performance of its ICT staff and we are looking at a number of ways to do this. One of the ways is through these new apprenticeships which have the potential to contribute significantly to the long term staffing needs of the Civil and indeed the wider Public Service.”

Click here to apply for the Apprentice ICT Specialist in Software Development or Apprentice ICT Specialist in Infrastructure and Operations.