SETU WATERFORD HAS BEEN GRANTED €1.4 MILLION TO INCREASE APPRENTICESHIPS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

SETU Waterford has been Granted €1.4 Million to Increase Apprenticeships in Higher Education

SETU Waterford has been granted €1.4 million to increase apprenticeships in higher education.

According to plans published on Monday, December 11, by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, Simon Harris TD, SETU Waterford will receive €1.4 million in capital financing to address the rising demand for apprenticeships in the higher education sector.

In the higher education sector, the funds will be distributed among four Technological Universities and one Institute of Technology to provide an additional 132 apprenticeship craft training blocks.

Three more blocks for electronic security systems, six more for plumbing, and six more for electrical will be given to SETU Waterford. According to SOLAS, this extra capacity is needed to accommodate the rise in apprentice registrations in a number of trades.

TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh of the Green Party, who serves on the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Education, praised the news. He cited recent studies from the OECD that emphasize the necessity of investing in trades to address the labor shortfall in the economy.

Deputy Ó Cathasaigh stated, “Our committee has heard time and time again how valuable and necessary these skills are in answering the challenges we have in housing and energy.”

“People left the trades for a while, which means that our economy is currently facing serious difficulties in hiring new employees. It’s likely that the students enrolled in these courses will find employment right away, and that employment will be good and offer prospects for advancement.The necessity for the establishment of these facilities to help expand student numbers and improve learning results was one of the main discussion topics that appeared in our report following the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s recent official visit to SETU Waterford. I’m delighted to see the Minister take this step with today’s declaration.

“Today’s investment of €17 million will fund the delivery of 132 apprenticeship craft training blocks,” stated Minister Harris in a Monday speech.

“This will provide our craft apprenticeships at four technological universities—Phase 4 and Phase 6—more capacity. The 132 apprenticeship craft training blocks that were revealed today will meet the increasing demand for apprenticeship-based learning while also facilitating the expansion of registrations in a variety of crafts, such as plumbing, electrical, electronic security systems, pipefitting, metal fabrication, and refrigeration and air conditioning.