“I was made redundant from my job as a compliance adviser with KBC Bank when they left the market. I was out of work for a year.
“But then I was in the social welfare office and saw a prospectus for Monaghan Institute. I was not sure if I wanted to retrain, to be honest. Fate, or boredom, made me pick it up, and when I found out about the Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) apprenticeship, I was intrigued.
“It was an area I was interested in, and the programme would allow me to work, earn and learn at the same time. I had moved home to Monaghan from Dublin during the Covid-19 pandemic, I wanted to stay, and knew the ATI apprenticeship would open opportunities locally.
“Earning while retraining was a great attraction, but I was not sure if I wanted to be a 40-year-old apprentice. For me, apprenticeships were a young people’s thing. And while a two-year programme seemed long, I realised that time would pass regardless.
RM Block
“Local firm Tusker Construction called me on a Wednesday, interviewed me on Thursday, hired me on Friday and I began the college element on Monday.
“After a summer of unemployment, there was a massive change in my life. It was hugely exciting. What I learn in college becomes real for me during my working week. And there have been times when my manager has shown me something which then comes up at college. It is a great way to learn, as opposed to being in a classroom.
“I was always better at learning when applying the knowledge, rather than reading theory. There are other older apprentices, and we all support each other. The ATI Apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in finance. The career and personal development opportunities are huge, all without the cost of a college course.
“My worries about apprenticeships being only for young people proved unfounded. I went on to become a nominee for national Apprentice of the Year. I feel this showed how far I have come. It’s never too late to find the right career fit. If you are good enough, you are never too old.”
- The ATI apprenticeship is a funded, two-year, work-based learning education and training programme in which apprentices work, learn and earn at least €26,325 a year while attending lectures one day a week at a local college. It provides an alternative for school leavers who prefer practical training to a full-time college programme – or those who started a college course and found it did not suit them.
- It is open to school leavers, Leaving Certificate students, career-changers, and mature learners alike.
- Employers can avail of an annual grant of €2,000 for each apprentice they employ.
- Applications are now open for the ATI apprenticeship in partnership with further education colleges in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Meath, Monaghan, Waterford and Wicklow.
- Graduates gain a QQI Level 6 advanced certificate in accounting and are eligible to apply for the industry-recognised professional MIATI award.
- For more information, see AccountingTechniciansIreland.ie.
