Spatial Planning Apprenticeship – BSc (Hons)

An apprenticeship is a programme of structured education and training which formally combines and alternates learning in the workplace with learning in a university, third-level education institution, or training Centre. It is a dual system, blending on-the-job, employer-based learning with off-the-job academic study. Apprentices are paid employees for the duration of the programme and gain nationally recognised qualifications.

Spatial Planners apply professional judgement to support sustainable development, housing delivery, infrastructure planning and environmental protection within Ireland’s statutory planning system. They assess planning applications, prepare planning reports and policy documents, undertake environmental assessments, analyse spatial data using GIS, and contribute to the preparation of development plans and strategic planning frameworks. Spatial Planners also engage with communities, public bodies and multidisciplinary teams, applying planning law and policy to support evidence-based decision-making and sustainable spatial development across the public and private sectors.

This is a four-year apprenticeship.

Applicants for the programme must be employed on an Apprenticeship contract of employment.

Applications to register an apprentice can only be submitted by a Registered Employer.

Details of current apprenticeship opportunities are advertised locally and nationally by many employers, and are often listed on the national apprenticeship jobs portal at www.apprenticeshipjobs.ie

Contact TUS Spatial Planning Apprenticeship Office.

Apprentices are employed by their organisation throughout the full four-year apprenticeship and receive a salary in accordance with their contract of employment. They remain paid employees during both on-the-job and off-the-job learning.

Apprentices are responsible for the applicable annual student contribution fee. Please see the Grants and Fees section at the bottom of this page for further information. Employers may choose to support this cost as part of their own policies; however, this is entirely at the discretion of the employer.

Apprentices may also be eligible for a range of national financial supports, subject to the published eligibility criteria, including:

• Access and Inclusion Bursary – Financial assistance may be available to eligible apprentices from under-represented groups to help address barriers to participation in apprenticeship programmes.
• Údarás na Gaeltachta Apprentice Scholarship Scheme – Apprentices who reside in designated Gaeltacht areas and satisfy the published eligibility criteria may be eligible for financial support under the scholarship scheme.

Further information on available financial supports, eligibility criteria and application arrangements is available from the National Apprenticeship Office – Access and Inclusion Bursary and the Údarás na Gaeltachta Apprentice Scholarship Scheme. Funding arrangements, eligibility criteria and support schemes are determined nationally and may change from time to time.

An apprenticeship is a programme of structured education and training which formally combines and alternates learning in the workplace with learning in a university, third-level education institution, or training Centre. It is a dual system, blending on-the-job, employer-based learning with off-the-job academic study. Apprentices are paid employees for the duration of the programme and gain nationally recognised qualifications

The Spatial Planning Apprenticeship is currently in development and is intended to provide employers with a sustainable pathway for recruiting and developing future planning professionals.

Apprentices will develop professional competence across development management, forward planning and policy, environmental assessment, planning law, GIS and spatial analysis, stakeholder engagement and sustainable development through a combination of workplace learning and university study.

Subject to successful validation and national approval, apprentices who successfully complete the programme will be awarded a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Spatial Planning (NFQ Level 8). The programme has been designed to support eligibility for Registered Membership of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI), subject to the Institute’s membership requirements and any future accreditation requirements.

Following the official launch of the apprenticeship, organisations wishing to recruit apprentices must first become approved employers within the national apprenticeship system.

Employer approval is administered by SOLAS and includes an assessment of the organisation’s suitability to provide structured workplace learning, appropriate supervision, mentoring arrangements, and a suitable learning environment.

Once approved, employers may recruit apprentices in accordance with the published programme entry requirements. Prospective apprentices may apply for advertised apprenticeship vacancies or be nominated by their existing employer. An apprentice must be employed by a SOLAS-approved employer before they can be registered on the apprenticeship programme.

Further guidance on employer approval, apprentice recruitment, and programme registration will be communicated in advance of the first intake.

In advance of the official launch, organisations considering recruiting apprentices are invited to complete a short, non-binding Apprenticeship Recruitment Intentions Survey. The survey is intended solely to assist TUS in forecasting employer demand and planning for the first intake, commencing in January 2027. It gathers indicative information on organisation type, anticipated apprentice numbers, recruitment timelines, and geographical location.

Completion of the survey does not constitute an application for employer approval, apprentice registration, or the allocation of apprentice places.

Complete the Apprenticeship Recruitment Intentions Survey

Each apprentice must be supported throughout the apprenticeship by a nominated Workplace Mentor.

The Workplace Mentor must be a full Registered Member of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and provides day-to-day professional supervision, guidance and developmental feedback throughout the apprenticeship. The mentor supports workplace learning and professional development, facilitates opportunities to achieve the required workplace learning outcomes, oversees and verifies workplace learning activities and evidence, provides professional verification and sign-off where required, and acts as the primary point of contact with the TUS Academic Supervisor.

The Workplace Mentor role aligns closely with normal supervisory responsibilities within the organisation. The additional apprenticeship-specific responsibilities represent a modest additional commitment integrated into normal professional practice.

TUS will provide mentor induction, training, guidance and ongoing support throughout the apprenticeship to enable Workplace Mentors to carry out their role effectively.

Nominated Workplace Mentors who successfully complete the TUS Mentor Preparation Programme will receive a TUS Digital Badge and approximately 20 hours of structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD), eligible for recording under the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) CPD framework.

Apprentices have access to the full range of support services available at Technological University of the Shannon. These include academic guidance and tutoring, library and digital learning resources, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), disability and access services, counselling and wellbeing supports, academic learning support, and a wide range of other services that promote academic achievement, personal wellbeing and apprentice success.

Throughout the apprenticeship, apprentices are also supported by their Workplace Mentor, Academic Supervisor and the TUS Apprenticeship Team, who provide ongoing guidance, monitor progress, and support apprentices throughout their apprenticeship journey.

Employers participating in the Spatial Planning Apprenticeship are responsible for employing and paying the apprentice throughout the full four-year programme, including periods of both on-the-job and off-the-job learning. Salary levels and terms of employment are a matter between the employer and the apprentice and should comply with all applicable employment legislation.

Eligible employers may also be able to access a range of national apprenticeship financial supports, including:

• Apprenticeship Employer Grant – Currently valued at €2,000 per apprentice per year, paid in two instalments. Over the four-year apprenticeship, eligible employers may receive up to €8,000 in grant support per apprentice.
• Gender-Based Bursary – Currently valued at €2,666 per apprentice, this bursary may be available where the apprentice is from the under-represented gender in an apprenticeship occupation with greater than 80% representation of a single gender.

Eligibility criteria, funding levels and application arrangements for all apprenticeship supports are determined nationally and are subject to change.

Apprentices are responsible for the applicable annual student contribution. Employers may choose to support this cost or other education-related expenses as part of their own workforce development policies.

For further information regarding employer funding, apprentice financial supports and programme costs, please contact the TUS Spatial Planning Apprenticeship Office.

Email: spatialplanning@tus.ie

A comprehensive Employer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been developed to provide more detailed guidance on the Spatial Planning Apprenticeship.

The FAQ expands on the information presented on this webpage and covers topics including employer approval, apprentice recruitment and registration, workplace mentoring, employer responsibilities, programme delivery, assessment, progression, financial supports and other matters commonly raised by prospective employers.

Employers who require further information or wish to discuss participation in the apprenticeship are encouraged to contact the TUS Spatial Planning Apprenticeship Office, where the Employer FAQ document can be provided on request.

Email: spatialplanning@tus.ie