Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) is set to significantly expand its apprenticeship offering, driven by the imminent opening of a new Coonagh Campus in Limerick and the development of additional capacity on its Athlone Campus.
This expansion will bring the total number of apprentices at TUS to 2,200, reflecting the university’s commitment to providing high-quality apprenticeship training that meets the needs of industry.
The expansion will see the number of apprenticeship places available at TUS increase by 36 per cent, with a focus on electrical and plumbing apprenticeships.
The Coonagh Campus will make 384 new electrical apprenticeship places available in Limerick, a doubling of current numbers, while the Athlone Campus will add a further 192 apprenticeship places across electrical and plumbing.
“We are delighted to be expanding our apprenticeship offering in line with the growing demand for skilled workers in the construction and engineering sectors,” TUS President Professor Vincent Cunnane said.
“This expansion will enable us to play a more significant role in addressing the skills shortage and ensuring that we have the talent required to drive economic growth in the Midlands and Midwest regions.”
In addition to its apprenticeship programmes, TUS is also committed to providing access to apprenticeships for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The university’s Access to Apprenticeship programme provides support and guidance to these individuals, helping them to prepare for apprenticeships and succeed in their chosen careers.
The Access to Apprenticeship programme is being extended, from the Moylish Campus in Limerick, to the Athlone Campus, with the number of places across the university doubling.
This expansion will provide even more opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access apprenticeships and pursue rewarding careers across the construction and engineering sectors.
“We are committed to breaking down barriers to apprenticeships and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed in their chosen field,” Dr Diarmuid Ó Briain, Engineering Apprenticeship Co-ordinator at TUS, said.
“The expansion of the Access to Apprenticeship programme to Athlone is a significant step forward in our efforts to make apprenticeships more accessible to all.”
The expansion of TUS’s apprenticeship offering is a welcome development for employers in the Midlands and Midwest, who are facing increasing difficulty in finding skilled workers.
By providing high-quality apprenticeship training, TUS is helping to ensure that the regions have the talent required to drive economic growth and job creation.
In June, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris also visited TUS’s Coonagh Campus in Limerick, which is set to open in Jan 2024.