Two new Civil Engineering apprenticeship programmes have been announced by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

The two programmes are a Level Six Higher Certificate in Civil Engineering, which will take two years and a Level Seven Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering, which will take three years.

Ireland now has 73 apprenticeship programmes which are key to the development of craft apprenticeships.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Minister Harris said: "This new mode of delivery is already attracting new entrants into the profession and satisfy a growing demand for learning through apprenticeship.

"The programme is designed such that apprentices attend online lectures one day per week and an additional day per month on campus for labs and workshops. The other three/four days per week will see the apprentices in the workplace learning 'on the job'.

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"And we have our first apprentices already. 44 apprentices were enrolled on the first phase of programmes - 6 at Level 6 and 38 at Level 7 in ATU Sligo."

"And we won’t stop there. Phase two will include a Level 8 and Level 9 in Civil Engineering. These apprenticeship programmes are currently at the early stage of development by the Civil Engineering Consortium with the first intake onto these programmes in September 2025, which will complete the progression offerings from Higher Certificate to Masters level."

Una Parsons, head of ATU Sligo, said: "ATU is delighted to help address the lack of civil engineers in Ireland through the provision of new educational pathways. In collaboration with the national consortium, the HEA, the National Apprenticeship Office and SOLAS and other higher educational institutions, we are proud to have been chosen as the leading provider for this new apprenticeship in Civil Engineering.

"Having a history of over 50 years delivering civil engineering education coupled with being a national provider of online learning in Ireland, we leveraged off our national partners to get these strategic programmes launched which have experienced a strong demand from industry."