The minimum age at which the employment of an apprentice may commence is 16 years of age.

The minimum educational requirements are:

Grade D or "Achieved" in five subjects in the Department of Education & Skills Junior Certificate Examination or an approved equivalent,

or

The successful completion of an approved Pre-Apprenticeship course,

or

Three years’ work experience gained over sixteen years of age in a relevant designated industrial activity as SOLAS shall deem acceptable.

You must obtain a job as an apprentice in your chosen occupation. Your employer must be approved to train apprentices and must register you as an apprentice within 2 weeks of recruitment.

Please note: To become an apprentice you may need to pass the Ishihara Colour Vision Test (24 Plate Edition). For further information, contact your local Education and Training Board.

Note: These are the current approved minimum educational requirements for apprenticeship programmes, however, previous experience of the following subjects would be an advantage but not essential:

• Metalwork
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Technical Drawing/Graphics
• Engineering
• Technology

Phase 1: With Employer

• Induction Training
• Introduction to Health & Safety
• Introduction to Tools & Equipment
• Introduction to Basic Skills

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 4: Delivered in Educational Colleges (11 weeks)

Course Content:

• Precision Sheet Metalwork
• Stainless Steel
• General Sheet Metalwork
• Metal Roof Work
• Panel & Double Curvature Work
• Thermal Processes
• CNC Programming and Operating

Phase 5: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 6: Delivered in Educational Colleges (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• Geometry & Pattern Development CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing)
• IT (Information Technology)
• Stainless Steel
• General Sheet Metalwork
• Metal Roof Work
• Thermal Processes
• Special Areas

Phase 7: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

The overall duration of this apprenticeship is a minimum of 4 years provided all phases are successfully completed.

On successful completion of the programme the learner is awarded a Level 6 Advanced Certificate Craft – Sheet Metalworking.

The training is provided by the following institutions:

• TU Dublin – City Campus

• Further information is also available from your local Education and Training Board.

 

As a Sheet Metal Worker you will need to be physically fit and to be able to work with your hands.

The Sheet Metal Worker must have the ability to:

• Plan and organise
• Communicate effectively
• Solve problems
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Show a positive attitude
• Recognise the need for good customer relations
• Demonstrate good work practices including time keeping, tidiness, responsibility, quality awareness and safety awareness
• Work safely in a hazardous environment
• Ability to follow engineering drawings
• Ability to spot flaws and dents
• Mathematical ability to take measurements and use calculations to work out shape sizes

• Use, Care and Setting of the following: Guillotine, pressbrake, folding m/c, bending rolls, swaging m/c, lockformer etc
• Sheet Metal Operations including: Cutting, folding, rolling, crimping, wiring, notching, drilling, swaging,punching, stretching, shrinking, hollowing, planishing, self-secured joints
• Drawing and Pattern Development: Fabrication and installation of ductwork and fittings for heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, guards, canopies and general sheet metalwork

Specialist Skills 

• Metal finishing
• Precision sheet metalwork using CNC equipment
• Stainless steel work
• Aircraft work
• Metal cladding
• Maintenance
• Copper roofwork
• Testing, adjusting and balancing of ductwork systems

• Workshop practice including:- safe use and maintenance of tools and equipment, marking out, drilling, tapping, seaming, riveting, fasteners
• Technical drawing including:- interpretation of first and third angle orthographic projection as well as isometric, oblique and freehand drawings/sketches
• Safety: hazard avoidance, good workshop practices, basic first aid, fire extinguishers, electrical shocks, lifting, evacuation, basic

• Learning and developing new practical craft-related skills, knowledge and competence
• Working with and learning from experienced craftspersons
• Seeing a job through from start to finish
• Comply with Health and Safety requirements
• Using tools and operating machinery
• Being responsible for controlling or adjusting equipment
• Demonstrate good analytical and troubleshooting skills
• Understanding technical drawings and diagrams
• Being accurate with numbers in counting, measuring and arithmetic
• Being well organised and careful with practical tasks
• Keeping up to date with changing technologies
• Being physically active
• Taking responsibility for own learning, including the allocation of study time
• Working in a noisy environment
• Passing all your phase exams (theory, practical skills demonstration)
• Earning as you learn

On successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, apprentices are qualified to work within the recognised trade or profession. 

Opportunities arise from time-to-time for promotion to supervisor level. Many craftspeople use their apprenticeship qualification as a platform to launch careers such as engineers, managers, owners of businesses, teachers and instructors amongst others.

People anxious to advance themselves in their careers are advised to discover for themselves what apportunities are available.

Note: People in employment have a number of options for both Educational and Career Progression. It might also be possible to gain promotion within your existing company.  By using your existing qualifications and your experience you might to able to secure an alternative position in a more senior role in another company. It may also be possible to set up your own company based again on your existing qualifications and experience.  Whatever route you decide to take remember education is a lifelong pursuit and you can always continue to up skill and/or retrain, whatever your age.  Links to some educational and enterprise supports can be found below.    

Career Progression Useful Links:  

Educational Supports:  

On completion of an apprenticeship your educational progression options may be offered as full awards on the NFQ levels 7-10 National Framework .  You may also decide to embark on a partial award or to up skill in a particular area by undertaking a short specialised course.  

Depending on your skills, knowledge and experience some of the opportunities below might be appropriate to help develop your Career pathway.   

• Springboard & conversion courses  
• Skillnet Sector learning network courses
• Skills to advance Local ETB Board
• Further education training centres Fetchcourses
• Post graduate education Search Post Graduate options

Enterprise and Self-Employment Support:

On completion of anapprenticeship if you feel you have the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience you may decide to set up your own business. The links below might be useful to support you:

• Local Enterprise Offices, For profit Local enterprise support
• Local Area partnerships For profit enterprise support
• Social entrepreneurs: Not-for-profit enterprise support
• Franchising: Developing your business under an established franchise

To become an apprentice in Ireland you must be hired by an employer. Apprenticeship employers are formally approved by SOLAS in advance of employing apprentices. Apprentices get a formal contract of employment as part of their apprenticeship.

To find an apprenticeship, you can search apprenticeship vacancies and a list of currently approved apprentice employers on the Apprenticeship Jobs & Employers Portal. You can search for vacancies by location, and employers in each apprenticeship.

Use this link to explore a list of Approved Employers by Region and by Apprenticeship type.

Please note: To become an apprentice you may need to pass the Ishihara Colour Vision Test (24 Plate Edition). For further information, contact your local Education and Training Board.

The amount of the student contribution is a proportion of the annual student contribution paid by students who are attending a full-time course in higher education. The student contribution is paid directly to the higher education institution.

Full eligibility criteria for this apprenticeship are available in the Sheet Metalworking Apprenticeship brochure.

Finding an employer and securing your apprenticeship

Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.

Opportunities for this apprenticeship may be available from the following organisations:

• Construction Industry Federation

Online Jobsites

Here are some direct links to employment websites that frequently list apprenticeship vacancies.

Note: These websites may include vacancies that are not QQI accredited Apprenticeships.

As an apprentice, you earn while you learn.

Employment Salary (On-the-job)
The employer pays you a salary while you are being trained on-the-job. The rate of pay is agreed between you and your employer.

Training Allowance (Off-the-job)
A training allowance is paid by the local Education and Training Board (ETB) while you are attending the off-the-job training. In some cases, a contribution towards travel or accommodation costs may be paid.

The sector the apprentice's employer is engaged in will determine the allowance payable. These allowances are calculated on the gross wages paid by industry in each sector. The weekly gross wage norms for different industries are listed below.

Information on taxation of off-the-job payments can be found here.

Apprentices complete two of their three phases of off-the-job training in a higher education institution. A student contribution must be paid for this part of the training.

The amount of the student contribution is a proportion of the annual student contribution paid by students who are attending a full-time course in higher education. The student contribution is paid directly to the higher education institution.

The student contribution for this apprenticeship is €1,000 for Phase 4 and €1,000 for Phase 6