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.

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:

• Technical Drawing/Graphics
• Construction Studies
• Materials Technology
• Mathematics

Phase 1: With Employer

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

Phase 2: Delivered in Training Centre (21 weeks)

Course Content:

• Induction
• Conversion of pre-sawn timber and hand tools
• Furniture, Veneering and Jig Making
• Profile Sanding
• Carcass manufacture and CNC (Computer Numerical Control)

Phase 3: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 4: Delivered in Educational Colleges (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• CNC programming and use
• Construction products
• Furniture products

Phase 5: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 6: Delivered in Educational Colleges (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• Furniture technology
• Stair construction and CNC
• Machine Technology

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 – Wood Manufacturing and Finishing.

The training is provided by the following institutions:

• TU Dublin – City Campus
• Kerry ETB Training Centre

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

As a Wood Manufacturer and Finisher you will need to be physically active and to be able to work with your hands.

An awareness of health and safety and good housekeeping is essential as well as attention to detail and an eye for the aesthetic.

The Wood Manufacturer and Finisher 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

• Technical Drawing: Drawing in orthographic, isometric and oblique projection, freehand sketching, drawing to scale and in perspective
• Setting Out: Working off drawings to set out standard or off-standard wood products
• Breaking out: Producing common wood joints using a variety of machines
• Moulding: Developing profile cutters and running off wood mouldings
• Shaping: Making jigs and patterns for use on spindle moulders/routers
• Sanding: Operating flat and profile sanding machines, evaluating the suitability of coated abrasives for various applications
• Construction: Assembling by bonding, wedging or using knock down fittings, fitting ironmongery
• Veneering and Bonding: Planning and preparing panels for veneering and bonding, operating all machines associated with the process
• Computers: Programming and operating CNC machines to perform complex machining operations
• Finishing: Applying stain and spray finish to furniture/joinery products

Specialist Skills

• Wood Turning: Using manual, semiautomatic or CNC lathes to produce turned pieces
• Saw Doctoring: Sharpening and setting circular saw blades, wide bandsaw blades and handsaw blades
• Tool Room Maintenance: Operating manual, automatic and CNC grinding machines to sharpen and/or shape machine cutters

• Technical Drawing: Drawing in orthographic, isometric and oblique projection, freehand sketching, drawing to scale and in perspective
• Construction: Assembling by bonding, wedging or using knock down fittings, fitting ironmongery
• Veneering and Bonding: Planning and preparing panels for veneering and bonding, operating all machines associated with the process
• Finishing: Applying stain and spray finish to furniture/joinery products

Wood Manufacturer and Finishers require many skills including:

• Working with a variety of specialised hand and power tools
• Knowledge of setting out, production and assembly of furniture and construction components
• Knowledge of a CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufaturing) software for CNC (Computer Numerical Control) programming
• Performing craft calculations and selecting materials to meet design requirements
• Interpreting technical drawings and specifications
• Planning and organising work schedules
• Liaising with other professions and clients
• Performing routine maintenance and repairs on machines

Aspects of Work 

• 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
• Understanding technical drawings and diagrams
• Working with wood and wood based products
• Working with hand tools and power tools
• Operating, controlling and adjusting equipment / machines
• Accuracy with numbers in counting, measuring and arithmetic
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Being well organised and careful with practical tasks
• Working in a workshop or factory
• Lifting or carrying heavy items
• Comply with Health and Safety requirements
• Being physically active
• Taking responsibility for own learning, including the allocation of study time
• Passing all your phase exams (theory, practicals, skill demonstrations)
• Earning as you learn

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

Many craftspersons use their apprenticeship qualification as a platform to launch careers such as engineers, managers, owners of businesses, teachers and instructors amongst others.

As a woodturner you will the opportunity to start your own business, for example a joinery shop.

An apprenticeship is often the first step to a career as an Instructor, Teacher, Manager, or Owning your Own Business. 

Opportunitites are available to apprentices and craftspeople with the ability and initiative to progress to advanced technology courses and management courses. Holders of the FETAC Advanced Certificate-Craft may progress to a number of levels 6, 7 and 8 courses. These are available through institutes of technology, schools of management, professional institutes, etc.

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

In order to secure an apprenticeship, you must first secure a contract with an employer. You must apply directly to an employer rather than the training provider. Once you have found an employer to take you on as an apprentice, your employer must then register you as an apprentice with SOLAS.

• The employer must be approved to train apprentices.
• The employer must register you as an apprentice within two weeks of recruitment.

Opportunities for this Apprenticeship arise on an ongoing basis throughout the year. In order to secure an apprenticeship contract of employment, you should target companies you would like to do your apprenticeship with by applying directly to them.

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.

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

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.

Connect Trade Union

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