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.

lease 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:

• Mathematics
• Metalwork
• Technical Drawing/Graphics
• Construction Studies
• Technology
• Engineering
• Physics
• Chemistry

Phase 1: With Employer

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

Phase 2: Delivered in Training Centre (20 week)

Course Content:

• Induction
• Introduction to Pipefitting
• Thermal Processes
• Pipe Processes
• Pipe Installation
• Technical Drawing 

Phase 3: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 4: Delivered in Training Centre (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• Introduction to Pipefitting
• Thermal Processes
• Pipe Processes
• Pipe Installation
• Technical Drawing

Phase 5: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 6: Delivered in Training Centre (10 weeks)
Course Content:

• Introduction to Pipefitting
• Thermal Processes
• Pipe Processes
• Pipe Installation
• Pipe Drawing Development

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 - Pipefitting

As a Pipefitter 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.

The Pipefitter must have the ability to:

• Plan and organise
• Communicate effectively
• Solve problems
• Work independently and as part of a team
• Show a positive attitude
• Demonstrate good work practices including time keeping, tidiness, responsibility, quality awareness and safety awareness

• Use of pipefitting tools
• Reading and interpreting pipefitting drawings and specifications
• Planning and sketching piping systems
• Pipefitting
• Pipe jointing
• Pipe bending
• Inspection and testing of piping systems
• Fault diagnosis
• Performing routine maintenance and repairs on piping systems.

Specialist Skills

• Installation
• Commissioning and maintenance of: Cooling and heating systems, compressed air systems, highpressure systems, steam systems, hydraulic systems, nuclear power systems, chemical storage and processing systems, oil, gasoline, and natural gas storage and processing systems, air handling units, industrial and process gases and liquids.
• Knowledge of: building regulations and industry specific on-site procedures.

• Safety awareness
• Planning
• Interpreting drawings and specifications
• Measurement and mathematical calculations
• Basic engineering
• Oxy-acetylene welding
• Manual metal arc welding
• Metal active gas shielded welding
• Tungsten active gas welding
• Plasma arc cutting
• Oxy-acetylene cutting
• Computer aided design
• Basic electricity

• 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
• Working with technical drawings and diagrams
• Using tools or machinery to fabricate industrial components
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Being well organised and careful with practical tasks
• Working at heights
• Lifting or carrying heavy items
• Taking responsibility for own learning, including the allocation of study time
• Being physically active
• Passing all your phase exams (theory, practicals, skills demonstrations).
• Working in a noisy environment
• Bending and kneeling
• Working in cramped and awkward spaces
• Earning as you learn

Where apprentices and craftspeople have the necessary ability, initiative and basic qualifications, opportunities are available for advancement. These include advanced technological and management courses which are available in 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

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.

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. 

Full eligibility criteria for this apprenticeship are available in the Pipefitter 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 6