Before applying to this apprenticeship, please check that you meet all entry requirements outlined below: 

Applicants must be 18 years or older with the eligibility to work and live in Ireland. FIT warmly welcome applications from all genders, and from candidates who may have a physical or hidden disability. The following stipulations will apply to the screening of your application:

• Knowledge, Skill and Personal Competence (upon application)

Candidates must be numerate and literate with the capacity to learn new skills and absorb varied product knowledge. In addition, candidates must demonstrate a capacity to work as a member of a team and display a capacity to clearly communicate with others. Each candidate must demonstrate a level of personal motivation and a clear desire to work in the field of ICT.

• Secondary School Leavers (Republic of Ireland)

Candidates should have completed a Leaving Certificate with pass grades in at least five Ordinary level subjects (including Maths and English).

• School Leavers (Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom)

Candidates should have completed a level of second-level education equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate. This may be composed of the attainment of ‘A Levels’ subject based qualification (General Certificate of Education).

• Recognition of Prior Learning

Candidates who wish to apply for entry, and who do not satisfy any of the standard entry requirements are advised; that an evidenced and justifiable rationale will have to be provided for consideration to be entered into the selection process. This will include the submission of a detailed synopsis of previous educational, life and/or work experiences. The FIT Registrar or delegate will review such cases with regard to the FIT Policy on Access, Transfer and Progression.

In advance of completing an application for the ICT Software Developer Apprenticeship it is important to understand the commitment you will need to provide to this programme.

The ICT Associate Professional is “learning by doing” format of ICT skills development which has been endorsed by the industry and government. 

It is a two-year programme during which candidates who are competent tech enthusiasts attain a Level 6 ICT and Professional Development Award. It involves a 6-month block off-the-job training followed by 3 or 4 days per week on-the-job training, and 1 or 2 days per week off-the-job, depending on the time of year. 

The first six months are college based where candidates will acquire the technical skills.

The remaining 18 months are a combination of workplace application and college based learning where candidates will further their training and apply their skills and learning to live projects and tasks within their sponsoring company.

What will I study?

• Systems Analysis and Design
• Object Orientated Programming
• Event Driven Programming Solutions
• Procedural Programming
• Software Applications Testing
• Web Development and website Software

Modules

• Systems Development
• Personal and Professional Development
• Project Management
• Effective Communication in Business

To apply for apprenticeships please click here.

To view the scheduled programmes and locations click here. 

The training is provided by the following institutions:

• Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB
• Limerick and Clare ETB
• Donegal ETB
• Dublin & Dun Laoghaire ETB
• Galway & Roscommon ETB
• Waterford & Wexford ETB
• Louth & Meath ETB
• Cavan & Monaghan ETB
• Laois & Offaly ETB
• Tipperary ETB
• Longford & Westmeath ETB
• City of Dublin ETB
• Kildare & Wicklow ETB
• Kilkenny & Carlow ETB
• Kerry ETB
• Cork ETB
• Kerry College 

Energetic tech enthusiasts with a determination to work in the ICT sector:

• Logical and creative thinking skills
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Maintains a productive, professional and safe work environment
• Communicates effectively in a variety of situations
• Records and reports information accurately to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Applies strong interpersonal skills when dealing with colleagues, customers and clients
• Flexible attitude
• Ability to work independently and to take responsibility
• A thorough approach to work and commitment to quality
• Passion for IT 

The FIT ICT Associate Professional programme offers technical education and training grounded in practical experience, ensuring that participants are ready for work on completion. The FIT ICT Associate Professional Programme will: 

• Develop in-demand tech skills.
• Provide hands-on learning to attain the skills demanded by industry.
• Provide an opportunity to earn and learn.
• Award a national qualification over a two-year period.
• Equip participants with the knowledge and capabilities to progress in ICT careers.
• Lead to internationally recognised qualifications.
• Provide the opportunity to apply theoretical education and training in a real work setting helping to build confidence in your abilities and gain independence.

A FIT ICT Associate Professional spends much of their time training with a company, helping them to effectively learn the skills needed in the work place using modern technology and equipment and getting involved in real-life work processes.

On successful completion, the ICT Associate Professional Software Developer will have:

Knowledge

• Understand and operate at all stages of the software development lifecycle
• Understand the similarities and differences (taking into account positives and negatives of both approaches) between agile and waterfall software development methodologies
• Understand how teams work effectively to produce software and contribute appropriately
• Understand and apply software design approaches and patterns and can interpret and implement a given design, compliant with security and maintainability requirements
• Understand and respond to the business environment and business issues related to software development
• Understand and operate effectively in their own businesses, their customers’ and the industry’s environments
• Understand and apply the maths required to be a software developer (e.g. algorithms, logic and data structures)

Skills

• Writes good quality code (logic) with sound syntax in at least one language
• Develops effective user interfaces
• Can effectively link code to the database/data sets
• Can test code and analyse results to correct errors found using either V-model manual testing and/or using unit testing
• Can apply structured techniques to problem-solving, can debug code and can understand the structure of programmes in order to identify and resolve issues
• Creates functional data models and software designs to effectively communicate their understanding of the program, following best practices and standards
• Understands and creates basic analysis artefacts, such as user cases and/or user stories
• Utilises skills to build, manage and deploy code into enterprise environments
• Operates at all stages of the software development lifecycle, with increasing breadth and depth over time with an initial focus on build and test.
• Can apply good practice approaches according to the relevant paradigm (for example object oriented, event driven or procedural)
• Interprets and follows: software designs and functional/technical specifications; company defined ‘coding standards’ or industry good practice for coding; testing frameworks and methodologies; company, team or client approaches to continuous integration, version and source control.

Most ICT Associate Professional Software Developers will work in the ICT sector industries who research, develop, design, sell, install and maintain software products and services. However, a large number will work in other sectors which use, develop and apply software solutions to support their activity.

On completion of the programme and having attained the FIT ICTAP Award, it is envisaged that candidates will take up full-time positions with the sponsoring company.

The ICTAP programme is being rolled out in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Athlone and Monaghan. FIT are actively engaging with employers to participate in the programme. 

With experience, you could become a senior developer with responsibility for project management, planning and research, or move into related areas, such as systems design, IT architecture and business systems analysis.

To find out more: e-mail [email protected] or by phone on 01 8825570.

Software products, applications and services are widely used across many sectors and potentially all sectors in a modern economy. Most ICT Associate Professional Software Developers will work in the ICT sector industries who research, develop, design, sell, install and maintain software products and services. However a large number will work in other sectors which use, develop and apply software solutions to support their activity.

Apprentice graduates would be able to seek entry into any Bachelor of Science in Computing programme, and based upon their application, they could make a case for advanced entry based upon prior completion of the apprenticeship award.

In addition, FIT already has an agreement with Technological University Dublin for entry into year two of their Bachelor of Science in Computing. Separate from these two scenarios, FIT is currently in advanced discussions/planning with Griffith College on potentially establishing a Level 8 Software Development apprenticeship programme that will lead to a seamless progression from the L6 programme to Level 8.

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.

You can apply to link up with over 250 participating employers accross Fastrack into IT apprenticeship programmes including:

Amazon

Accenture

Deloitte

HSE

Your Local ETB Education and Training Board may also hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.

Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT). If you are interested in a network engineer associate apprenticeship you should make contact with FIT via the contact details in the ‘Find Out More Section’ below.

Full eligibility criteria for this apprenticeship are available in the Software Developer Associate apprenticeship brochure.

Further information is also available from the co-ordinating provider for this apprenticeship:

Fastrack into Information Technology
7A Bellevue Industrial Estate
Glasnevin
Dublin 11

Tel: + 353 (0)1 882 5570
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.fit.ie

Or apply online on the FIT (Fast-track to Information Technology) website.

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:

• Accenture
• Microsoft Ireland

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

• FIT

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.

Apprentices are not required to pay a student contribution for this apprenticeship.