- One More Job will support small businesses with less than 50 employees who comprise over 95% of the 280,000+ businesses in Ireland.
- A package of financial and training supports will help 500+ micro and small businesses in the West and across Ireland create ‘one more job’ via apprenticeship.
An innovative One More Job initiative is being launched at the offices of Sligo-based civil engineering company, Jennings O’Donovan & Partners today (Monday 24 April 2023) by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD.
This National Apprenticeship Office initiative has been developed with Enterprise Ireland and apprenticeship partners, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board. It will provide a range of tailored training and financial supports to Irish micro and small businesses who employ one or more apprentices in 2023. These supports include onboarding assistance, a free online Mentoring Practice programme for employers gearing up to train apprentices, financial grants to subsidise training costs and ongoing guidance from the One More Job team during Year 1.
Speaking at the launch in Finisklin Business Park, Sligo, Minister Harris said:
“Supporting employers is a vital part of meeting our ambitious apprenticeship targets. I am delighted to launch One More Job today alongside business owners and employers who are committed to fostering Ireland’s talent for the future. One More Job will enable small companies, shop owners and tradespeople access a range of supports to help their businesses thrive.”
Director of the National Apprenticeship Office Dr Mary Liz Trant says:
“One More Job has been designed with small employers who have limited time to research and source talent and who have confirmed their interest in apprenticeships to grow their businesses. With 66 national apprenticeship programmes available and up to 10 more coming on-stream later this year, we need to ensure that the full enterprise community can access these opportunities. One More Job will assist our many small employers and micro businesses in Ireland to create that vital ‘One More Job’. We want to express our appreciation of the time and support received from them, from Enterprise Ireland and from our partners across the national apprenticeship system.”
The new One More Job initiative comes on foot of the first-ever national apprenticeship employer survey which attracted over 2,500 responses. Initial analysis indicates that almost 90% of employers are satisfied with the contribution that their apprentices make to their organisation, confirming that the apprenticeship system is meeting the skills needs of businesses across Ireland. One-third of respondents have been hiring apprentices for more than 10 years, with just under half of employers expecting to hire
more apprentices over the next 12 months. Small businesses with less than 50 employees make up over 95% of the 280,000+ businesses in Ireland.
Commenting on the initiative, Chief Executive of MSLETB, Tom Grady said:
“The One More Job initiative is an excellent opportunity for small businesses in our region to avail of supports to help them grow and develop their workforce. MSLETB is committed to supporting apprenticeships and we welcome this initiative, which will make it easier for small businesses to access the benefits of the apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships offer a valuable way for young people and those changing careers to gain valuable work experience and training while earning a wage, and for small businesses to develop a skilled workforce that can help them grow and compete in their sector.”
Conor McCarthy Director of Jennings O’Donovan and Partners says:
“We in Jennings O’Donovan are delighted to get involved in One More Job and use apprenticeships for the first time this year. We are confident that the talent we secure through apprenticeships will add greatly to our business, help us achieve our growth targets, and in turn help Government deliver on Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan 2023. We really like the industry-led aspects of the national apprenticeship system. We will be able to train and shape our apprentices on-the-job and they can look forward to great careers as engineers and designers.”
