Ballyhoura Development CLG has congratulated its three Accounting Technicians Ireland apprentices on their progress.  It champions the accountancy apprenticeship programme which allows students to work, earn and learn.

The apprentices spend four days a week working, and one day a week studying with their local partner college. Two of the apprentices' study at Limerick College of Further Education, the other at Cork College of Commerce.

The Apprenticeship is a funded, work-based learning programme in which locally-placed apprentices earn at least €19,890 a year. The programme created 125 jobs nationally this year and has already been the source of over 450 positions.

As part of the Department of Further and Higher Education’s new Apprenticeship Action Plan launched in April, employers will be eligible for an annual base grant per registered apprentice from early 2022.

Employers will receive a €3,000 payment for each new apprentice who is registered before December 31, 2021.

Large firms and smaller practices, as well as industry and the public sector, have all embraced the programme. School leavers, Leaving Certificate students, career changers, and mature learners can all apply through Accounting Technicians Ireland.

Applications for the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship January intake are now open! 

From left: Apprentices Eileen Jewitt, Margaret Carr & Alicia McCormack with Mary Gleeson, Financial Controller at Ballyhoura Development CLG

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Ballyhoura Development CLG has previously taken on two apprentices in addition to current second-year apprentices, Margaret Carr from Kilmallock and Alicia McCormack from Limerick City. Eileen Jewitt from Buttevant in North Cork commenced the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship with the highly regarded development company in September.

Congratulating Margaret, Alicia and Eileen on their progress, Ballyhoura Development CLG chief executive officer Pádraig Casey, said the programme has huge benefits for the employer and the apprentice.

"We have found that apprentices who choose this route from Leaving Certificate are just as capable as graduates who spent three to four years at third-level. For the employer, it is a cost-effective way of employing new workers, whilst for the apprentice, it offers an accelerated option to becoming a fully qualified accountant within five years. We train apprentices from the very beginning as to how exactly jobs are to be completed and can mould them into what they need to be. Apprentice programmes help develop skilled workforces across a number of sectors, and will help rebuild the economy.” 

Mary Gleeson, a former president of Accounting Technicians Ireland and financial controller at Ballyhoura Development CLG, says the funding of apprentices’ direct education and pre-vetting of candidates is a major plus.

"The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship programme provides a cost-effective method of recruiting new team members to support our qualified accountants. Well-trained, highly skilled staff add value to all organisations. Margaret, Alicia and Eileen are all very committed to the programme. They are a pleasure to mentor and have become an integral part of the finance team at Ballyhoura Development CLG.” 

Ballyhoura Development commitment to community development saw it become a founding member of the Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), a new movement to provide support to allow social enterprises to thrive.

Find Out More about The Accounting Technician Apprenticeship Programme