The National Apprenticeship Office, today, Thursday, 12th September 2024 are showcasing the stories of some of Ireland’s 400 outstanding apprentices nominated for a Generation Apprenticeship ‘Apprentice of the Year Awards’ 2024, with apprentices hailing from Cork, Kerry and the Southwest region in the running to win the national title.
Nominations for the 2024 Generation Apprenticeship ‘Apprentice of the Year Awards’ have now closed, with some of Cork and Kerry’s most talented in with a chance to win a ‘highly coveted’ national ‘Apprentice of the Year’ title or a top apprenticeship category award. The 2024 awards celebrate outstanding leadership, teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills shown by apprentices everywhere.
56 apprentices from across the Southwest, whose attributes have shone through their work and learning, will face an independent panel of judges later in October. As part of the awards process nominees get the chance to participate in the Heroes showcase at WorldSkills Ireland, taking place in the RDS, Dublin.
“Nominees will take to the stage on the afternoons of Wednesday 25 and 26 September”, said Dr Mary Liz Trant Director of the National Apprenticeship Office.
“We will have apprentices who include engineers, software developers, accountants, insurance practitioners, aircraft mechanics, farm managers, carpenters, electricians, chefs, and many more taking to the Heroes stage at the RDS where in a one-minute presentation they will speak about why they chose the apprenticeship route and what opportunities it is creating for them.
If you are interested in finding out more about the apprenticeship route the Heroes showcases start at 2.30pm each day.”
Speaking ahead of the event, commis chef apprentice Fiona Kelleher, of The Montenotte Hotel in Cork, said:
“Becoming a mom at a young age I put everything on hold. When my daughter was old enough, I went back to college to study as a mature student at Cork College of FET, studying professional cookery.
“It was from there I heard about the commis chef apprenticeship programme. It gave me an opportunity of a lifetime learning new skills and challenging myself every day. It gave me more confidence being a female chef. It was the best decision I ever made. I now hope to teach others what I have learned along the way.”
Also training as a commis chef is Kerry’s Alison O’Sullivan. The Killarney Park Hotel apprentice said she is “thrilled” to be nominated for Apprentice of the Year 2024 Award.
A natural leader, who grasps every opportunity with both hands, she stated simply: “Hard work pays off.”
The South West’s trailblazing nominees are drawn from all industry sectors, contributing to the growth, creativity, competitiveness of their chosen fields.
Heavy vehicle mechanics apprentice, Leo Hennessy, attributes his nomination to his tireless daily efforts at the Little Island Transport Co in Cork.
“Developing my mechanical diagnostic knowledge and introducing diagnostic tools to simplify problem solving has been critical to my work,” he explained.
“Where possible I try to work with our drivers to talk through driving habits and eliminate certain issues. The Generation Apprenticeship nomination means that I’ve been recognized for the great pride I take in my work every day.”
All nominees will be invited to a spectacular awards ceremony in Dublin on 23 October 2024. Generation Apprentice will bring people together for an incredible celebration of the exciting and rewarding careers and possibilities that come with an apprenticeship.
