Athy school to include training hub – TD

An agreement has been reached with the owner of the Model School and the Kildare Wicklow Education Training Board (KWETB) to convert part of the building to an apprentice training centre. Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, Fiona O' Loughlin has been presented with information showing that apprenticeship registrations need to increase to cope with demand.

Sources say that this increase needs to be from 1,700 to 4,000 by 2020 and that is just in the construction industry. There is a similar requirement across many other industries, such as hospitality. "There is an urgent need for career guidance professionals to present apprenticeships and traineeships to second level students a viable route to take. Currently only 2% of Irish students take up apprenticeships compared to 20% of students in Germany". Recently O' Loughlin enthusiastically welcomed the announcement of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board of the opening of a new Further Education and Training Centre in Crookstown (Old National School)

She said: "It is wonderful to see the facility in Crookstown being used as a home for KWETB to run Further Education and Training courses. I am an advocate of lifelong learning and to see centres being established throughout the county is fantastic". The design and tender documents have been prepared for the conversion in Athy and the funding has been secured so the project can proceed.

O' Loughlin also stated "I look forward to the development of the Model School in Athy in the near future where it will home apprentice training.

“This area of education has been neglected for some time and has left a gap in our workforce where skilled professionals are required.

“There is a requirement for the Department of Education to find a manner in which young people can be attracted into industries that require skilled personnel."