Try for the Leaving Cert

While the minimum educational requirements for apprentices are five D3s in the Junior Cert, increasingly, apprentices have done their Leaving Cert. Of the 3,744 registered carpentry apprentices, 56 per cent of carpenters have the Leaving Certificate, according to FAS.

FAS instructor Bernard Bird says the ideal age for apprentices is probably 17 plus. He says apprentices who come in at 16, after their Junior Certificate, may be immature. So, think about staying until Leaving Cert. Traditionally apprenticeships are a male preserve. In a bid to attract more women, FAS offers a training bursary to employers who take on women.

To obtain an apprenticeship you should contact employers directly, keep an eye on job ads in the local and national papers, talk to your guidance counsellor and advise FAS, which will place your name on a list it makes available to employers recruiting apprentices.