Up to 30 apprentices who worked at SR Technics will be able to complete their on-the-job training with the Air Corps, it was announced today.
Minister for Defence Tony Killeen said the new programme will give former employees at the aircraft maintenance facility at Dublin Airport the chance to finish two phases of their training.
More than 1,000 skilled engineers were made redundant when SR Technics closed its operations here last year.
The first group of up to 14 apprentices will start the scheme at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel next Monday.
Mr Killeen commended the Air Corps for having the foresight and willingness to engage in partnership with the State training agency Fás to implement the programme.
“The Air Corps has a highly skilled cadre of aircraft maintenance personnel and the aircraft on which the skills of the apprentices can be practised and honed,” he said.
“It trains its own personnel to the highest requisite standards and will now be providing similar training and expert knowledge to these apprentices,” he added.
Minister of State for Education Sean Haughey added: “This is a hugely beneficial and highly specialised programme for well over half of the aircraft maintenance apprentices let go at SR Technics’ Dublin airport facility.
“These redundancies have had a major impact in my constituency.”
The European Commission this week agreed to release €7.4 million to provide new employment for 850 of the 1,135 workers who lost their jobs last year at the aircraft maintenance firm.
PA