Galway graduate hails accountancy apprenticeship programme that pays as you study

After completing the Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship programme with flying colours at Grant Thornton, Kilconly native Diarmuid O’Connor has stayed with the prestigious firm to continue his studies with the aim of becoming a fully-qualified accountant.

He has encouraged fellow west of Ireland students to consider the apprenticeship, which is being delivered online by the ATI Academy.

Applications for the January intake are still open, with the programme commencing this January. The apprenticeship is also available at the Galway Technical Institute, starting in September 2022.

The Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship is a funded, work-based learning programme in which locally-placed apprentices earn at least €21,060 a-year.

School leavers, Leaving Cert students, career changers and mature learners can all apply through Accounting Technicians Ireland.

The Accounting Technicians Ireland Apprenticeship provides a real alternative for school leavers who prefer practical training to a full-time college programme, or those who embarked on a college course and found it did not suit them.

It is also an attractive option for existing employees and mature learners who want to pursue accounting.

Large firms and smaller practices, as well as industry and the public sector have all embraced the programme, which sees accounting technician apprentices work in the office four days a week and study in a local college on the other day during the two-year apprenticeship.

Successful graduates may then progress on to full accountancy with Chartered Accountants Ireland or one of the other professional accountancy bodies.

“University had shown me how an overload of theory can demotivate, so I decided that doing accounting exams alone might not be for me,” said Diarmuid.

“Learning while gaining industry experience is my perfect combination.

“Students can get a real culture shock moving from second-level to third-level, often with limited experience of the real world.

“There is no harm in taking the road less travelled – a lot of people leave secondary school and third-level having been quite sheltered in terms of life experience.”

According to Gabriela Airini, Head of Apprenticeship at Accounting Technicians Ireland, employers across a variety of sectors continue to embrace apprenticeship as a route for securing new talent.

“Since the programme’s foundation in 2017, the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship has been the source of over 500 jobs,” she said.

“Graduates are capable of filling all kinds of accounting and finance roles across all sectors of the economy.

For more details see accountingtechniciansireland.ie