FET for Careers

Whether you’re looking to change careers, upskill or to start working again, Further Education and Training (FET) can help you get where you need to go in your career.

The Skills to Advance initiative provides subsidised upskilling and reskilling opportunities to workers in vulnerable sectors or in jobs undergoing change.

There’s a wide range of opportunities for you to learn the skills to progress in your current position or to help you take advantage of new job opportunities.

Courses are mostly delivered in a flexible blended learning format designed to fit around your working hours.

Contact your local ETB to find Skills to Advance courses near you and to check your eligibility.

Further Education and Training or FET offers a wide variety of life-long education options to anyone over 16. FET includes apprenticeships, traineeships, Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses, community and adult education as well as core literacy and numeracy services. 

FET courses and programmes are provided through the Education and Training Board network throughout the country as well as through other local providers, including online through SOLAS’ eCollege. FET courses are provided at Levels One to Six on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

Contact your local ETB to find FET courses near you.

Traineeships combine classroom education and hands-on work experience and are run by 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country, together with employers and industry representative bodies.

There are over 75 traineeship programmes available across Ireland, free of charge, with each traineeship including a minimum of 30 per cent on-the-job learning.

Lasting anywhere between six and 20 months, depending on the industry and qualification, traineeships also lead to an award at (NFQ) Levels 4-6, or equivalent.

Traineeships can take you into a range of exciting careers in areas such as business, engineering, hospitality, media, tourism, finance, construction and more.

Not all traineeships will be accepting new applicants at any given time, and more information on which traineeships are accepting applicants can be found by searching current openings online.

For more information contact: traineeship@solas.ie or your local ETB.

Apprenticeships offer the chance to earn and learn, as well as giving clear links to employment in sought-after trades such as plumbing and electrical, as well as newer post-2016 apprenticeships in the likes of biopharma, engineering, finance, hospitality, sales and ICT.

Running between two and four years in duration, all national apprenticeships lead to a qualification on the NFQ from Level 5 up to 10 as well as invaluable on-the-job professional experience with a great employer. Here, apprentices undertake a part of their learning in the workplace and the rest in an educational setting.

With more than 8,400 employers approved to train apprentices, ranging in size from micro-businesses to multi-nationals, learners can apply to start throughout the year.

If you haven't been working for at least a year or more, or are looking to return to employment or education after a long time outside of work, a Bridging/ Foundation course could help you prepare for entry level employment.

On completion, these courses generally provide qualifications at levels 3 and 4 on the NFQ.