OPW to host live craft skills show at the Ploughing Championships

Staff across a variety of disciplines from the Office of Public Works will pitch up to the National Ploughing Championships this week, in Ratheniska, Co Laois.

This year will see a strong focus on recruitment into trades and skills apprenticeships, with opportunities in Carpentry & Joinery, Stonecutting & Stonemasonry, Construction Plant Fitting and Brick & Stonelaying.

Current and former OPW apprentices will be demonstrating their skills live at the ploughing, displaying their talents and tips for furniture restoration, upcycling and sustainable design.

The OPW stand is located in Block 3 of the Government of Ireland Village, and will be joined there by government partners in the “We’re Taking Climate Action” marquee, in row 23.

From Meath to Mallow, Kilkenny, Killarney and beyond, the Office of Public Works is looking to recruit a range of new apprentices across four craft disciplines.

The competitions will be advertised with effect from Monday, 18 September and will remain open for applications for three weeks until 9 October. Application forms and information booklets can be found on the OPW website.

Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan, said:

“The Office of Public Works is delighted to provide these opportunities for people to join our team and develop a unique set of skills, where apprentices will be guided and supported by experienced masters of their crafts. Our apprenticeships focus on helping people learn by doing, using both practical skills and theory.”

The Office of Public Works will be actively engaging with interested candidates at the National Ploughing Championships in Laois from 19 September to 21 September and at the World Skills Expo at the RDS in Dublin on 20 September to 22 September.

These apprenticeships form part of the Public Service Apprenticeship Plan, which launched last month at Government Buildings. The Plan aims to double the number of apprenticeships available within the public service to 750 by 2025.

Former OPW apprentice Paul Feeney, now foreperson at the OPW Furniture division, helped launch the Plan, which is a key commitment of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 and creates a roadmap to its delivery while offering an alternative recruitment route to jobseekers interested in a career in the civil service.

Paul Feeney said:

“I started over twenty years ago as an apprentice and it’s been great to watch the development of the programme over that time - seeing new people join and get to work doing what they enjoy, honing their skills and becoming world class craftspeople. I hope more people see this as a potential career, because the work is so rewarding and the opportunities to learn on the job are amazing."

For further information, please contact the OPW Press Office at pressoffice@opw.ie

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