Employing Apprentices: A Practical Guide for the Public Service

Employing Apprentices: A Practical Guide for the Public Service aims to provide information for Public Service organisations seeking to employ apprentices. The Guide has been developed by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Apprenticeship provides an opportunity to address skills shortages, to attract and retain staff across the Public Service, and to widen the recruitment pool through learning and employment opportunities that are practical, flexible and fulfilling.

This Guide is aimed at Public Service organisations, employers, managers, and HR units who are interested in learning more about navigating the apprenticeship process.

The Guide is set out in 3 parts:

Part 1 – The Fundamentals of Apprenticeship for Public Service Organisations

Part 2 – The National Apprenticeship System

Part 3 – Guidance on Employing Apprentices in the Public Service

The Guide has been produced to support the Public Service Apprenticeship Plan, which is a key deliverable under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. The Plan sets out a pathway to significantly grow the uptake of apprenticeships by Civil and Public Service organisations and to reach 750 apprentice registrations per year by 2025 through sectoral targets. The Better Public Services – Public Service Transformation 2030 Strategy notes that the Public Service must establish itself as an employer of choice by attracting, retaining, upskilling and developing its staff, commencing with the development of a Public Service apprenticeship model.