The department of Engineering Technology at IT Sligo are seeking qualified electricians who might be considering a shift in career. The institute is currently recruiting five assistant Lecturers for Electrical Craft Apprenticeships.
Head of Department of Engineering Technology, Padraig McGarry said it was an excellent opportunity for a qualified electrician to expand their career;
“Currently the demand for electrical Apprenticeships is very high due to the growth in the construction sector so there are many opportunities for them to transition into different roles in industry where there is also huge growth. We in IT Sligo see this growth as sustainable due to the introduction of apprenticeships onto the CAO application process and the recent establishment of the national apprenticeship office (announced by Minister Harris) which is seeking to grow apprenticeships exponentially over the next 4-5 years and beyond.”
Padraig McGarry added; “These are exciting opportunities to join a new Technical University (Atlantic TU) at a time of huge growth in the apprenticeship sector. The role of a lecturer in Sligo IT is very rewarding and interesting, you get to use your skills to develop the workforce of the future. It also brings many advantages from a work/life balance perspective with great holiday allocation and a competitive salary.”
The post relates primarily to the teaching, training, assessment, and academic administrative direction of the craft electrical apprenticeship. Applicants for these roles must hold as a minimum a national craft cert in Electrical apprenticeship or equivalent. These positions will be offered on a 3-year fixed-term contract initially and will be full-time appointments with a requirement to teach 18 hours per week.
One such person who decided to change career paths and become an Assistant Lecturer in IT Sligo, Sean Smith, says the opportunity offers new challenges and new opportunities;
“My position in IT Sligo has given me the opportunity to explore options both professionally and personally with a move to the west of Ireland for a different pace and quality of life. I am still in my first academic year in IT Sligo and it has already opened up options to take various CPD programs and has presented the potential of participating in a Master’s degree. I work within a great team of people who have supported me from the beginning and who continue to do so.
The IT offers excellent work facilities with access to gyms, healthy campus programs and other health-based workshops. I feel that there are lots of possibilities and opportunities at IT Sligo and I am looking forward to seeing what the future brings and how my position could evolve.”
Another person who changed careers path is Padraig Cornyn who says the role is rewarding;
“A career in teaching apprentices is a career which can be extremely fulfilling both on a personal and professional level. I personally have been lecturing in the electrical apprenticeship since 2002 and I have found my time at IT Sligo to be challenging but hugely rewarding. I myself attended IT Sligo in the early eighties. Whilst very different that working within the core electrical industry, I greatly value the time I get to impart my experiential knowledge to apprentices on an ongoing basis, to develop a rapport with the apprentices and to hear back from them as they successfully pursue their career. The job itself provides an ideal balance between working life and down time. There are also opportunities to pursue a career to upper management within the college structure.”
If you are a qualified electrician with four years’ experience and would like to apply for these positions, please apply via the IT Sligo website by Friday 18th February.