Group of Eir apprentices in hard hats and high-vis gear laughing and chatting with a woman with brown cropped hair and glasses.
Eir apprentices pictured with Una Stafford, managing director of Open Eir networks. Image: Eir

Eir opens applications for 50 new apprentices

14 Jun 2019

Eir’s apprenticeship programme, which takes place over two years, combines on-the-job experience and classroom education.

Irish telecommunications giant Eir has announced plans to further expand its workforce by hiring up to 50 new apprentices. The new recruits will be inducted into a two-year training programme that combines classroom teaching and on-the-job experience.

Apprentices will be supported by an experienced technician throughout, and hosted in TU Dublin’s Tallaght campus. They will earn a higher certificate in engineering in telecommunications and data networks. After this, they will join the team maintaining Eir’s rural fibre network, which the company said will exceed more than 335,000 premises by the end of summer 2019. Following the programme, Eir said that top applicants will be offered full-time roles.

More than 260 apprentices have gone through the programme to date.

“This recruitment signals our sustained commitment to investing in the company’s future, both in the new technology we are rolling out and also in our people,” said Una Stafford, managing director of Open Eir networks. “Our goal is to deliver high-speed broadband and the highest level of service our customers expect. We are close to finishing the rural roll-out programme, and following that we will continue on to the build of Ireland’s fibre network.

“The new apprentices will learn a range of technical skills, preparing them to build and maintain an Eir network that is future-proofed and unparalleled in Ireland.”

Megan Banahan, a graduate of Eir’s technician programme, praised the programme and said she hoped she could motivate other women to join. “It is a rewarding career and I feel privileged to be part of a team working on one of the most important technology programmes in Ireland. I travel throughout the country and every day is different.

“We are the face of the company; we spend a lot of time with our customers, helping to resolve faults or connecting them to our network. I enjoy those interactions, using my technical skills and learning in a supportive environment.”

Interested parties are encouraged to visit Eir’s careers page for more information. Applications close at midnight on 11 July 2019.

Eva Short
By Eva Short

Eva Short was a journalist at Silicon Republic, specialising in the areas of tech, data privacy, business, cybersecurity, AI, automation and future of work, among others.

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