Ms Laura Regan:

I thank the committee for the invitation to attend.

A few years ago I decided to apply for an apprenticeship. However, apprenticeships were never talked about when I was in school and I thought that college was the way forward. I took up a course on engineering in Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT, because I like to work with my hands and I thought the course would allow me to do so. At the same time, a couple of my friends had been accepted for the electrical apprenticeship with the ESB. I spoke to them and learned that they were learning while working and getting paid. I liked the sound of that. I applied for and got an apprenticeship with the ESB so I left college. As part of the apprenticeship course I must attend college once a year and, in the ESB, we attend college as well. The apprenticeship course was great and it was the best decision I ever made.