Apprenticeship students get hands-on at Volkswagen National Learning Centre

Volkswagen Group Ireland this week welcomed more than 30 Access to Apprenticeship (ATA) students from Athlone and Limerick into its National Learning Centre in Dublin 12.

The group worked through hands-on sessions across engine and gearbox, ADAS, and electric vehicle technologies, giving them an insight into the fundamentals of the trade and where the automotive industry is heading.

“It was a brilliant day, not just because of the numbers, but because of the engagement,” said Vicky Halton, head of group technical service and training at Volkswagen Group Ireland.

“What stood out most yesterday was the curiosity in the room. The questions, the willingness to get involved, and the interest in understanding how things really work. That’s exactly what we need more of,” she added.

The ATA is a 12-week full-time programme delivered through the Technological University of the Shannon and supports the transition of young people (16-24 years old) from disadvantaged backgrounds into an apprenticeship scheme.

Halton said the Access to Apprenticeship programmes “play an important role in opening up the industry” to young people, giving them “a clear starting point and, just as importantly, the confidence to see a future for themselves in it”.