Expand+HOW TO BECOME AN APPRENTICE
• To become an apprentice and participate in the Apprenticeship Training Scheme, apprentices must be registered with SOLAS.

• To become a registered apprentice, individuals must first find employment with a company...

Hide-HOW TO BECOME AN APPRENTICE
• To become an apprentice and participate in the Apprenticeship Training Scheme, apprentices must be registered with SOLAS.

• To become a registered apprentice, individuals must first find employment with a company. The company then registers the individual with SOLAS.

• As a registered apprentice, SOLAS allocates the individual to a training centre and an Institute of Technology to complete Phases 2, 4 and 6 of the training. Phases 1, 3, 5 and 7 are completed with the employer.

Expand+Geo Driller Apprenticeship
The Geo Driller apprenticeship is a new two-year course which includes off-the-job training at Institute of Technology Carlow with the remaining time spent training on-the-job.

What is Geo Drilling?
Geo drilling extr...

Hide-Geo Driller Apprenticeship
The Geo Driller apprenticeship is a new two-year course which includes off-the-job training at Institute of Technology Carlow with the remaining time spent training on-the-job.

What is Geo Drilling?
Geo drilling extracts data required by built environment professions from the subsurface in the case of infrastructure development. It also explores the potential for natural resources by drilling into geological features. In addition, geo drilling facilitates the sustainable development of natural resources, in the areas of geothermal energy and ground water extraction.

Geo Drilling is the skilled use of a drill rig to advance holes for subsurface investigation work. It is used to support critically important sectors of the Irish economy including:

• mining;
• mineral exploration;
• quarrying;
• groundwater research and abstraction;
• geothermal energy development;
• site investigation for housing and infrastructure projects;and
• directional drilling for utilities.

The work of a GeoDrillerinvolves extracting samples, installing monitoring equipment, undertaking in situ testing, assessing and developing water supplies, allowing for the passage of services under sensitive structures such as roads, railways and canals, facilitating the installation of ground support and preparing holes for explosive blasting. Soil and rock are highly variable and competent drilling requires care, attention to detail and the ability to record accurately the variations by sampling, written documentation or both.

Why do the Geo Driller Apprenticeship programme?
Successful completion of the programme will provide drillers with a Level 6 Higher Certificate qualification.

The need for this qualification was identified by the drilling industry in partnership with Geological Survey Ireland and the Institute of Technology Carlow. It will enhance the quality of services drillers can provide to clients in Ireland and overseas. With the increase in demand for infrastructure, the demand for drillers is also increasing and this apprenticeship will ensure that there is a body of qualified professionals who are in a position to break new ground.