Ballymore establishes regional apprenticeship fund to address construction skills gap

Property developer Ballymore has launched a €500,000 apprenticeship bursary targeting young people in County Roscommon, addressing acute skills shortages constraining housing and infrastructure delivery across Ireland's construction sector.

Business Plus reported that the five-year fund, administered by Galway & Roscommon Education and Training Board, will support men and women born, educated or living in Roscommon who pursue apprenticeships across building trades. The pilot scheme represents a direct industry response to workforce constraints affecting project pipelines nationwide.

Sean Mulryan, chairman and chief executive of Ballymore Group, said Ireland must significantly increase infrastructure delivery over the next five years across housing, rail, water, energy and road systems. He emphasised the need to expand construction skills across the labour force to meet accumulated demand for public and private infrastructure.

Mulryan added that the scheme aims to remove barriers to apprenticeship entry and encouraged other developers in a position to contribute to consider similar approaches. He noted that university education is not appropriate for every school-leaver and that apprenticeships can lead to business ownership or well-paid career paths.

Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless said skilled trades are vital to the construction workforce and that government is committed to growing apprenticeships to meet sector needs. He commended Ballymore's support and expressed hope the fund would generate substantial increases in regional apprentice numbers.

The fund comes as construction salaries continue rising in line with housing demand, with the sector facing persistent recruitment challenges across multiple disciplines. The scheme's regional focus reflects broader efforts to distribute skills development beyond urban centres and strengthen capacity in markets experiencing infrastructure investment.

See the full details on the apprenticeship fund eligibility and application process in the complete article.