Earn while you learn: Building a career with Jones Engineering
At Jones Engineering, based in Cork, apprentices earn as they learn while contributing to meaningful work and taking genuine ownership of their responsibilities from the outset of their careers.
From first-year apprentices to newly qualified electricians, the team at Jones Engineering in Cork demonstrates how earning, learning and taking ownership of meaningful work can open the door to a career for life.
Apprenticeship programmes combine paid, hands-on learning with the chance to develop practical skills and explore a range of career opportunities. At Jones Engineering, apprentices earn as they learn while contributing to meaningful work and taking genuine ownership of their responsibilities from the outset of their careers.
Jones Engineering Cork works across projects such as life sciences, pharmaceutical, digital and the renewable energy sector. Rob Collins, Director of O’Sheas Electrical, joined Jones Engineering after studying electrical engineering at Munster Technological University. He has spent 25 years with the business, progressing through engineering and management roles into senior leadership.
Rob says that long-term service is common among his Jones Engineering colleagues because people can see a future within the company. “There is no ceiling within Jones if you are ambitious enough and willing to take on responsibility,” he says. For Rob, the company’s strength lies in its people and the opportunities for continuous development.
That possibility is visible at every stage of the apprenticeship journey. Anna O’Keeffe, a first-year electrical apprentice, had studied mechanical engineering in college when she realised hands-on learning suited her better. She first learned about Jones’ apprenticeship programme at the WorldSkills Conference in Dublin, immediately drawn to the passion, enthusiasm and positive attitude expressed by the Jones team members. Drawn to electrical work, she chose the practical route towards becoming a qualified electrician and discovered that, even at an early stage, she could make a meaningful contribution.
Anna entered a trade where female participation is growing, and her experience has been positive from the outset. Colleagues made her feel comfortable, trusted her with her own tasks and were willing to help whenever she had questions.
“This line of work is as much for women as it is for men,” Anna says. Her advice to other women considering the industry is clear: “If you want to do an apprenticeship, do it and do not let stereotypes get in the way. Ask questions, do not doubt yourself or be afraid to speak up.”
She believes more women will bring different skills and perspectives, while the respect and responsibility she has experienced have built her confidence.
Anna is particularly proud of the opportunity to put core electrical skills into practice on a building extension and see her contribution take shape. Training at Jones Engineering’s state-of-the-art Apprentice Centre in Carlow has also been central to her development, helping her put theory into practice through hands-on electrical exercises. Moving between commercial and domestic work showed her the trade’s range, while applying her learning independently gave her real ownership.
For Darragh Leahy, now in the later stages of a four-year electrical instrumentation apprenticeship, the route began when Jones Engineering visited his school for a careers day. He had been weighing up college and an apprenticeship after the Leaving Certificate, but his interest in practical subjects made the opportunity with Jones Engineering a natural fit.
Darragh’s experience spans pharmaceutical and industrial environments, with formal college blocks built into the apprenticeship training programme. Apprentices work alongside a qualified electrician, but they are expected to contribute and take responsibility for their part of the job. Darragh enjoys the variety, which keeps the work engaging and creates new opportunities to learn. “Every day is different,” he says.
For anyone uncertain about a traditional college route, Darragh says an apprenticeship offers structure, practical learning and a wage. “You are more than just a number in a lecture hall,” he says. After qualifying, he hopes to take a project-management course and continue progressing within Jones. He can already see a long-term career with Jones, with opportunities to keep learning and take on more responsibility.
James O’Connor took a different route into his current role with Jones. He went to college after school but did not enjoy studying online during the Covid-19 pandemic. After three years, he changed direction and began an electrical apprenticeship with Jones in 2021. Now a qualified electrician, he is considering how to build on the practical foundation he gained during his apprenticeship.
James was familiar with the trade through his father, who has spent more than 20 years with Jones. He values being trusted to conduct his work rather than simply observe, and is most proud of his achievements when completing stages of projects independently. In 2024, he was named Electrical Apprentice of the Year by Generation Apprenticeship after Jones nominated him in recognition of his work in the electrical field.
James sees the apprenticeship as a strong option for anyone who is not completely sure that college is right for them.
“The skills you learn through an apprenticeship are something you’ll have for the rest of your life, no matter where your career takes you,” he says.
The experience has also increased his confidence to consider further study in electrical engineering.
“I would like to push myself and see how far I can go in the industry. It helps having a development path for the next few years laid out, and Jones continuously offers options for that level of career progression.”
As apprentices near qualification, Jones continues to offer opportunities for further career development in safety, estimating and quantity surveying, as well as other career paths.
The ownership apprentices develop on site can become the foundation for broader responsibility, helping people move into new roles while the company develops talent from within.
While technical ability remains essential, Rob Collins believes that problem-solving, clear communication, collaboration and leadership matter just as much for those who want to progress. Technology and AI continue to support construction and engineering teams, but physical projects will still need skilled people to deliver them. Staying relevant requires continuous learning as tools and methods change.
Rob’s final message to young people is to be curious and willing to stretch themselves. “Do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, ask questions and get involved,” he says. “With dedication, hard work and commitment, there is no reason today’s apprentices cannot be sitting in my position in the years ahead.”
For Anna, Darragh and James, that journey is already under way. They are earning and learning while also gaining something equally valuable: ownership of work that matters and the confidence to see how far it can take them.
