The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional body for HR and people development in Ireland, has partnered with the National College of Ireland (NCI) to launch Ireland's first Human Resources Apprenticeship, a three-year Level 8 degree programme combining academic study with hands-on workplace experience, following approval by the National Apprenticeship Office to progress to the development stage.

As reported by Radio Kerry, the apprenticeship is designed to build the next generation of HR professionals at a time when the world of work is changing rapidly, creating a more inclusive and accessible route into the profession by allowing individuals to develop practical skills and earn a recognised qualification simultaneously.

To reach the development stage, CIPD and NCI were required to demonstrate both strong industry demand and firm employer commitment to the programme. More than 25 organisations have already pledged their support, spanning public services, healthcare and life sciences, technology, financial services, energy and utilities, construction, engineering, retail, and professional services, reflecting demand for a structured pathway into HR across more than nine sectors of the Irish economy.

The next step is to bring together an industry-led consortium to design the curriculum and set the occupational standards, with employers from across Ireland working alongside CIPD, NCI, and other key stakeholders to ensure the apprenticeship reflects what the profession needs both now and in the future. Subject to QQI approval timelines, employers will subsequently be invited to register interest in hosting apprentices.

Alison Hodgson, director of CIPD in Ireland, said the programme creates a new and inclusive pathway into HR, enabling individuals to gain valuable workplace experience while earning a recognised qualification, with the level of employer backing already secured demonstrating strong demand for a structured route into the profession.

The partnership builds on a long-established relationship between CIPD and NCI. NCI is Ireland's largest provider of CIPD graduates and has delivered CIPD-accredited qualifications in human resource management and learning and development for many years, with graduates achieving automatic eligibility for CIPD membership upon completion.

For professional membership bodies, the CIPD and NCI model demonstrates how associations can extend their professional development mandate beyond traditional qualification frameworks by co-designing apprenticeship pathways that embed professional standards into work-based learning, widening access to the profession while strengthening the pipeline of qualified practitioners entering member sectors.