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An ambitious Ramelton man is working his way up the ranks in retail after completing an apprenticeship.
Graduation day is just around the corner for Mark McPaul, who completed a two year Retail Supervision apprenticeship delivered by Retail Ireland Skillnet and facilitated by Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Apprenticeship Services team.
Mark, who works at Kernan’s Spar Ramelton, is also a skilled athlete who proves that discipline and drive can get you to your goals.
The 28-year-old has always had an interest in retail. He began working as a shop assistant nine years ago while planning to work his way up to more senior roles.
“I’m not someone that likes to sit still. I always want to progress and do better,” Mark said.
Mark approached Kernans looking to upskill and it was in 2021 that the opportunity arose for an apprenticeship. The course was ideal because it allowed Mark to continue working full-time while attending classes for three days a month. Two days were based in Galway while the third day was delivered online.
Mark found the modules useful because he was already working in the field. Modules covered finance, people management, marketing and many more hands-on elements of running a store.
“You were learning, but because I’ve been in retail so long, the content made sense, so it was easier,” Mark explained. Finding the time to study while working and doing big mileage in the evenings was a challenge, but Mark said the course was manageable once he set aside time to sit down and study.
Mark’s employers recognised his interest in the business and in personal development and soon promoted him to Manager of the Ramelton branch.
“The apprenticeship boosted my confidence as a manager,” Mark said. “Because the grades I was getting were high, and I didn’t expect to do so well, I felt that I knew the material.”
Mark added that he was well-supported by Kernan’s in his studies. His employer offered him time off to attend training in Galway and gave him the opportunity to put his new skills into practice.
Mark was mentored by Pauric McGarvey, Regional Manager for the Kernan’s Group.
Kernans Ramelton Manager Mark McPaul and Regional Manager for the Kernan’s Group Pauric McGarvey
Pauric said: “Mark has given it his all. Any new ideas you give him, he took them onboard, and he led the implementation of changes that we talked about in our monthly meetings. Between merchandising, staff training and HACCP, he was hands-on and was willing to try everything.
“This apprenticeship has taken Mark to a different level of management. We were overwhelmed by the interest that he took in the training from day one.
“We see Mark as a long-term employee and we wanted to invest our time into him and he has proved himself very well.”
There is no cost associated with registering an apprentice. There is an Employer Grant of €4,000 available to retailers for each employee they enrol on the programme.
Mark will be the first qualified apprentice to graduate at the Kernans Group and he’s keen to recommend it to other teammates and people in the retail industry.
“It opens you up to promotion within your company when your employer sees you have that interest,” he said.
Just like his running endeavours, Mark shows no signs of stopping after he gains his QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate from the apprenticeship. The programme was a stepping stone for Mark to start a Level 7 college degree in Retail Management Practice delivered by ATU Donegal in collaboration with Retail Ireland Skillnet this month. The experience he gained on the apprenticeship allowed him to skip the first year.
“I was proud of myself for doing it. I never went to college after I did my Leaving Cert in 2013. I just went to school wanting to pass my exams and I wasn’t really bothered about marks. I started this course because I had an interest in it, I wanted to go and I wanted to learn,” he said.
Pauric said that the Kernans Group overall is focused on giving opportunities to staff who want a management career path.
“We want to bring people from strength to strength, like Mark. We are looking forward to Mark’s graduation in November and we wish him all the best as he takes it upon himself to do a degree. We’ll support him to keep up the good work,” Pauric adds.
Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service facilitates employer-driven apprenticeships in a variety of sectors, including construction, electrical, engineering, ICT, finance, retail, hospitality and food, motor, property services and sales. Apprenticeships vary in duration from 2-4 years with qualifications available from levels 5-10 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
The first step for anyone wishing to do an apprenticeship is to find an approved employer willing to employ him/her as an apprentice. The employer then registers their apprentice with SOLAS by contacting Donegal ETB.
The full list of available apprenticeships in Ireland is on https://apprenticeship.ie/more/apprenticeship-directory. If you see an opportunity to suit you, contact the Apprenticeship Team who will be happy to answer all questions and explain in more detail the options available in relation to apprenticeships. Further information is also available on Donegal ETB’s website here: www.donegaletb.ie/apprenticeships.
If you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship or are an employer wishing to find out more, simply contact Donegal ETB’s Apprenticeship Services Team on 074 9120500 or email apprenticeship@donegaletb.ie.
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