National Apprentice of the Year winners Sapna Sian and Darragh Sweeney who featured at the Heroes Stage at the Apprenticeship Careers Showcase 2026.
One of the highlights was the Heroes Stage, where apprentices shared their experiences and offered an insight into their training and working lives. Among those taking part were two recent National Apprentice of the Year Award winners, Sapna Sian from Caherdavin, Limerick, and Darragh Sweeney from Thurles, County Tipperary.
Sapna was named Overall Apprentice of the Year 2026, having been selected from a record 508 nominations nationwide. She also received the Engineering Industry Award after completing a Level 6 Manufacturing Technology apprenticeship with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care in Limerick. Now working as a Process Technician, she spoke about combining hands-on manufacturing experience with study at Technological University of the Shannon, and the skills, confidence and teamwork she developed along the way.
Darragh, aged 23, was joint winner of the Electrical Industry Award. Now in the final year of his electrical apprenticeship with H&MV Engineering in Castletroy, he spoke about the value of earning while learning and the support he received from instructors and mentors at Limerick and Clare ETB’s College of FET, Raheen Campus.
The Heroes Stage also featured two young women whose stories brought a special full-circle element to the event. Amy Madden from Shannon, County Clare, and Eadaoin Garreffa from Rathkeale, County Limerick, had both attended the Showcase as secondary school students and returned this year as apprentices to inspire others.
Former students Amy Madden and Eadaoin Garreffa who returned to this year’s Apprenticeship Careers Showcase as Apprentices.
Amy, a former student of St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon, is now in the second year of her Aircraft Engineering apprenticeship, training at Limerick and Clare ETB’s Shannon Aviation Campus and working with Ryanair. She spoke about exploring different areas of aircraft engineering before choosing a specialism, and is considering progressing into B2 Avionics.
Eadaoin, a former student of Coláiste na Trócaire in Rathkeale, is an Electrical and Instrumentation apprentice with OBW Technologies. She spoke about learning to install, test and maintain the electrical and control systems used in factories and industrial plants, and her ambition to continue with the company, with the possibility of gaining experience abroad as it explores expansion into Germany.
Both encouraged students to make the most of the Showcase by asking questions and speaking to instructors and apprentices. They also highlighted how much they value employers who invest in their training and give them the opportunity to develop their skills and plan their futures.
There was plenty to explore throughout the event, with a dedicated Education Zone, an Apprenticeship Talks Space and a Showcase area featuring both new and established apprenticeship options. Opportunities ranged from hospitality, construction, aircraft engineering, electrical and engineering to green skills, hairdressing, beauty and accounting.
Nickolay Ivanov Drumev, Commis Chef at Woodlands House hotel and College of FET, Hospitality Campus, Kate Casey, Motor Mechanic Apprentice with College of FET, Raheen Campus on placement with Pat Tiernan Motors & Diarmuid McMahon, Aircraft Engineering apprentice with Shannon Aviation Maintenance School and PAM Ireland who is on work placement with Ryanair.
Visitors could also get hands-on with technology through virtual reality headsets, robotics and a range of simulators, bringing different industries and skills to life.
The Showcase highlighted the diversity of apprenticeship opportunities available today and gave visitors the chance to discover different career paths and see how apprenticeship can provide a route into skilled and rewarding employment.
