The ESB is recruiting 300 apprentices over the next five years.

The recruitment drive is part of a €40m investment of the utility's training and development programme.

Apprentices complete 23 weeks of training at the training centre in Portlaoise during their four-year electrical apprenticeship, as well as 42 weeks spent in Solas and the IT colleges. 

The programme is open to candidates who have completed their Junior Certificate.

Foreign Affairs Minister and Laois TD Charlie Flanagan said “the ESB has been a significant employer in Laois and Offaly for a long number of years and the company continues to hold a strong relationship with towns like Portlaoise, Portarlington and Edenderry.

"The announcement that the 300 apprentices, who will be trained in the centre of excellence in Portlaoise over the next five years, is a significant boost to our local economy," he added.

Speaking at the ESB Networks Training Centre of Excellence in Portlaoise today, Tánaiste Joan Burton said, "the Government is currently involved in a radical renewal of the apprenticeship model. For too long apprenticeships have been undervalued. The fact that Ireland has a world beating reputation for its young skilled apprentices hardly merits a mention in many quarters. That needs to change."