KENNY WELCOMES ADDITIONAL 6,000 SPRINGBOARD THIRD LEVEL PLACES FOR UNEMPLOYED

Posted on June 21, 2013 2:58 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour TD Seán Kenny has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn that another 6,000 free part-time higher education places are being made available to provide re-training opportunities for jobseekers.

"Over 200 Springboard courses will be provided at 38 Institutes of Technology, Universities and privately-run higher education colleges across Ireland for individuals to acquire new skills that are in demand in the economy. This includes Dublin City University (DCU) and the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)."

"The courses will focus on growth areas such as Information Technology, Communication, International Languages and International Financial Services. Programmes will also be available to acquire qualifications in areas such as Six Sigma, international selling, business start-up and entrepreneurship skills."

"The 6,000 places now on offer represent a €23 million investment by the Government to equip jobseekers with new skills in sectors with good employment prospects. Courses are free, part-time, and are at certificate, degree and postgraduate level. Applications can now be made on www.springboardcourses.ie and a Freephone Guidance line 1800 303 523 is available to offer advice on course choices and applications."

"Over 2,000 job-seekers have successfully returned to work in the past year on completion of a Springboard course. A further 3,000 will complete courses this month and are preparing to return to the jobs market with qualifications tailored to high-growth industries. Springboard's partnership with an expert panel, that identifies the expertise required in the economy as well as guidance on course content, is key to this programme's success. In the third year of the Springboard programme, there is a greater focus on delivering the skills required by growing industries through the content and design of the courses being offered to jobseekers. Over 80 per cent of courses will also offer a work placement for participants."