Trinity will be among 36 education institutions in Ireland offering 6,471 higher education places to jobseekers and those who are employed or self-employed and wish to upskill.
The announcement, made today by Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, with the Minister of State, John Halligan, said that homemakers will now be eligible for the Springboard+ 2017 scheme, which was launched initially in 2011, when the level of unemployment was 15 per cent. That level has now dropped to 6.8 per cent.
Speaking in a statement, Bruton said that he was “delighted with the success of Springboard+ and its success in getting people back into employment in sectors where there are identified skills needs”.
The 198 part-time courses cover areas including manufacturing, including for the medical technology and biopharma sector; entrepreneurship; hospitality and financial services. Springboard+ also offers full-time and part-time ICT skills conversion courses, with 1,171 full-time places and 824 part-time places on the programme this year.
The National Training Fund and funding from the EU under the European Social Fund Programme for Employability, Inclusion and learning 2014-2020, amounting to €27,438,000, will pay for the places on this year’s programme. To date, over 35,000 places have been provided by Springboard+ with over €134 million allocated to the initiative since 2011.
The Springboard+ programme is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. In 2012, the ICT conversion courses were introduced to address the industry’s struggle to source graduates with the appropriate skills.
Other courses that will be available are courses in marketing, management courses, animation and construction related courses. Bruton said that 80 per cent of people who have taken Springboard+ courses between 2011 and 2015 are no longer on the Live Register receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit.
According to Bruton, Springboard+ is an initiative that under the Action Plan for Education that will help to “create a greater diversity of learning opportunities beyond school”. He also stated his hope that, “given the success” of the programme, “we will be in a position to expand the Springboard+ model in the years ahead”.
Bruton added that the Action Plan for Education “aims to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe within a decade”.
Speaking in the statement about the importance of flexible part-time courses being available to jobseekers and to those already in employment looking to re-skill, Halligan said: “I am delighted to see that there will be a good mix of delivery modes of Springboard+ courses which will ensure that all participants, whether unemployed, in employment or homemakers will be able to avail of a suitable course.”
Fifty-four per cent of this year’s Springboard+ programme will be “delivered on a blended, distance and e-learning basis”, explained Halligan.
Springboard+ offers courses from diplomas through to masters level, as well as minor awards or special purpose awards, and are delivered by public and private higher education institutions around the country. Ninety per cent of courses have a work placement included, which can help the students create a modern resume built for their future careers.
Courses for the programme are chosen by an independent panel. The panel consists of experts from industry as well as education. Courses that have proven they get people back into employment are, in particular, those chose for funding.
The full list of available courses, and applications will open in June for the 2017 programme.
