Springboard places create new opportunity to upskill

The Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education and Skills have launched Springboard, an initiative that allows unemployed people to access funded college places to reskill in certain key areas. 

For many people who have been made redundant or who are unemployed and looking into reskilling the cost of returning to education can be a huge barrier. The Springboard scheme gives an opportunity to gain new skills and a recognised qualification at no cost to the individual student.  Places are on offer at various institutions around the country in key areas like technology, environmental, cloud computing and web technologies.

Of particular interest to the National College of Ireland (NCI) is the area of cloud computing and web technologies. Cloud computing sales by Irish firms could reach €9.5bn per annum by 2014, according to Goodbody economic consultants in a report entitled Ireland's Competitiveness & Jobs Opportunity: Cloud Computing released in January 2011. It is an area noted as providing real job opportunities and the NCI sees as crucial. The following courses are therefore on offer its IFSC campus:

Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Management
This is ideal for existing degree-holders who wish to gain key management skills and add a postgraduate qualification to their CV.

Certificate in Web Development
This will provide the skills to develop web applications and websites and is ideal for those without existing qualifications who want to move into the area.

Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate in Cloud Computing
These postgraduate courses will particularly appeal to engineering and computing graduates wishing to place themselves at the forefront of cloud computing.

Certificate in Science in Web Technologies
This is a practical programme that teaches how to create web applications and incorporate the latest client and server side technologies. 

To be eligible to take up a Springboard course, the learner must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be on the Live Register and claiming Jobseekers Allowance or Jobseekers Benefit for a minimum period of six months prior to the date of course commencement.
• Be on the Live Register and signing for credits for a minimum period of six months prior to the date of course commencement.
• Be claiming One Parent Family Payment for a minimum period of six months prior to the date of course commencement.
 
NCI will hold special Springboard information evenings on Thursday 26th May and on Wednesday 22nd June from 5.00-7.00pm where you can find out more about Springboard and discuss which course is right for you.

Further information about the National College of Ireland.