GMIT provides 84 free places for the unemployed
Author: Press Office
Date Article Written Monday 30th May 2011
GMIT is offering up to 20 places on degree programmes and 64 places on Higher Cetificate programmes under the Government’s jobs initiative “Springboard”.The places are for people who have lost their jobs or were made redundant and who, with some upskilling, could fill current or future job shortages. Successful applicants can retain their benefits and will be permitted and encouraged to finish their course should they secure employment during their studies.
GMIT’s Dublin Road campus is providing 20 places on the following degree programmes:
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Energy Engineering,
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering,
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Bio-Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Science,
Bachelor of Engineering (Ordinary) in Energy Engineering, and
Bachelor of Science (Ordinary) in Computing in Software Development.
GMIT’s Castlebar campus is providing 64 places on the following programmes:
Higher Certificate in Business Studies & Enterprise Development,
Higher Certificate in Business in Computing Applications.
GMIT is among 34 HE institutions in both the public and private sector providing almost 6,000 new places on Higher Education programmes to unemployed people. Potential students may apply online though www.bluebrick.ie which is the central clearing system for part time courses.
For more details about the GMIT programmes linked to Springboard, please contact Peter Butler, GMIT Lifelong Learning Centre, Galway, tel. 091-742270, email: peter.butler@gmit.ie and GMIT Lifelong Learning Centre, Castlebar, tel. 094-9025700 / 094-9043156, email: gmitcastlebarinfo@gmit.ie
Launching the initiative, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, said “We have a very talented workforce, but the loss of employment in traditional sectors such as construction, manufacturing and retail has meant that many of these qualified and experienced people are now out of work. At the same time, we know that there are skills shortages in certain areas. By providing focused up-skilling and retraining programmes, such as those offered through Springboard, we can match those vacancies with a newly re-skilled workforce and get people back to work.”
“To make it easier to apply for these places, a single web portal for all Springboard related activities is being used – BlueBrick.ie. It will operate as a kind of mini-CAO for the Springboard courses, but without the pressure of the points system.”
Springboard, which is managed by the Higher Education Authority, will allow those who undertake the courses to retain their benefits and if they find a job, they will still be permitted and encouraged to finish their course.
Chairman of the HEA, John Hennessy, added: “The higher education system has to and is playing its part in tackling the unemployment crisis. Springboard has been designed to be as user friendly as possible and the universities, institutes and colleges genuinely want to assist anybody who through upskilling, can get back to work.”
Visit www.bluebrick.ie for further information on programmes and the Springboard initiative.