GMIT Offers 120 Free Places on Six Courses under Springboard Initiative

Friday, August 09, 2013 Press Office
Press Release

The Institutes of Technology in the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which comprises Galway–Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology, Sligo, and Letterkenny Institute of Technology, are pleased to announce almost 540 free, part-time places for jobseekers on an exciting range of courses starting in September 2013.

The places are being made available as part of the Government-funded Springboard initiative, supported by the Higher Education Authority. Springboard is designed for jobseekers who are considering changing career paths to get back into sustainable employment. It was launched as part of the Government’s job initiative in 2011 and since then more than 10,000 people have been supported to undertake higher education courses in areas of identified skills needs.

More than €1.7 million in funding has been secured by the CUA this year under the programme for the Connacht and Ulster region. Places are being made available on courses which are directly linked to immediate local employment opportunities, such as Computing, International Financial Services, Medical Devices, Biopharmaceuticals and the Green Economy.

Places are available at the three Institutes and all courses are designed to enable students to study part-time while retaining their Department of Social Protection benefits, offering participants an opportunity to up-skill or re-skill for a new career in a cost effective and convenient way. The courses offered by IT Sligo are all delivered online.

GMIT is offering 120 places on 6 courses, IT Sligo is offering over 250 places on 7 online courses, while Letterkenny IT is offering 166 places on 10 courses.

The Connacht-Ulster Alliance was formed in July 2012 with the ambition of achieving Technological University status for the Connacht Ulster region. Chairman of the Alliance, Martin Cronin, said; “By working together, the Alliance will ensure that the economic development of the region is supported by providing opportunities for individuals to acquire skills in emerging fields, with sustainable employment opportunities.”

Applications are now being invited and all the courses will commence in September. To apply online, click on www.springboardcourses.ie. See the CUA websites for further details at www.itsligo.ie, and www.lyit.ie, and http://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/springboard.html

Places are available at the CUA Institutes of Technology on the following programmes under Springboard:

GMIT

Certificate in Science in Medical Device Technology - through English

Certificate in Science in Medical Device Technology - through Irish

Certificate in Engineering in Computer and Electronic Engineering

Certificate in Science in Pharmaceutical Science

Certificate in Science in Biopharmaceutical Science

Certificate in Science in Pharmaceutical Technology

IT Sligo

Certificate in Electronic Engineering

Certificate in Science in Biopharmaceutical Processing

Certificate in Science in Biopharmaceutical Processing

Certificate in Science in Bioprocess Engineering

Certificate in Science in Cleanroom Manufacturing

Postgraduate Certificate in Energy Management 

Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management

LYIT

Certificate in Professional Selling Skills and International Marketing 

Higher Diploma in Financial Services Technologies

MA in Motion Graphics

MA in Accounting

MSc in Marketing

Higher Diploma in Science in Computing (conversion course into computing)

Higher Cert in Science in IT Support

MSc in Computing Systems and Software Security

MSc in Computing with Enterprise Applications Development

Minor Award in Wind Technology