150 places available for jobseekers at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) this September

Springboard+ 2016 is the latest offering of free part-time and full-time higher education places to provide reskilling and upskilling opportunities for up to 5,825 jobseekers.

WIT has announced 150 places as part of the initiative. Springboard+ encompasses both courses for jobseekers, the ones which are open to jobseekers or people in work and the ones which are aimed at people who are employed.

Springboard courses on offer are: E-Marketing and Promotion, Global Financial Information Systems, Innovative Technology Engineering, Business Systems Analysis, and Information Systems Processes.

As part of the ICTSkills courses Business Systems Analysis is available part-time over two years, starting in September, while the intensive 18-month Computer Science programme starts in January.

Springboard is designed to encourage a response by educational institutions to meet the emerging skill needs of enterprise.

Springboard co-ordinator at WIT, Ken McCarthy said: “I’m a Springboard graduate myself and I’m very well aware of the opportunities it’s opened up for our graduates. A huge percentage of our Springboard graduates get jobs. This makes it a very rewarding initiative for all at WIT who work on Springboard and it is the reason that Springboard has been funded by the government year after year.”

There are 180 courses, both full- and part-time, in 36 educational institutions across all of the regions.

To be eligible for a place on a Springboard course a person must be unemployed, actively seeking employment, and be in receipt of one of the qualifying Department of Social Protection payments or be signing for credits or be previously self-employed.

This year at WIT, in addition to one year full-time ICT Conversion courses there will also be a pilot part-time, two year option available to eligible participants. This is due to the continuing demand for high quality ICT graduates. ICTSkills is open to both employed people and jobseekers. The two-year part-time ICTSkills option is confined to those who are not in receipt of social protection income.

See the range of courses available at:  http://www.wit.ie/springboard

Contact the Springboard Co-ordinator at springboard@wit.ie / 051 302875

As part of its ASK WIT initiative, WIT is running an online live Springboard Q&A between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on 24 August. The Springboard and Part-time open evening runs from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at WIT’s main campus on the Cork Road in Waterford.

Find out more at https://www.wit.ie/events