Major funding for Springboard courses at Mayo Campus

THE Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) has been awarded €2.2m from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to deliver 14 Springboard courses in its campuses in Galway and Mayo from September.

An open evening about all Springboard courses will take place in the Mayo campus on Thursday, September 12, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Approximately 500 free or subsidised places are available on 14 courses in both campuses in disciplines such as Business, Computing & Science, Engineering, and Digital Media under the national HEA Springboard+ 2019 Programme.

The Mayo campus offers seven courses (blend of online and classroom):

L8 Certificate in Sustainable Building Technology (Springboard SPA)

L9 Post graduate Certificate in Digital Media and Marketing (Springboard SPA)

L6 Certificate in Greening Enterprise Skills (Springboard SPA)

L7 Certificate in Information Technology Project Management (Springboard SPA)

L7 Certificate in Network Cybersecurity (Springboard SPA)

L8 Certificate in Climate Resilience for Business (Springboard SPA)

L6 Certificate in Digitalisation for SMEs (Springboard SPA).

Many of the courses are brand new, developed in response to industry demand. In Mayo the new courses support businesses in meeting the challenges presented by climate change and focus on areas where businesses can have an operational impact.

Applications for all Springboard courses are made through the HEA Springboard website https://springboardcourses.ie/ or freephone 1800 303523.

Dr. Deirdre Garvey, Senior Lecturer, Lifelong Learning, GMIT Mayo Campus, says: “The funding of these programmes in areas identified nationally as of critical importance is key to developing skills in the region.

“We have worked closely with the Regional Skills Forum also in understanding the needs of employers in the region. We hope that the blended mode of delivery will also provide flexibility to individuals in managing their commitments and developing their skills.”

Springboard+ courses are free for people who are unemployed, those who were previously self-employed and those returning to the workforce. Courses are also free for people in employment, on NFQ Level 6 courses.

For employed participants on courses NFQ level 7 to 9, 90% of the course fee is funded by the Government, with participants required to contribute just 10% of the fee. Applications are through www.springboard.ie