Louth ‘Learning For Life’ class celebrate graduations
MINISTER Leo Varadkar has praised the ‘Louth Learning For Life’ class at a special graduation ceremony at St. James’s Gate in Dublin.
The Learning for Life programme is a Diageo Ireland initiative, run in partnership with the Department of Social Protection, that equips the long term unemployed with the skills and experience needed to find work in the hospitality industry.
The Louth participants were joined by the Department of Social Protection, Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) and Positive 2 Skillnets who work in conjunction with Diageo to develop and deliver the award winning programme in Louth.
Speaking at the event Minister Leo Varadkar said: ‘I want to extend my congratulations to the trainees here today and celebrate their achievements and recognise the value in the practical skills and training they have received.’
The programme see the department identify young people on the Live Register suitable for the programme, and supports them throughout the process with continued access to social welfare supports during the training and placement period.
Following the completion of the education and training element the participants are then given an opportunity to take up a further work placement with a Diageo hospitality industry partner in a landmark pub, hotel or restaurant in Louth.
Oliver Loomes, Country Director of Diageo Ireland, said, ‘ The Learning for Life programme is all about supporting local communities and local industry with a view to the long term. We recognise the highly skilled workforce in this industry play a key role in providing tourists.’
He added ‘We are grateful also to our industry partners, the bars, restaurants and hotels who provide work placements and experience for our participants, it’s a huge commitment and we could not do it without them.’