Saluting learning at IRD Duhallow
Last week at the IRD Duhallow Recognition of Learning Ceremony, over 250 certs were presented to those who had completed training throughout the year.
Established as a centre of excellence for rural learning, IRD Duhallow uses funds from many different sources to bring a wide variety of training to the region from its base in the James O’Keeffe Institute. This could certainly be seen on the night with presentations being made for a wide variety of programmes from QQI Supervisory Management and Training Delivery & Evaluation to Agri Digital Skills, LTI, Health Care Programmes and Admin and Reception Skills.
One of IRD Duhallow’s key funders of training is the Duhallow Skillnet, which was first established in May of 2015 has grown from strength to strength. With the support of Skillnet Ireland, they now have an annual budget just short of half a million, and through this programme. The Skillnet has so far this year in 2018 alone, funded vocational training places for 653 employed participants from across 272 different companies.
IRD Duhallow Chairperson Mary Wallace acknowledged that “Tonight is a very special night for IRD Duhallow, as we are delighted to have our first cap and gown graduation in over 20 years – A QQI L5 Major Award! This group have completed their major award by night across two years and their dedication and diligence to developing their skills is exemplary.
“We are extremely confident that these women are going to make fantastic health care workers and that the elderly in Duhallow are fortunate to have such empathetic, dedicated carers. We wish them all the best in their future career.”
Thirty Five Women received certificates through the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL), a 3 year programme funded by the Department of Justice and the European Social Fund (ESF), which supports women seeking to return to the workforce. Duhallow Work Opportunities for Women Project has supported 143 women to date through the provision of flexible locally delivered accredited and non-accredited training opportunities focusing on self-development and work related skills.
Seven students received their Level 4 Major Award in Horticulture under the Local Training Initiative, run by IRD Duhallow in conjunction with Cork Education and Training Board. This very successful programme is in its 3rd year, and equips students to progress to further training and employment within the horticultural industry.
The coming weeks will see preparations get underway for the Spring Summer Training Programme and anyone interested in partaking in training locally is encouraged to contact them for a prospectus or visit www. irdduhallow.com/events