By Niamh Dwyer, Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors

The Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar upskilling initiatives for 2021, which are supported by the Department of Further Education & Higher Education, offer free and subsidised courses at certificate, degree and masters level leading to qualifications in areas where there are employment opportunities in the economy.

They are designed to help people gain the skills necessary to either obtain employment in industry areas where there is an increasing need or to upskill in a current job. The majority of courses are part-time for a maximum of 12 months and are open to all applicants; Employed, Unemployed, and Returners who meet the eligibility criteria at the time of course commencement.

Under the Springboard+ there are over 10,000 places on 321 courses being offered nationwide at certificate, degree and postgraduate levels spanning several different career sectors. They include courses in ICT, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Innovation, Digital Skills, Finance, Hospitality, Pharmaceuticals, Creative Media, Health & Safety, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Construction, Lean Systems and much more.

As part of the HCI Pillar 1 initiative, graduates can apply for full-time graduate conversion courses in areas of skills shortages and emerging technologies such as ICT, High End Manufacturing, Data Analytics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and others.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Springboard+ and HCI Pillar courses, applicants need to be living full-time in the Republic of Ireland, have a valid PPS number, meet the nationality/visa requirement, have lived in either the EU, the EEA, the UK or Switzerland for at least three out of the last five years. As places are limited, applicants who are on a qualifying Social Welfare payment will always take priority over others.

FEES

Course fees for Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 are either free or 90% subsidised depending on eligibility. For those who are employed and applying for NFQ Level 6 course, fees are fully funded. For those who are employed and applying for a course at NFQ Levels 7, 8 or 9, fees are 90% subsidised and the 10% can be paid by the participant or employer. For anyone who is returning to the workforce after a period of unemployment or from a career break to care for loved ones, fees are fully funded for all NFQ levels.

DEADLINES

Applications are now open with some deadlines in early August and start dates in early September. Some courses will start in January so application deadlines will be later. For further details on all courses including entry requirements and on how to apply, log on the www.springboard.ie, and for support and guidance phone 1800 303 523 where you will get professional advice from experienced guidance counsellors. There is huge interest in these excellent opportunities to upskill and retrain and demand outstrips supply so to give yourself the best chance of securing a place, apply now!

Niamh Dwyer is a Guidance Counsellor in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore, Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors and Careers Advisor at www.mycareerplan.ie. She can be contacted on info@mycareerplan.ie or via Instagram, Twitter or Facebook on @mycareerplan1.