IT, Tralee awarded training fund for the unemployed under the LMA

Institute of Technology, Tralee awarded €340,592 training fund for the unemployed under the Labour Market Activation Fund (LMA)

Following an open tender competition in which 370 tenders were received the Institute of Technology, Tralee was successful in securing €340,592 funding under the Labour Market Activation Fund Initiative. The funding will support specific training and education programmes for priority groups of the unemployed in the Kerry and South West Region. As part of the Shannon Consortium the Institute received 30% of the allocated places in the region, with 160 places being offered on eight programmes across the schools of Business, Science & Computing and Engineering & Construction. Studies for tThe programmes will commence in September 2010.

Oliver Murphy, Registrar, Institute of Technology Tralee stated â¿¿IT,Tralee was second amongst the 370 tenders submitted which is an indication of the quality of the IT,Traleeâ¿¿s tender.  This is a major opportunity for those who are currently unemployed to up-skill their qualifications.  The Institute is very pleased to implement this new initiative.⿝

Speaking on the announcement the Tánaiste and Minister for Education & Skills, Mary Coughlan T.D. stated "We put the Activation Fund in place to stimulate innovation in the provision of training and activation measures for jobseekers seeking to up-skill and get back into work. The response to the call for proposals for fund support exceeded the most optimistic expectations", she added, "and the overall high standard of tenders received made the task of selecting the successful proposals all the more challenging. I congratulate the successful training and education providers who participated in a very competitive process."

Participants on the Labour Market Activation Fund programmes can study at Level 6, Level 7 or Level 8 on a wide range of programmes including: Certificate in Renewable Energy; Certificate in Building Insulation Applications; Certificate in Energy Management; Advanced Certificate in Professional Cookery; Certificate Business Management; Certificate in Entrepreneurship; Higher Diploma in Science in Computing and Certificate in Information Technology Support.

Information sessions will be held at the Institute of Technology, Tralee on September 1st and at the Killarney Regional Learning Centre September 2nd.  For further information please contact the Lifelong Learning Department telephone: 066 7191701.

Over the last two academic years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 the Institute of Technology Tralee has received €295,970 funding and have up skilled 231 students under the Labour Market Activation Fund.