Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) is a key resource for the almost 7,000 active enterprises in Laois and Offaly, working with them to understand the region’s skills requirements, develop a future pipeline of talent to meet these needs, and provide the up-skilling and the professional development support required by their existing employees.
LOETB works in partnership with employers to identify regional skills gaps and develop programmes that not only provide them with the skills their enterprise needs but equally gives the participant certification and skills that are recognised and valued by industry.
This ensures that Further Education and Training (FET) graduates have the key skills and competencies required to help enterprises in our region operate and flourish.
These Traineeships and Specific Skills Training programmes place a strong focus on employment for new entrants particularly to the region’s strongest performing sectors – from Engineering and Construction, to Healthcare and Childcare, Hospitality, ICT and Agriculture.
Traineeships, which are of six to twenty months’ duration, lead to an award at Levels 4-6 on the National Framework of Qualifications, presenting a viable alternative to third level for school leavers.
Each programme includes a minimum of 30% on-the-job learning, ensuring a competency that is based on both theory and practice.
Specific Skills Programmes are shorter and aimed at assisting learners enter or re-enter the workforce as well as updating existing skills or acquiring new skills needed in an ever-changing labour market.
All programmes help build capability in areas like complex problem-solving, positive and critical thinking, people and time management, providing FET graduates with labour market skills that are agile and transferable. Programmes are also designed for flexible delivery – online, face-to-face and blended learning.
Provision is shaped by emerging and evolving trends – such as digitalisation and climate change – and aims to maximise the opportunity presented to the people and enterprises of Laois and Offaly. LOETB employs a flexible and responsive approach that can quickly adapt to the fluid environment we currently live in.
These Programmes are open to applicants of all ages and backgrounds. Learners may include school leavers, older learners, those in employment and those who are unemployed.
People who are unemployed and wish to apply, following engagement with their Intreo Case Officer, may be eligible for a training allowance or income support. Applicants eligible for income support include those in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance, a One Parent Family Payment; a Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment or Disability Allowance.
For further information on any of these programmes, please contact Yvonne Foy yfoy/@loetb.ie / 0858773741 or Melinda Niland mniland@loetb.ie / 0858051912.
Check out the LOETB website here
