CONGRATULATIONS! Graduation ceremony for ten KITE learners in Tipperary

In this week's Nationalist

The local training initiative, Pathways to Employment Programme, has been running at Knockanrawley Resource Centre for over sixteen years.

It is a programme funded by Tipperary ETB and it carries a QQI Major Level 4 Award offered on a full-time basis over a 40-week period from September to June.

Learners benefit from 60 hours’ work placement and extra social welfare allowances may be payable depending on the circumstances.

At the KITE Graduation Ceremony were: Owen Keaty, Lisa Carroll, Kieran Lovell, Gary Downey, Marianna Fletcher, Marian McGrath, Savannah Greene, Matthew Ryan (Tipp ETB), Emer Leahy (KRC), Tony Sweeney & Nora Hoare (Assistant co-ordinator)

To participate in the programme learners must be open to new skills.

The programme offers a great supportive learning environment with access to childcare and other supports.

The learners participate in employable skills like Food Hygiene (HACCP) and Barista Coffee Training.

They are educated on practical skills like IT, cookery and organic gardening and they are also supported to sit the Driver Theory Test.

As this course is a Pathways to Employment Programme, the progression of learners to permanent and part-time employment has been a real success over the past two years.

FURTHER EDUCATION

Some learners have opted to advance to further education such as Level 5, which is really admirable.

Last year of the 10 Certified learners, four have secured full or part-time employment, three are doing a L5 Course and one learner has secured an apprenticeship.

Learners completed six Major Awards and four component Certificates for this academic year.

The 2021/22 Graduation Ceremony was held at Knockanrawley Resource Centre recently and the 10 learners were certified with their L4 QQI Awards plus other Certificates for Barista Coffee Training, First Aid and the Leave No Trace Project.

Matthew Ryan, Training Manager Tipperary ETB and John Murphy, Development Officer, Tipperary ETB attended the Ceremony and confirmed that the KITE Programme had been a great success and they committed to yearly funding the project.

Congratulations to all the learners on their certification.

Names are already being taken for the programme for September 2023 and you can contact Tony or Nora at (062)52688 or e-mail [email protected] for further information.