Kildare people urged to return to learning by AONTAS

Thinking about returning to learning?

Have you ever thought about doing a course, or know someone who might be interested in returning to

education?

Over 300,000 adults return to learning each year, but making that first step back to learning can often be

the hardest. We in AONTAS, Ireland’s Adult Learning Organisation, are here to help with our

OneStepUp.ie website and freephone helpline (1800 303 669). This is a free and impartial service

offering education advice to adults in Ireland.

This service is particularly suitable for anyone who has had a bad experience the first-time round, or has

been out of formal education for a long time.

Learners like Kayla from Roscommon have told us how important it is to find out about different paths to

education.

Kayla had to leave school before doing her Leaving Cert due to a medical condition, and said, “the

Leaving Cert was the only way I could see myself progressing into third level, because that’s the only

way we were shown in school. I remember feeling like I had been thrown onto the scrap heap and was

unsure where to go next.”

Kayla went back to education through a Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme a few years ago, and

is now about to start a degree in Digital Marketing.

However, it’s not all about qualifications. An older learner, Damien from Kildare, told us that because of

community education.

He said, “I felt empowered by the skills that I had learnt to be confident in myself and to set goals for my

future journey.”

If you would like to get back to learning but aren’t sure where to start, check out OneStepUp.ie or give us

a call for free on 1800 303 669. You can visit the AONTAS website at www.aontas.com.