Thousands of free or subsidised courses at colleges across Ireland launched

Over 11,000 free or subsidised places on college courses have been launched at educational institutions across Ireland. 

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins, announced the news yesterday (June 5), confirming the courses are in areas of "critical importance" such as cybersecurity, virtual reality, health innovation, logistics, and online retail. 

The minister confirmed a combined total of 11,213 places on 357 courses across Springboard+ 2023 and HCI Pillar 1 will be delivered. 

Courses are free for the unemployed, previously self-employed and returners to the workforce, while for others the majority of course fees are funded by the government, with participants required to contribute just 10%.

Speaking about the news, Minister Harris said, "This is providing brilliant opportunities for people to upskill and reskill in areas of skills shortages, futureproof their career, and progress in, or re-enter the workforce. 

"Most programmes are delivered either fully online or in a blended format making them fully accessible, meeting the rapidly-evolving needs of our economy and our commitment to lifelong learning. 

"Today’s announcement help us to ensure that our workforce is equipped to respond to the rapid changes in the world of work brought about by digitisation, with courses spanning areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Financial Technologies." 

He continued: "They will also play a vital role in our response to the green transition by providing funding for programmes in areas such as Climate, Sustainability and Renewable Energy which will provide the skills needed to help us reach our ambitious 2030 targets for energy efficiency and decarbonisation. 

"In this, the European Year of Skills, it is vital that we all consider the opportunity to learn a new skill. Skills and continuous learning are vital for enabling individuals and countries to thrive in an increasingly, interconnected and rapidly changing world." 

According to Minister Collins, over 100,000 people have benefitted from the Springboard+ programme to date. 

He said, "[This year] marks the European Year of Skills, where stakeholders across Europe will work together to promote investment in training and upskillng.

"In this important year, the HEA and the Higher Education providers are delighted to offer courses that will put reskilling and upskilling centre-stage.

"The subsidised nature of Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 programmes means that the funded courses are accessible to a diverse group of people across the economy. The programmes on offer will appeal to those looking to obtain new skills to get back into the workforce, as well as those seeking to develop their skillset as our economy grows."