Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB) has launched a new Digital Training Centre in Ballina, a service to provide adult learners with accredited digital skills.
The project gives adult learners the opportunity to learn or improve their existing digital skills. On offer are Computer Literacy courses at different levels, Microsoft Office Courses such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. IT Specialist courses such as Cybersecurity, HTML and CSS, and Databases are also on offer. Courses are mostly online and can vary from 4 to 16 weeks in duration.
Prior to course start, a free training needs analysis will be completed for each learner to determine a suitable course level i.e., basic, intermediate, or advanced. This offer allows adult learners to get their current digital skills assessed and will ensure their best progression on the programme. The assessment will be conducted under guidance of the service co-coordinator.
The flexible structure of all courses allows participants to learn at their own pace and time. The aim of the project is to make education accessible to all adult learners – no matter if in employment, caring for family, or preparing for future employment.
The new centre focuses on Ballina, but also provides services also to learners from surrounding areas. The service is a collaboration between MSLETB, the ICE Group and Tara Learning.
Speaking about new training centre, ETB Director of Further Education and Training, Peter Egan, said that:
“With the new Digital Skills Centre in Ballina, we want to give adults the opportunity to acquire new skills for their current roles. We also want to support those who are out of work looking for new employment options. Having a certain level of digital skills is essential for most roles nowadays, so completing a digital skills course can be a stepping stone to a new career. We welcome every learner, regardless of their previous experience.”
Margaret Cox, Director of ICE Group commented that
“training in Digital Skills is essential to ensure sustainable employment in the West of Ireland. Every organisation now expects employees to be digitally aware, and ready to hit the ground once employed. This new Digital Training Centre in Ballina is geared to provide adult learners with accredited digital skills and it is a welcome innovation for the region.”
The training centre is located on the first floor of the Western People building in Tone Street and opens from 9 AM to 4:30 PM weekdays. Barry Langan coordinates the new service and is point of contact for all learners. He says: “We have various courses on offer which are pitched at different levels. For this reason, we discuss the learners’ experiences at the beginning and will then determine a suitable course. If a learner needs individual support or career counselling, I’m happy to assist.”
All courses will be completed online in the learner’s own time. However, the centre also offers workspaces for those learners who want to do the course onsite. Anyone interested in the service can either visit https://msletb.ie/digital-skills-centre-ballina/ or call the Ballina Digital Skills Centre at: 096 71652.
