New Competitive Call to Higher Education providers for course proposals which will be funded under Springboard 2017

27 February, 2017 - Minister Bruton announces a further competitive Call to Higher Education providers for course proposals which will be funded under Springboard+ 2017

Eligibility Extended to Homemakers and Biopharma / Medtech Sectors

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) which manages Springboard+ on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills has issued a competitive Call to all Higher Education providers for course proposals which will be funded under Springboard+ 2017. Springboard+ forms part of the Action Plan for Education, our plan to make the Irish education and training system the best in Europe within a decade. Now in its seventh year, Springboard+ has to date provided over 35,000 free higher education places, primarily to jobseekers in need of upskilling or reskilling to allow them to re-enter the labour market. It involves a job placement, which has been a very successful feature achieving high employment outcomes. Over 80% have entered permanent employment.

It can now be extended to other priority groups where new talent can be reached and supported. From 2017 the eligibility criteria for Springboard+ will be expanded to include:

• Homemakers, and
• Those in employment who wish to upskill or reskill to meet a specific emerging skills need in the Biopharma/Med Tech sector. 

Upskilling and reskilling is becoming a regular feature of working life for many people, and the programme is particularly suited to support that need. Given the success of this innovative programme to date we hope we will be in a position to expand the Springboard+ model further in the years ahead.

For Full Press Release Link Here

The Call document and the ICT conversion guidance document are available here.

Springboard 2017 - Call for Proposals February 2017.pdf 

Springboard 2017 - ICT skills conversion courses.pdf