From yoga to accounting something for everyone at mcc evening classes
Man cooking for beginners, couch to 5k, and web design are all on offer as evening courses at Mullingar and Athlone Community Colleges.
In fact if you want to learn new skills, try something different, or just get out and meet new people, there’s a host of possible courses across business and IT, hobbies and crafts, engineering and woodwork, sport and personal development.
Garrett Buckley, education officer for Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (ETB), said they are aiming towards full employment by 2018.
“From our point of view, the big aim is to find the skill shortages that people have - whether that’s people who are unemployed, and what skills they need to be developed, or people who are employed and want to up-skill,” he explains.
“We provide the training – that’s our job.
“The evening classes, which are our primary focus today, can be for two things. It can be for people who are in work and want extra skills to develop their own careers. And for people who have fallen out of education, who will see an opportunity to dip their toes back in – it’s a process where they can get back involved and sometimes that can lead to further training and further courses.
“Longford Westmeath ETB is now the combination of Westmeath VEC, Longford VEC, and what was the FÁS training centre in Athlone, which covers five counties. So those different sections have come together.
“We hope to meet the needs of all learners across the two counties. That’s our aim, whether it be students in our eight schools during the day, whether it be our apprentices, or our evening classes and PLCs.”
Martina Whyte, director of adult education in Mullingar Community College, said no matter what age group, if you are interested in education, there’s something for you.
“The evening classes in particular are great in that it’s one step to see where you to go with education. And it’s not a massive commitment – with children and everything, sometimes it’s easier to get out in the evenings.
“We really try and help any adult the best we can. It’s our job to try and empower them to get the skills that will help them make the best decision for them to move forward with further education, or get employment.
“In Mullingar Community College we have a long tradition of evening courses, it started in the ’80s. I think people have been hibernating for the last six years with the recession and I think it’s time to get back out,” adds Martina.
Caroline Cornally, adult education guidance co-ordinator, says they also cover adult literacy.
“We have facilities to help adults with reading and writing. We offer adult education from FETAC level 1, which is primary education, right up to FETAC level 5, which is Junior Cert To Leaving Cert and everything in between. We’re a one-stop shop for all adult learning.”
• If you would like to enrol in evening classes at Mullingar and Athlone Community Colleges, call in to the schools, check out mullingarcc.ie or email adutled.mcc@LWETB.ie.