Expand+The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is an educational opportunities scheme for unemployed persons which is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund. The Scheme is operated through the Vo...

Hide-The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is an educational opportunities scheme for unemployed persons which is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund. The Scheme is operated through the Vocational Education Committees and provides a special range of courses designed to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people.

The aims of the scheme are:
- to give unemployed people education and training opportunities which will develop their employability

- to prepare people to go into paid employment or on to further opportunities leading to paid employment

Expand+Education: This Leaving Certificate course demands a high level of commitment from the learner and a good standard of reading, writing and maths is required. Having a Junior Certificate standard would be a definite advantage. Learners must have the ...

Hide-Education: This Leaving Certificate course demands a high level of commitment from the learner and a good standard of reading, writing and maths is required. Having a Junior Certificate standard would be a definite advantage. Learners must have the capacity to work with others from diverse social, linguistic and cultural backgrounds; engage in critical and creative thinking and take responsibility for their own learning.

Previous Experience: Learners access the Senior Cycle Programme immediately after the Junior Certificate Cycle. The Senior Cycle includes an optional Transition Year, which follows immediately after the Junior Cycle. Transition Year provides an opportunity for students to experience a wide range of educational inputs, including work experience. During the final two years of Senior Cycle students take one of three programmes, each leading to a State Examination: the traditional Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) or the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA).

Expand+Eligibility criteria are determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

To qualify for VTOS a person must:
- be at least 21 years of age at the commencement of the course,

- be in receipt of an unemployment payment or signing for c...

Hide-Eligibility criteria are determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

To qualify for VTOS a person must:
- be at least 21 years of age at the commencement of the course,

- be in receipt of an unemployment payment or signing for credits for at least 6 months*.

Also, the course must be provided or approved by the local VEC for the purposes of the VTOS scheme.

A limited number of places are available to persons in receipt of One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit/Allowance, Widow's/Widower's Contributory/Non Contributory Pension and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance and to qualified spouses/partners of persons eligible to participate in VTOS.

Periods spent on VTOS, FS training schemes, Community Employment, Job Initiative, Youthreach or time in prison can count towards the 6 month qualifying period.

Students may avail of a training allowance, meal and travel allowance and child care support dependent upon student eligibility. Students between the ages of 21 and 25 years may qualify for increased training allowance, subject to verification by the Dept. of Social Protection.

Expand+Learning Outcomes
The completion of the Leaving Certificate Programme should enable learners to:
- develop positive beliefs about learning
- develop focus and discipline in learning
- learn in ways that suit their own strengths and needs
- ...

Hide-Learning Outcomes
The completion of the Leaving Certificate Programme should enable learners to:
- develop positive beliefs about learning
- develop focus and discipline in learning
- learn in ways that suit their own strengths and needs
- develop a range of learning strategies
- make connections across learning
- develop a commitment to improving learning
- be willing to engage in new learning situations
- develop reflective practices.

Ref: 38811

Facilities
•Free Parking
•Wheel Chair Access
•Full Canteen

Expand+VTOS offers adults a second chance at education by providing a range of courses that are aimed at improving a person's ability to gain employment or to progress into either Further or Higher education. VTOS programmes allow adults to explore the lear...

Hide-VTOS offers adults a second chance at education by providing a range of courses that are aimed at improving a person's ability to gain employment or to progress into either Further or Higher education. VTOS programmes allow adults to explore the learning opportunities open to them in order to raise their general educational level and to develop their vocational skills. Adults return to education in a supported environment, working with teachers who are experts in teaching adults. Such a learning environment aims to develop the whole person, with students becoming more self confident in their own abilities and more informed in their learning choices.

The Leaving Certificate is a qualification recognised by all employers and it may also provide an ideal progression route into further or third level study. Students have a range of subjects to choose from which may include Maths, English, Business, Biology, Geography, History and Physics. A Critical Writing module delivered by a Maynooth University lecturer is included in this programme. Students also benefit from guidance, mentoring and CAO workshops throughout the course. Most subjects will be offered at both Higher and Ordinary Level, dependent upon demand, with the exception of Maths, which is offered at ordinary and foundation level only. Due to the intensive nature of this course, there is a strong emphasis on attendance and commitment to self directed study. This programme is aimed at anyone who did not get the chance to complete the Leaving Cert. before or who did not do as well as they hoped the first time around.

Expand+Leaving Cert Ordinary Level Geography Leaving Certificate (DESLC) Department of Education & Skills
Leaving Cert Ordinary Level Mathematics Leaving Certificate (DESLC) Department of Education & Skills
Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level Biology Lea...

Hide-Leaving Cert Ordinary Level Geography Leaving Certificate (DESLC) Department of Education & Skills
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