Posted 08 August 2009
190 funded places for unemployed graduates on UCD courses
190 funded places have been made available for unemployed graduates to study entrepreneurship, information technology, sustainable agriculture, green technologies, or nanobio science at UCD, as part of the announcement by the Minister for Education of 1,000 part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers.
According to the Minister for Education, 'These postgraduate places are part of the Government's labour market activation initiative specifically aimed at up-skilling and re-skilling workers for jobs in the sectors of the economy considered key to tackling the recession and driving economic growth.'
“Almost one in five of the unemployed graduates who will benefit from the Government’s announcement will study at University College Dublin,” says Dr Clare O’Connor, Chair of the UCD Graduate School Directors’ Board. “The specific courses we have on offer as part of this initiative will help unemployed graduates with their return to employment in key sectors of the Irish economy.”
The places available are funded by the Higher Education Authority.
Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship
Seventy funded places for unemployed graduates are available on a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, as part of the recent announcement by the Minister for Education of 1,000 part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers.
Successful applicants will have €2,500 of the €2,750 course fee funded by the Higher Education Authority.
The ‘Dare to venture’ course will train unemployed graduates in new venture creation. Applicants are encouraged to join the 12 week intensive course with a commercial idea in mind so they can develop a business plan over the duration of the course, with the support of industry and academic experts.
“The course will present students with solutions to issues faced by entrepreneurs and managers when identifying, developing and assessing commercial business opportunities,” says Professor Frank Roche, the Course Director.
“With particular focus on the current economic climate, during the course successful applicants will develop a business plan for a new venture. By the time they finish they will have a very strong platform for turning their business idea into a business reality.”
Applicants must be claiming jobseeker's payment for the past six months or more, or confirm they are entitled to statutory redundancy from their most recent employment by providing a copy of form RP50. Successful applicants will be entitled to maintain their social welfare payments while completing the course.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 11 September 2009.
Graduate Certificate in Information and Communications Technology
Seventy funded places for unemployed graduates are available on a Graduate Certificate in Information and Communications Technology at UCD, as part of the announcement by the Minister for Education of 1,000 part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers. Successful applicants will have €2,500 of the €2,750 fee funded by the Higher Education Authority.
“This is the first negotiated learning course of its kind in Ireland. Students can select the modules they want to study to match and fill any particular skills gaps they may have to meet the challenges of regaining employment in the ICT industry,” says Dr Joe Carthy, Head of the UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics.
“After completing the course, the currently unemployed graduates will have gained new skills and knowledge in one of Ireland’s ‘high-value clusters of economic activity’ as identified in The Government’s Smart Economy framework.”
The available modules range from Artificial Intelligence to Sensor Systems to Adaptive Personalisation.
Applicants must be claiming jobseeker's payment for the past six months or more, or confirm they are entitled to statutory redundancy from their most recent employment by providing a copy of form RP50. Successful applicants will be entitled to maintain their social welfare payments while completing the one-year course.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 24 August 2009.
Graduate Certificate in Green Technologies
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
Graduate Certificate in NanoBio Science
Thirty unemployed graduates will have the opportunity to study for Graduate Certificates in Green Technologies and Sustainable Agriculture at UCD, as part of the recent announcement by the Minister for Education of 1,000 part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers. Successful applicants will have €2,500 of the €2,750 course fee funded by the Higher Education Authority.
The Graduate Certificate in Green Technologies at UCD, which has twenty places available for unemployed graduates, will equip students for emerging environmental industries. Candidates who complete the one year course will be able to apply engineering technologies to environmental protection and the generation of sustainable energy resources. They will also study air, water and waste management.
“This course will provide graduates with the technological knowledge and skills required to both create and avail of opportunities for enterprise development now emerging in the environmental industries” says Dr Kevin McDonnell, the Course Director.
“In doing so, it supports the key national strategic aim of implementing a ‘new green deal’ aimed at reducing our dependency on fossil fuel-based energy production through investment in renewable energy and to promote the green enterprise sector and the creation of ‘green-collar’ jobs’”.
Ten funded places are also available for unemployed graduates on the Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development at UCD. This course responds to the changing agenda in agriculture and rural area development. Successful students will be up-skilled to meet the growing demands for safe and ethically produced food, a healthier environment, and sustainable and affordable energy.
“The focus of the course will be on developing skills in rural entrepreneurship and communications, as well as providing a sound knowledge-base in the arena of sustainable agriculture for participants,” says Dr Deirdre O’Connor, the Course Director.
“This programme clearly addresses the needs of the indigenous, export-orientated agri-food sector by creating an expanded pool of people with the knowledge, skills and propensity to develop a more competitive, innovative and sustainable agricultural industry, focused on the market place and modern consumer needs, that fits well with the Government’s vision of an environmentally friendly Smart Economy”.
Twenty funded places are also available on the Graduate Certificate in NanoBio Science. Successful applicants will study modules at the forefront of the most recent science at the Nano and Bio interface which is likely to impact on many aspects of human life and society from faster and cheaper electronics, to smarter packaging materials and self-cleaning surfaces, to new approaches to medicines, therapies and diagnoses. The course will prepare successful applicants to follow and contribute to future developments in this fast advancing area of science. Unemployed graduates who complete the course will be able to follow job opportunities in the private and public research areas, and industry.
Applicants must be claiming jobseeker's payment for the past six months or more, or confirm they are entitled to statutory redundancy from their most recent employment by providing a copy of form RP50. Successful applicants will be entitled to maintain their social welfare payments while completing the one-year course.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 24 August 2009.
For full details on the graduate certificate courses with funded places for unemployed graduates visit:
Information is also available from local FÁS and Department of Social and Family Affairs offices
