Are you aged under 35 and unemployed?

It can be tricky to find work when you feel like you don’t have the right qualifications for a role, but now there’s a way to gain some new skills while retaining your social welfare payment.

Cork College of FET’s Bishopstown Campus runs Local Training Initiative courses aimed at jobseekers in communities all across Cork city and county.

Based in community settings, students can achieve their qualifications in less than one year while retaining the social welfare payment they are currently receiving.

The full-time courses come at no cost to participants and are designed to instill confidence and build personal development.

Aimed at anyone aged 18 to 35 years who is unemployed and seeking employment or to progress to higher education, they cover a variety of skill areas such as music, office procedures, IT Skills, FAI soccer, Horticulture, Sport and Recreation, Culinary Skills, and Tourism. There are 14 QQI-accredited initiatives to choose from, and courses are delivered on a year-round basis.

“We want to empower those who are unable to commit to other forms of training,” said Chief Executive, Denis Leamy.

“For example, our Good Shepherd initiative is aimed at women and girls from 16 years who may have chaotic lives and are unable to access mainstream education. Each of our initiatives are tailor-made to suit each individual participants’ needs.”

Courses are available at campuses on North Monastery Road, Farrenferis, Tramore Road, Carrigaline, Donnybrook, Blackrock, Midleton, Charleville, Youghal, Mallow, Macroom, and Duhallow.

For further information on Cork College of FET and to check out a new video on the courses and how it all works, visit corketb.ie/fet.