Ready for a change?

A new course run by Cork City Partnership could be the first step in starting a new career, opening your own business or going to college – especially if you feel a little ‘out of the loop’ because you work in the home.

Applications are now being accepted for the next ‘Growing Your Potential’ course, a free ten-week online programme designed to support women who are currently not in employment, but who have many transferable skills from their life experience.

The course offers a range of supports from confidence building to working with online technology, networking, and interview technique. Participants will also receive coaching on presentation and dress codes and Cork City Partnership can further support participants should they wish to use their new skills to find employment, or start their own business.

“Women often don’t realise the abilities they’ve built up working in the home,” said Brenda Cahill, Chief Executive at Cork City Partnership.

“They’re so busy caring for others and running the home that they’ve lost perspective on how much they have to offer. This course helps remind them of how valuable their contribution is and would be to prospective employers.”

For Antoinette Gibbons, a trained dental nurse who had been working in the home for 20 years, the course was a catalyst for returning to work in the medical sector: “It gave me the confidence to say I wasn’t too old, I did have skills.” Gibbons said.

“Whether there was an opportunity in a shop, a factory or anywhere I had the tools to prepare my CV, figure out how and where to apply, how to make a good impression in an interview and more”.

Anyone interested in signing up for Growing Your Potential can visit corkcitypartnership.ie for more information or call 021 4302310.