National Further Education & Training Learners Forum Event

February 12, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

National Learner Forum

The National Learner Forum will take place on Wednesday 1st of March at the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght.

What Is The National Learner Forum?

The National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum is designed to provide a platform for you to share your experience in Further Education and Training. You share your experience by:

Participating in focus group discussion (1 hour)
Completing a survey (15 minutes)
Participating in an optional mental health focus group discussion (1 hour)

During the focus group, the facilitators will ask questions to encourage discussions and share ideas, so we can help improve the FET service. It’s really
important to note that there are no right or wrong answers. We want to hear about your own experiences with the FET service and get your honest
feedback.

Registration

For registration you will be asked to confirm the level of the course you are taking. This refers to the level of your course on the National Frameworks of Qualifications (NFQ). You can find an image of this framework below. If you are unsure of what level you are on, you can ask your tutor in advance of the meeting and they can tell you prior to your arrival.

For all the details about the day, including the timetable and information on travel, please download the Learner Forum Information Sheet here.

Date: Wednesday 1st of March 2023
Venue: Maldron Hotel Tallaght, Whitestown Way,
Tallaght, D24 XC9W
Time: 10:00AM-3:00PM – with lunch provided
Contact: Lauren Swan
Email: forum@aontas.com

DDLETB Festival Of Music – Tickets On Sale Now

February 9, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board’s Annual Festival of Music will be taking place in the National Concert Hall on Tuesday 28^th February at 7:30pm. The Festival showcases the excellent musical talent that exists amongst the students in Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB schools.

After a two-year gap due to Covid 19, we are delighted to resume as ‘The Festival of Music’ showcases the excellent musical talent that exists amongst the students in DDLETB’s schools and colleges. There will be an entertaining programme of light classical, traditional, and popular music.

This is the twenty-second year that such a festival has been organised, and the previous festivals have met with high acclaim by those who attended.

Tickets can be purchased either directly from the school or via the NCH website here.

ETB Day (and) Week Is Coming!

February 7, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

ETB Ireland, DDLETB and all of the ETBs around Ireland are celebrating 10 years since the establishment of Education and Training Boards

What Is ETB Week?

27th February – 3rd March
A week-long celebration of heroes and learners in the 16 Education and Training Boards throughout Ireland, showcasing the services they provide to learners in local communities throughout the country: from community national schools to community colleges, youth, adult and further education and training.

In 2023, Ireland’s Education & Training Boards are celebrating 10 years since their establishment. To mark this event and showcase the services Education and Training Boards provide to learners we will have a number of initiatives including:

ETB Heroes

ETB Day Heroes

A media campaign featuring former and current ETB learners and staff who have excelled in their chosen field and who represent the best of what ETBs do. Heroes include RTE1 Newsreader Ray Kennedy, Singer Tolu Makay who’s stunning interpretation of the Sawdoctors’ N17 charmed us, TG4 Rugby presenter and producer Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill, Teacher Michael Farrell and Olympian Jack McFadden. We will also meet current and past ETB staff and learners who have been inspired by their ETB Heroes.

National ETB Excellence Awards

Hosted by Ray Kennedy. Large in-person event taking place on Thursday 2nd March in Croke Park with awards presented by ETB Heroes and special guests.

Competitions

ETB Anthem competition
ETB learners are invited to compose a national anthem for Education & Training Boards
“My ETB” creative multimedia competition
Staff tea party and other events at local ETB level
“Your ETB” National Staff video competition
National, regional and local media campaign including press launch

DDLETB Adult Education Learner Featured At The An Post Book Awards – Her Story!

January 25, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Today we have a guest post from Caro Neville, Adult Literacy Organiser at the Adult Education Service (AES) in Loughlinstown, and Amanda Byrne, a learner who returned to education after working for thirty years.

Amanda and Caro were recently featured at the National Book Awards.

The National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) approached Caro, asking if she had a learner with a very positive experience of attending classes with the AES Service. And, would that learner be willing to participate in having a small video made to be screened during RTE’s An Post Book Awards?

Below, in her own words, Amanda tells us about returning to education and how it has improved her life.

I’m not going to lie, the thought of going back to education terrified me and I put it on the long finger for a year. But I did it and I love it!!

My name is Amanda Byrne, and I am 51 years young, I returned to education in September of 2021. I previously worked in a nursing home for thirty years. At the time I thought I would be there until retirement. Then the Corona Virus arrived, it caused me to revaluate my life and I decided to leave the nursing home. I knew I would go back to housekeeping somewhere else, but I also wanted more from life.

I also knew it wasn’t possible unless I improved certain aspects of my life, mainly education. So finally, after a year of toying with the idea, I was enrolled in the Adult Education Service in Loughlinstown Training Centre. I say ‘was,’ because it was actually my sister, Debbie that enrolled me in the end. She knew how little confidence I had in myself and that I needed a shove. I was so nervous before the first meeting with Caro the manager of the centre, but I left feeling excited.

The first morning of attending was nerve-wracking I even questioned myself if I would be able to do this. I pulled myself together and focused on how excited I felt when I was leaving that first meeting with Caro. Initially I only signed up for one class which was spelling and grammar, but by the end of the day I had signed up for three other classes. I felt even more excited after my first day because the tutors were so nice, just normal people, nothing like what I remember from the teachers back in school. Everything was explained ten times if it needed to be. Everything was done at my own pace.

And more importantly there were no exams.

At the end of the term, I had earned thirty credits Level 3 towards my junior certificate. This term I am doing four accredited courses which included word processing, spread sheets, maths and environmental stability awareness. I attend the centre two days a week. My five-year plan is to complete my leaving certificate at QQI level 4 and then go on and train to be a counsellor.

Since going back to education, it has changed me as a person. I believe in myself, I believe once I work hard I can achieve my goals and I know I will!! I can’t put into words how my life has changed since joining the centre. I am writing this in the hope of encouraging even just one person to do what I did. The first step is the hardest but once you take that first step your life will change. So just do it!!

Amanda Byrne Learner Story Loughlinstown

Congratulations to Caro and Amanda on their great achievements. You can find out more about DDLETB’s Adult Education Services here.

Power of Disability Student Online Conference

January 9, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Power of Disability Conference

Register now for the upcoming student conference, Power of Disability, taking place online on Wednesday and Thursday 25^th and 26^th of January 2023.The conference is led-by and aimed at students with disabilities at all levels, HE (postgraduate and undergraduate) and FET, and focuses on empowerment, building community, exploring allyship, and understanding how to be a constructive advocate.

The conference will include lots of panels, talks, and discussions on topics like self-advocacy, disability rights, UDL and more.

You can find a full schedule as well as more information on our webpage here.

The event is free of charge; however, places are limited so students must register in advance to attend any element of the event.

EAL Updates – Certification Of EAL Teachers

January 3, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

24 teachers from 24 different DDLETB and non-DDLETB schools were trained in June 2022 and have just received their internationally recognised certification from Cambridge English.

In keeping with our ethos, the certification of this new cohort of teachers continues DDLETB’s focus on quality and Excellence in Education in the area of EAL. Courses to train up teachers to teach EAL have been taking place in DDLETB for the past 17 years.

The next course will take place intensively over 32½ hours week beginning 19th June 2023. All welcome.

See below some of the proud teachers with their certs.
Best of luck in your future teaching of EAL schools in your schools!

DDLETB EAL Teacher Certificates

Happy New Year From DDLETB

January 3, 2023/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Happy New Year to all of our students and staff in DDLETB.

Let’s hope for a peaceful and healthy 2023 for everyone!

Happy Christmas!

December 23, 2022/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to all of our lovely students and staff.

DDLETB Head Office will close on 23 December and re-open on 3 January 2023.

See you in the New Year!

DDLETB Christmas Card

New Website Launch At Dundrum College Of Further Education Winter Village Event

December 19, 2022/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

Dundrum College of Further Education has launched a beautiful, brand-new website. The site was launched at the college’s recent Winter Village event.

Winter Village Event

This fun and festive day, organised by the Student Society, included wreath making, raffles, and a food barter – all to raise money for local charities. Classrooms were filled with the delicious smells of perfume and body scrubs created from natural ingredients. And of course, there were lots of mince pies, hot chocolate and sweet goodies!

Staff sang their hearts out to passers-by, raising good cheer and valuable donations for St. Vincent de Paul.

CFE Dundrum Website

The new website (www.cfedundrum.com) allows learners to easily apply for courses across 10 Learning Hubs and is packed with information to help students make the most of their college experience.

You can download the full prospectus from the site or read about each course – both full time and part-time courses are available.

DCFEI student display the new site on their mobile phones.

Of course, college is not just about courses. It’s about new experiences, making friends and learning. The new website provides information about all of this, as well as opportunities to study abroad as part of a course and what to do next with progression opportunities.

Check out www.cfedundrum.com for more information.

Dundrum Deputy Principal Louise McCann, Principal Michael Foley, teacher Sorcha Duggan and Jennifer Farley DDLETB FET.

DDLETB To Lead Project For New College Of The Future in Swords/Fingal.

December 12, 2022/in Corporate News /by Jennifer Farley

An announcement on Friday, December 2nd by Minister Simon Harris TD, sees us one step closer to a College of The Future for Swords/Fingal.

It was a wonderful afternoon proudly hosted by Youthreach Swords and attended by ETBI General Secretary Paddy Lavelle, DDLETB CE Caitríona Murphy, Director of FET Siobhan Lynch, Andrew Brownlee CEO at Solas, Darragh O’Brien TD, Fingal County Council representatives and more.

Minister Simon Harris TD Announces DDLETB FET College Of The Future at Youthreach Swords

Thank you to Marie Rankin of DDLETB Youthreach, Eddie Manning Coordinator of Youthreach Swords, Staff and Learners for a wonderful afternoon.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has announced that the green light has been given to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB to proceed to the next stage in developing a College of The Future (COTF) in Swords. It is one of ten locations around the country given the green light to make plans to develop a College of The Future (COTF) to the next stage for capital investment. The project envisages a state-of-the-art, green further education campus built in Swords with a proposal to serve 1,000 full-time students and up to 5,000 part-time students and is a significant milestone for the Fingal area.

Simon Harris Announces DDLETB FET College Of The Future 2

DDLETB CE Caitríona Murphy, Minister Simon Harris TD, Director of FET Siobhan Lynch

Speaking at the event in Youthreach Swords, Minister Harris said: “This is a brilliant day for Dublin Fingal. It has been chosen as one of ten locations to proceed to develop their proposal for a further education College of the Future. This is one of Ireland’s fastest growing areas and this proposed purpose-built Further Education College will help drive the region and will help it prepare the region with the skillset it needs to deliver for the people of Dublin Fingal. The College of the Future Major Projects Fund will support the implementation of the vision set out in the Further Education Strategy. This Fund, and the proposed for development in Swords has the potential to deliver on a range of strategic objectives. It is great that the proposal will now proceed to Preliminary Business Case Stage.”

Simon Harris Announces DDLETB FET College Of The Future 3

Staff and students at Youthreach Swords with Minister Simon Harris TD

DDLETB are leading the project and our Chief Executive Caitríona Murphy welcomed the decision and added that: “Building on existing Further Education and Training provision across Fingal to meet the growing and diverse needs of stakeholders in this area has been a priority for DDLETB for some time. This approval to proceed to the next stage of proposal development in Further Education and Training is very welcome and will enable us to deliver on our ambitions for the people of Fingal and surrounding areas”.

Team DDLETB are honoured and proud to lead the project and we look forward to supporting our new learners in their education journey.

#ddletbFET #ddletbYR @ThisisFET