The Adult Literacy Service and BTEI (Waterford City) held their annual Further Education Service Awards in the Tower Hotel on Friday 22nd September 2017. The awards were presented by Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation and Research, John Halligan along with the Mayor of the Metropolitan area, Cllr. Sean Reinhardt. Approximately four hundred learners were presented with an astonishing 1250 Component Awards and Major Awards at Levels 1 – 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications. These students had accessed provision on a part-time basis in both the Adult Education Centre in Railway Square and in Ozanam Street as well as a number of outreach centres throughout the city. Both the Mayor and the Minister commended the achievements of the students and spoke eloquently about the immense benefits of returning to education at any stage of life. He emphasised the importance of Adult & Further Education to the whole community including the many new communities that have made Waterford their home in recent years. The Chief Executive of WWETB, Kevin Lewis also noted the importance of education from a family, community and economic perspective. Also in attendance were Ken Whyte, Director of Further Education and Trainng, Fran Kennedy, Adult Education Officer as well as the dedicated staff across this sector.
Joann Power who manages the Adult Education Centre in Railway Square recognised the myriad barriers to accessing Adult Education and how the students had overcome their own particular difficulties. She also recognised the value of education from an individual, family and community perspective. The Centre in Railway Square offers a variety of courses and programmes that can be accessed at any time of the year so the message from Joann was; ‘call in for a chat, we will look at your individual needs’.
The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI), managed by Angi Meegan, provides opportunities for adults to return to education, on a part-time basis, and gain QQI qualifications. Programme development is on-going and aims to be responsive to changing needs in the local area so the range of courses may change from year to year. You can find Angi in the Adult Education Centre in Ozanam Street.
The English Language Programme has been running in Waterford for the last 15 years. The Programme offers assistance in three ways: up-skilling English language ability, assistance in accessing the work/study place and increasing the understanding of both the culture and the general characteristics of Ireland. On completion of the programme learners’ progress to Further and Higher Education courses and/or access employment. Both Adult Education Centres provide a variety of levels in English Language within the centres, in schools and the asylum seeker hostels throughout the City of Waterford. Learners of English as a Second Language can progress from QQI level 1 to 5 over a number of years.
The aim of the programme is social and cultural integration, access to the Irish work force, promotion in the work place, access to further and higher education courses, helping with their children’smework, enabling confidence in