The DCU Ryan Academy has launched the second year of its Business Innovation Programme, which helps unemployed professionals to upskill and rejoin the workforce.
In its first year, BIP had 122 participants and 41 secured employment. Of these, five participants who did internships found employment with their host company.
Participants come from a range of backgrounds, including accountancy, engineering, architecture, marketing, teaching, operations, finance, IT and production.
With an average age of 44-55, the course is primarily focused on those who may have come out of the professional environment after a long period in the workforce.
Part of Springboard initiative
Part of the Higher Education Authority’s Springboard initiative, it’s a nine-month, part-time programme which incorporates on-the-job work experience and classes which are scheduled to enable participants to continue to seek work.
In fact, 23 of the 32 individuals who left the programme prior to exams in May did so because they had successfully secured employment.
Speaking about his experience in the programme, BIP graduate Mike Cosgrave said: “The Ryan Academy helped me take control of my situation, taught me new skills and challenged me to think in innovative and different ways.
“In the past year, I have developed a new network of contacts, given myself an edge in the job market and given myself an excellent platform for starting my own business.”
