The Digital Skills Academy in Dublin is launching a new eight-month digital skills training programme for job seekers called WebActivate, with the aim of equipping people with digital skills so they can embark on new careers.
As part of the programme, up to 2,000 Irish businesses will also be able to harness the digital expertise of the course participants in order to develop their web presence.
The Minister of State for Training and Skills Ciarán Cannon, TD, launched the programme today with the Digital Skills Academy, as WebActivate is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs programme.
Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) will be the awarding body for WebActivate.
The eight-month programme in online publishing, digital marketing and entrepreneurship will be free for eligible job seekers who have been unemployed for 12 months or more.
Initially, there will be places for 250 participants on the WebActivate programme, which will begin in March in Dublin, Cork, Portlaoise and Monaghan Town.
Specifically, the programme will be aiming to help job seekers, particularly those from a retail or construction background, to become self-employed web publishers and digital marketers and to embark on a new career.
In addition, 2,000 SMEs are set to benefit because course participants will be applying their online publishing and digital marketing skills to help such companies develop their online presence.
However, such businesses must be customers of Eircom in order to avail of the free digital expertise.
Once they complete WebActivate, graduates will get a continuing professional development diploma in digital, which will be awarded by DIT.
Programme graduates will also have the option to progress to a higher certificate in digital technology, business and design.
Paul Dunne, the CEO of Digital Skills Academy, said the focus of WebActivate will be to help move people back into employment by equipping them with digital skills that are in demand.
“This programme provides a great opportunity for job seekers with a retail and sales background to build on their skills and move into digital,” he said.
There will be information events about WebActivate taking place in Dublin, Cork, Portlaoise and Monaghan Town this month. The Digital Skills Academy will also be at Career Zoo at The Convention Centre Dublin on Saturday.
International keynotes and local leaders will discuss Ireland’s challenges and opportunities in the global battle for talent at the Future Jobs Forum on 8 February at The Convention Centre Dublin.
