Training Courses
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions supports the development of trade unions on the island of Ireland by providing a range of trade union education programmes for full time and part time workplace representatives.
All new Shop Stewards and Health and Safety Representatives undergo a 5 days induction programme. This can be delivered by individual unions for their own members or through Congress for all affiliates.
In addition to providing foundation and advanced programmes for Shop Stewards and Health and Safety repesentatives Congress provides ongoing Continuous Professional Development programmes for union activists. All programmes come with FETAC/HETAC accreditation and can lead to full third level awards on fulfillments of certain criteria.
While all programmes delivered are awarded FETAC accreditation, on a stand alone basis, they can be added to over time in order to achieve a major award through FETAC. This award is made possible by the provision of a range of Continuous Professional Development modules that cover a range of topics of interest to trade union representatives and is reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Congress in conjunction with UCD and NCI also offers the opportunity for members, who have undergone some level of study, to progress to full third programmes, part time over a fixed period of time. These programmes include a two year NCI Certificate in Trade Union Studies, a four year BBS from the Quinn School of Business in UCD and a one year Certificate in Safety and Health at Work through UCD. In addition SIPTU College offer a HETAC Advanced Shop Stewards Course which is run on a block release basis over 30 days.
Congress Education and Training Courses 2010
The Congress Education and Training Courses are designed as a pathway to learning for all trade union members, and to act as a building block to attract and support the new trade union activist, the experienced trade union activist, the newly appointed full-time official, or the official who wishes to improve their skills base.
Our training calender is active during two three month periods March, April and May; and September, October and November. The training is designed as both a compliment and support to our Affiliate Unions own training courses. All of our courses are designed to allow for modification to suit both individual unions and the various sectors they represent. Some courses are held on a non-consecutive basis to faciliate release from work. Below we give a brief discription of our training courses. Further information is available from Mary Twohig at ICTU, 31-32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, email mary.twohig@ictu.ie or telephone 01 8897723.