Erasmus Plus Exchange Programme:
This January, saw Enniscorthy Community College of Further Education and Gorey Institute of Further Education provide a unique learning opportunity to twenty-seven of its learners. The travelling party were from a disparate range of courses went to Spain and Sweden respectively, as part of the EU Erasmus exchange programme. The duration of the work experience/vocational training was three weeks and the cost of travel, accommodation and subsistence for the time away was fully funded by Leargas.
Fifteen further education learners in courses ranging from Fitness, Health and Exercise, Engineering, Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy, Youthwork and Accountancy (Accounting Technicians of Ireland) journeyed to Malaga in southern Spain. A further 12 learners from courses encompassing Early Learning and Care (Childcare), Community Care and Social Studies, Hairdressing, Nursing, Healthcare Support and Business flew to Vasteras in Sweden. The 27 students as part of this programme were assigned work placements associated with their area of study in their respective countries. The College arranged for high quality accommodation for the groups in convenient central locations
Conscious of the importance of the educational value of experiencing new social and cultural experiences, both institutes provided a pre journey series of language and cultural preparatory classes to acclimatise the successful applicants to make the learners feel more ‘at home’ for while away.
On Sunday Jan 8 th the two groups flew out of Dublin Airport accompanied by their teachers. The following day their work placements commenced. To maintain the qualitative nature of the programme, the accompanying teachers visited the work placements to assess the performance of the learners. While in Sweden, the visitors met with and socialised with their Swedish counterparts. Many valuable professional and personal ties and friendships were forged over the course of the three weeks aways. This sense of intercultural cooperation is highlighted by the fact in mid Spring, Swedish learners will make the return journey to Ireland to complete their 3 weeks work experience here with businesses in Enniscorthy.
ECCFE (Enniscorthy Community College of Further Education) and GIFE (Gorey Institute of Further Education) see the value of the promotion of independence in our learners and giving them the chance to embrace their European identity through this vital programme. Principal Iain Wickham thanked PLC Coordinators Anita Cullen and Conor Dempsey for organising all aspects of the trip from start to finish and the teachers who travelled to both destinations.
On March 7th ECCFE will host an open day from 2pm to 6pm showcasing its programmes for 2023/24 at their modern Milehouse Road Campus. Everyone is invited to call in and speak to the Course Directors and teachers about the options available for their future and have any queries answered. The full range of courses can be viewed on our website at www.enniscorthyccfe.ie