Adult students, including web designers, interior designers, and media and film studies students, have undertaken a restoration of an old 32 foot Galway hooker.
It is part of their work experience on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, which is run by the City of Galway VEC, and designed to offer adults in Galway the chance to return to full-time education and training while still retaining their social welfare benefits. The scheme is open to anyone over 21 who has been unemployed for six months or more.
The restoration of the Galway hooker, one of many work placement programmes available to VTOS students, teaches people how to restore the boats, sail them, and teaches the importance of history and tradition and its relevance in the modern world.
Design students from VTOS are currently designing and building the website and brochures as part of the project, which they hope to launch early next month, while students from the VTOS media and film studies course are documenting the build on video. The ‘Claddagh Boatmen’, who are spearheading this project, hope to launch the hooker in time for the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway, while those participating in the project are acquiring new skills to help them re-enter the work place.
VTOS co-ordinator Anne Corrigan says the progammes enables adults to up-skill and retrain in a wide variety of areas, improving their abilities and also their CV.
“Our students really enjoy the work placement element of our courses. We provide them with retraining, new skills and the experience they need to gain employment."
VTOS is holding an an open day on Thursday March 15 to showcase some of the students' work and will provide information for those hoping to re-enter the working world.
The open day takes place from 4pm to 8 pm at the VTOS campus in Merchants Square, Merchants Road, Galway.
All VTOS courses are certified by FETAC and are offered to those in receipt of benefits free of charge. VTOS offers a diverse range of courses such as television and film production, media/sound engineering, liberal arts, IT, business administration skills, interior design, visual communication and design, and childcare and community care. Participants may also be eligible for training bonuses, travel and meal allowance, and childcare payments.
For more information on the upcoming open evening and the courses available contact 091 566885 or log onto www.cgvec.ie/vtos To follow the progress the VTOS students are making in the restoration project, log onto www.claddag hboatmen.com.
