Significant capital investment to enhance further education and training services in Athlone has been announced by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris.
Deputy Harris made the announcement during a visit to the existing Athlone Training Centre facility on Monday, afternoon, the investment ultimately realising a state of the art education facility on the existing campus.
The announcement on Monday morning forms part of a first phase of projects to be advanced under the national Further Education and Training (FET ) Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund (SIUF ).
“Today marks another important day as we announce another key investment in regional further education and training provision.
“We are announcing a significant investment for further education and training in Athlone which will see the creation a new FET centre next to the existing Athlone Training Centre. This will enable the consolidation of existing services to one central location and provide a more campus education feel for our learners. It will provide for a more enhanced provision of services and additional capacity to meet head on the rising demand.
“I want to acknowledge the work of Longford Westmeath ETB in getting us to this stage. This investment announced today demonstrates their on-going commitment to the FET provision in the Athlone and surrounding regions.
“This investment will ensure that learners and staff will have a fit for purpose facility and provide a pipeline for students to continue their training/studies.
“Learners are at the centre of all further education and training. Investment in Further education and training benefits our learners, giving them a better chance to give a job, opportunities to progress to other education and training opportunities, and to gain the transversal skills that will enable them to fulfil their ambitions, and contribute fully to the economy and society,” Deputy Harris asserted.
Funding for this project will be provided through SOLAS to LWETB. The project announced today will now move forward to the appointment of a design team, with a view to development of a more detailed project brief in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
“Further Education and Training has a unique and special value both for learners and for our communities - and learners and communities in Athlone deserve cutting edge facilities and equipment. This announcement of capital funding is a welcome step that will mean that FET facilities there reflect the modern, dynamic nature of FET provision in 2022.
“The ambitious scale of vision set out in the national FET strategy, Future FET: Transforming Learning, is being met by suitably ambitious investment. This funding will enable nationally coordinated and strategic action that will form the foundation of FET Colleges of the Future; greatly expand capacity; build up our national skills portfolio; strengthen pathways through and from FET; and most importantly, best serve the FET learners of today and tomorrow. This investment in capital is an investment in the future of FET – and most importantly, an investment in the future of the many learners in the Midlands region that it will directly benefit,” Mr Brownlee stated.
“LWETB is delighted with the news of this significant capital investment facilitating the provision of additional teaching, learning and skills development spaces on our centre here in Athlone.
“This investment will allow us to build on the excellent services we currently provide and ensure that all our learners have opportunity to reach their potential, progress to further or higher education or employment,” Liz Lavery, Chief Executive Officer of LWETB, concluded.
