A CTC (Community Training Centre) provides training, educational and employment related services for young people in a friendly and informal manner.
Find nearest CTCWhy a CTC?
Each CTC is owned and managed by a local community group and has a professional, highly skilled staff and modern, up-to-date facilities. CTCs are funded and supported by Solas / ETB’s and learners may qualify for a training allowance.
In Ireland today, the more qualified a person is the more likely that person is to secure a job of his or her choice, of reducing the risk of becoming unemployed again and of increasing his or her opportunities for better wages and working conditions.
CTCs have been set up with the needs of the early school leaver and the young unemployed especially in mind. The CTC provides a fresh opportunity for young persons to get national certificates at their own pace and with the assistance of friendly and supportive staff.
A Community Training Centre (CTC) provides a range of training and other supports that help young people find the job of their choice. There are 31 Community Training Centre ‘s Located around the country.
CTCs are part of YOUTHREACH which is the main response of Central Government to the needs of young people who leave school before completing the Leaving Certificate. However they operate outside of the schooling system and are operated by the local community.
CTCs are independent community-based organisations, at the cutting edge of youth development. They look after the training and employment needs of early school leavers, primarily aged between 16 and 21
What We Provide
Each learner is offered a personalised and supported programme that includes:
- An initial identification of previous achievements, current needs and interests.
- Identifying, agreeing and setting individual learning plans and goals to include personal development and ongoing exploration between the learner and CTC staff.
- Assigning a member of the CTC staff to the learner as his or her Key Worker or Mentor.
- Provision of an initial induction to or sampling of general vocational skills.
- Be offered modules of learning that enable him or her to achieve their goals.
- Pursue learning objectives to secure specific outcomes such as National Certification in one or a number of areas.
- Regular reviews between the learner and the Key Worker during which the learner can receive positive feedback and negotiate adjustments to his or her learning programme.
- Be supported in periods of suitable and complementary work experience or work based learning on an employers premises that furthers his or her career and learning goals.
- Continue to develop literacy,numeracy and communication skills related to life and work objectives.
- Be supported by CTC staff for a period of at least 6 months after formal training in the Centre is completed to help him or her adjust to life and opportunities in the workplace or further learning placement.
CTC Locations
Each CTC is owned and managed by a local community group and has a professional, highly skilled staff and modern, up-to-date facilities. CTCs are funded and supported by Solas / ETB’s and learners may qualify for a training allowance. There are 31 Community Training Centre ‘s Located around the country. To find the one nearest you, follow the link below
CTC Training Programmes
CTC training programmes are so designed that they facilitate young people to:
- Return to learning and help them prepare for employment and adult life
- Continue their personal and social development
- Focus on areas and activities where he or she can experience and build on success
- Promote a positive attitude to his or her life long learning, personal independence and responsibilities, active citizenship and social inclusion
- Provide them with the skills, knowledge and competencies required whereby he or she can to get a secure foothold in the active Labour Market and compete for work.
- CTCs offer a flexible and tailor-made program of integrated general education, vocational training and work experience.
- Learners are helped set personal and learning goals that increase their self-esteem, skill and knowledge base and employability. Course elements include Personal and Social Development, a choice of Vocational Skills and Communications Skills including Literacy and Numeracy.
Certification in CTCs
- CTCs avail of QQI major awards at level 3 and at level 4, designed to meet the training needs of learners.
- The new major awards, at levels 3 and 4, were developed to ensure CTC’s can continue to meet the needs of young people with a clear line of sight to the skills needed in today’s labour market. Each award comprises a number of modules which the learner can achieve at their own pace and accumulate over time towards one of the QQI major awards.
- They also provide certification for learners who may wish to progress to higher levels.
- The flexible format of the awards will ensure the program of learning is specifically designed to address the needs of the individual learner.
- In addition, many CTCs offer modules leading to the Junior Certificate and Applied Leaving Certificate.
