Digital centre to train 700 unemployed

Minister of State John Curran at the launch of the digital centre in St Teresa's Gardens, Dublin, with (from left) IT teacher Kris Taylor and (centre) Chelsea O'Toole, Patricia Hanlon, Daniel McCabe (8) and Megan Hanlon (3).
Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

A NEW digital education and recreation centre, which aims to train 600-700 unemployed or underemployed people and to have "at least 50" of them in full-time jobs in the next year, was opened yesterday in Dublin's inner city.

The digital centre, in the St Teresa's Gardens flat complex, was opened by the Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, John Curran. Equipped with new computers and high-speed broadband, it is one of 25 such centres that have been established in disadvantaged areas of the inner city on the initiative of the Dublin Institute of Technology and with part-funding from Dublin City Council and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

According to Peter Byrne, digital project manager with DIT, the project aims to tackle educational disadvantage through computer training. "Everyone now needs IT training to get a job. We also give training in interview skills."

Stephen Shiels, project manager with the St Teresa's Regeneration Programme, said the hope was that residents who availed of the free training would then be able to take advantage of job opportunities that will come with the regeneration. S

Some 870 people live in the 346 flats in the complex. Mr Sheils said the regeneration was "at early planning stage".

He said participants could use credits gained there towards accessing DIT courses.

Among those planning to take the training was Patricia Hanlon, who has lived in the complex for "almost 50 years".

"I've never really wanted to do computers, but I do realise you need computers for everything. I'll be telling younger ones they have to get the training, so I thought I better do as I'll be telling them to."

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times