A total of 750 places on 17 new graduate skills conversion programmes throughout the State were announced by the Government today as part of an Information Communications Technology (ICT) action plan.
Applications can be made through the Bluebrick web site for courses which will begin in March.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn told a press conference in Government Buildings that that participation in the programme would be fully subsidised by his department, with no fees charged.
“We need to take action to develop a sustainable domestic supply of high level ICT skills over time to drive the further expansion and development of the sector and support innovation and growth across other sectors of the economy,’’ he added.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said the Government’s plan to get jobs and growth back into the country would have no “big bang’’ solution, but would require transformation across all sectors and a brick-by-brick rebuilding of the economy.
A key part of this would be to get the greatest possible benefit from existing strengths, he added.