DERRY City and Strabane District Council, in conjunction with the North West Regional College, are offering local people the chance to enhance their employment and education prospects in just four short weeks by studying for a GCSE equivalent level qualification in mathematics next month.
The Kickstart Maths Course is open to anyone resident in the Council area and prepares students to sit City and Guild Level 1 and 2 exams in the subject.
Mentoring and Employment Officer at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Eileen McGrinder, noted the course would allow candidates to meet the criteria to apply for jobs and further education.
“This course has given hundreds of local people a helping hand in achieving their career and education goals over the years,” she said.
“On this occasion we have shortened the course length so students can complete it over the summer and be eligible for courses that begin at the start of term time in September.
“It could also help candidates who are more than capable of doing jobs and have good experience but don’t have the necessary qualifications on paper to apply for the positions they want.”
Course candidates are mentored by a member of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Kickstart team who can provide one to one tuition for students where necessary and provide extra guidance to candidates who may have been out of a classroom environment for some time.
The class will be held every Monday and Tuesday from July 3rd until July 25th with the final exam set for July 28th.
Classes will be held at the North West Regional College’s Strand Road campus where Mathematics Tutor Morgan Walsh says the course has had a notable effect on student’s confidence levels over the years.
“It can be intimidating for people who have been out of institutional education to go back into a classroom but we try and remove the barriers at every stage.
“The groups we have taken all have the shared goal of achieving the qualifications and they have worked well together in encouraging each other to successfully complete the course.
“Most of the candidates never expected to be back in a classroom environment to study maths but they were surprised how much they enjoyed the experience.
“The course is relatively short and the longer it goes on the more they grow in confidence and are able to grasp the concepts being taught.”
Council are currently gauging demand for a similar fast track course for a GCSE equivalent level qualification in English.
Anyone wishing to register their interest for either course contact Eileen McGrinder at [email protected], call 028 71 308466 or text 075 952 162 49 for more information.
The closing date for the maths course is 29th June, places are limited and offered on a first come first served basis.
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