Not every student leaves school knowing exactly what they want to do. Others start a course and discover that it isn’t the right fit, or find themselves without the qualifications they need to take the next step.
For one Ballina student, a free Level 4 training programme provided that next step – eventually leading her to further education and her own beauty and aesthetics business in Sligo.
Local woman, Ruslana, completed the Technical Skills for Employment LTI programme in 2023, delivered by FIT (Fastrack into Information Technology) in partnership with Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB). Having started plenty of uncertainty on what to do next, she went on to achieve further qualifications in beauty therapy and advanced aesthetics before establishing her own business.
“It was the first course I completed in Ireland,” Ruslana said. “The course taught me so much and showed me that nothing is impossible.”
Finding a direction beyond the classroom
The Technical Skills for Employment programme is a 39-week, full-time Local Training Initiative (LTI) delivered in Ballina, Co. Mayo. The free QQI Level 4 programme is designed for people who want to explore career options, develop practical skills and improve their opportunities for employment or further education.
While the course has a particular focus on manufacturing, learners also develop a broad range of transferable skills through modules including communications, teamwork, customer service, workplace safety, career planning and work experience.
These are skills that can be carried into a wide range of careers and can help learners progress into employment, apprenticeships or further education.
For Ruslana, the programme became the starting point for a different career path. Having already gained some experience in beauty in Ukraine, she decided to continue her education in an area she was passionate about.
After completing the Level 4 programme in Ballina, she progressed into further education in Beauty Therapy, going on to achieve additional qualifications in Tubbercurry and Dublin, including Level 5 and Level 6 training in advanced aesthetic treatments.
Today, she runs her own small beauty and aesthetics studio in Sligo, working with clients in a career she loves.
Reflecting on her time in Ballina, she says: “I will always be grateful to everyone in FIT and the training centre for their patience, encouragement and helped me believe I could achieve my goals.”
An opportunity to take the next step
Ruslana’s journey may resonate with others who aren’t sure what to do after school, have started a course that wasn’t right for them or want to return to education but don’t yet have the qualifications to progress.
The Technical Skills for Employment programme offers a practical way to build those foundations. The course is fully funded, with no previous experience required. Learners gain practical skills, work experience and receive one-to-one support and guidance from the programme coordinators.
The next Technical Skills for Employment programme starts on 23rd of November in Ballina and applications are now open through the FIT website.
