Facilitation
The EDI Centre has always collaborated with various organizations to host an array of training programs. These programs encompass a wide range of subjects, including ASIST, SafeTALK, Biopharma and Med-Technologies, Certificate in Operations, Quality and Lean Management, Security, SafePass, Patient Moving and Handling, Care Skills, Care of the Older Person, Healthcare Support, Warehousing, First Aid Response, ICDL and Human Resources Management, and many more.
About Us
Since we were established in 1998 the EDI Centre has offered a diverse selection of Adult Education and training courses.
Some of our current courses include:
We Can Quit: This extremely successful free programme is designed to assist people in quitting smoking,providing one-to-one support and free stop-smoking medication. More information can be found on our We Quit page or by vising the Slaintecare Healthy Communities section on the HSE website.
Healthy Food Made Easy: This highly popular free 6 week course comprises 2 – 2 ½ hour sessions per week. It aims to promote healthy eating, enhance nutritional knowledge for home meal preparation, and budget friendly healthy meal options. Find more details on our HFME page or by vising the Slaintecare Healthy Communities section on the HSE website.
Past Courses
Over the years we have delivered several hugely successful courses including:
REVAMP Training Project
This social enterprise focused on furniture recycling and reuse to reduce waste won the AONTAS Star Award in 2010. It provided training in woodworking, upholstery, tiling, and furniture restoration.
Revamp 3R Furniture Store evolved from this the focus of their work is furniture repair and restoration. The 3RStore demonstrates the multiple benefits of reuse and recycling by providing quality furniture at affordable prices.
Traditional Skills in Conservation
Our 12-month SQA accredited program covered skills such as stonework, lime plastering, decorative plasterwork, natural slating, leadwork, welding and scagliola. Participants were involved in the restoration of cottages at Connolly Barracks in Longford Town. This unique training programme, which ran in 2013/2014, was the first of its kind in Ireland.
This unique programme was developed by Longford Revamp Homes Ltd and funded by LCRL under the Rural Development Programme (RDP). Sweeney Architects were contracted for delivery and all tutors are craftspeople within their field. Tutors included: Pat McAfee, Stonemason and author of many books and Kevin Holbrook, Decorative Plasterwork has been featured on a number of TV programmes and has contributed to many books on the subject matter.
BA degree in Business, Enterprise and Community Development
We facilitated a BA degree program in partnership with Equal Ireland through Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). This course was carried out over 2 years and consisted of 8 modules.
Disability Activation Project (DACT)
The Training Options program targeted the Border, Midlands, and Western (BMW) region and provided training and skills upgrades to people with disabilities. The training was provided by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions through its national network of resource centres and was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection (DSP). The Training Options programme was formally launched by the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, in the EDI Centre.
Momentum – Warehousing
A government initiative under “Pathways to Work”that provided free education and training projects for up to 6,500 individuals, including training in customer service, personal effectiveness, business computing, Forklift Driving, Manual Handling and Safe Pass.
Momentum was administered by FÁS and funded by the Department of Education & Skills through the ESF supported Labour Market Education & Training Fund (LMETF).
Live Longer and Prosper
This program empowered individuals and communities to improve their health and develop better partnerships between agencies and communities. The programme consisted of Healthy Eating, Gentle Exercise, Socialising and Health Promotion Speakers and was supported by LCDC, Dept of Health and Pobal.
Digital Skills
Funded through the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment this course aimed to support individuals to get online and utilize the internet effectively. The course consisted of 10 hours of free IT training.
Longford Engineering Pre-apprenticeship
Launched in 2016, this full-time initiative provided practical training in subjects like milling and turning, technical drawing, and workplace safety. This initiative was funded by LWETB and Athlone Training Centre.
Catering/Lifeskills
Participants received training in short-order cooking, kitchen skills, customer service, meal service, and food hygiene. This initiative was funded by LWETB and Athlone Training Centre.
Some other courses we have delivered over the years include:
Sewing and Fashion Design, Benefit 3 and Benefit 4, Manual Handling, First Aid, Equal Skills, Fire Safety Training, ECDL, STEPS to Excellence, RAPID Programme, Maximising Your Options, Food and Cookery and Pre-Employment Programmes.
In the past the EDI Centre also delivered a number of FETAC and later QQI certified courses in subjects such as Payroll, Reception Skills, Career Preparation, Bookkeeping, Train the Trainer, Health and Safety Awareness, Culinary Skills, Creative Hairstyling, Computer Literacy and Floor and Wall Tiling.
Testimonials from Past Learners
I successfully completed the Traditional & Conservation Skills Training, Level 5 at EDI Centre. I successfully gained employment with Oldstone Conservations, where I am now Site Manager, overseeing a number of prestigious conservation projects, i.e. GPO, Trinity College, Dame Street and currently a large residential house in Dublin
Long-term unemployed with no life structure. Attended pre-employment in EDI Centre where I received confidence building one-one mentoring, job preparation and interview skills and techniques and upskilling. Now in full time employment for 17 years and proud father of three adorable children and partner.
Before I started the pre apprenticeship course, I was working part time in the cash and carry in Longford. I enjoy doing the course, its interesting. I also like doing it at the edi centre. I hope to do an SNA course after the pre apprenticeship course and I believe that this course has prepared me to do so.
EDI courses helped me to gain adequate qualification in catering which is a corner stone for my career and helped me to stand up as independent person. The centre is an adequate and friendly environment where each person is treated with dignity and respect no matter what your background is
Since completing Catering & Life skills course in EDI Centre, I have progressed to AIT and in year 2 of Degree in hospitality management. Catering & life skills course was beneficial as it helped to improve my confidence & prepare me for college. Since then I have travelled to France and Malaysia with college and also secured employment in 4-star hotels in Westport, and Cyprus
Unable to complete 3rd level course, I attended the first catering and life skill programme in EDI Centre, I found my niche, on completion I completed further training. I travelled abroad and worked in a 4* hotel for 5 years and I also had the opportunity to go on-board a cruise ship for 6 months, since returning to Ireland I am now in management position in 4* hotel.
