Applications to ECO-UNESCO’s newest initiative, Green Pathways, is now open to all young, unemployed job seekers under the age of 25. The six month programme, which is part of the newly launched Momentum initiative, aims to train and progress participants onto employment in the green economy.
Green industry is set to be a key growth sector for Ireland over the next decade. Through Green Pathways, ECO-UNESCO, the country’s leading environmental educational and youth organisation, will train and certify 80 participants, enabling them to take full advantage of green employment opportunities as they arise.
The focus of the Green Pathways programme is to build strong environmental, business, communications and leadership skills. Participants chose one of three pathways: the Green Leader path, the Green Enterprise path or the Green Youth & Community path. Through a programme of intensive learning, work-placements and project work, participants will achieve a FETAC-accredited qualification that will make them uniquely employable in the future.
Commenting on the initiative, ECO-UNESCO’s Executive Director Elaine Nevin said, “Green Pathways is an exciting and ambitious addition to our catalogue of educational initiatives. It’s aimed at getting young people out working and making them employment-ready once they finish. Youth unemployment is a serious problem in Ireland, we have one of the highest percentages of unemployed young people in Europe. Green Pathways will be an amazing opportunity for young people and will provide them with the security of employment in a growing, sustainable sector.”
ECO-UNESCO has been a FETAC accredited centre since 2005 and its headquarters, “the Greenhouse” is a dedicated training building in Dublin. The organisation has developed and provided a range of training courses aimed at up skilling young people in areas such as environmental auditing and impact practices, education and facilitation methodologies, systems thinking and sustainable development practice.
Green Pathways will begin in February 2013. For more information about the project and how you can sign up, visit www.ecounesco.ie.
