EPIC Programme Graduation Ceremony, 30th October 2012
30/10/2012
The EPIC Programme, operated on behalf of the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration by Business in the Community (BITC), is a training project for EU immigrants and non-EU immigrants with Stamp 4.
The EPIC Programme is co-funded (50% by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration and 50% by the European Social Fund (ESF). It is funded initially from the Department of Justice and Equality's Vote and 50% is later recouped from the ESF. The total budget for 2012 is €500,000.
Number of Participants to Date
To date, the EPIC programme has impacted the lives of over 1300 people from 93 nationalities. 69% of the clients have found jobs or entered further training or are volunteering.
There are two main elements to EPIC, the first being a six week training module and the second, one to one individual support with a Training and Employment Officer.
Training module:
- Pre Employment and English for Work Training (3 weeks) – Professional English for the workplace, CV and cover letter writing techniques; identifying and describing skills; telephone skills for job interviews and in the workplace; advice on how to look for a job
- Interview Skills Training (1 week)-intensive interview preparation including different tips, skills and techniques. Each client attends a mock interview with CPL, a leading Dublin based recruitment agency
- Living and Working in Ireland Training (2 weeks) – information sessions on a variety of themes to facilitate networking, understanding of the Irish system and to promote social integration. Topics covered include employment rights and entitlements, social welfare, access to education and healthcare. This included a presentation on “Understanding the Irish Political System” provided by Damien English, TD for Meath West.
- IT Skills Training (2 days) –focusing on the use of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This is supported by British Telecom.
- Using Social Media to find employment. This is supported by Ericsson
One-To-One Individual Support with Training and Employment Officers (TEOs):
TEOs with expertise and wide experience in career advice and job placement provide one-to-one support sessions on the various steps in seeking new employment or education. They support with CV and interview preparation, psychometric testing, coaching for interviews as well as working with the participant to source and secure further education or employment.EPIC helps clients in terms of improving their English, their job seeking skills, raising their motivation and confidence, increasing their understanding of Irish culture and the work environment; building their networks and promoting overall social integration.
In addition to the financial support which the EPIC programme receives from the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration, including co-financing from the ESF, BITC collaborate with 8 companies and 7 NGOs and are working on increasing its networks. The partners provide their expertise for the training and also work placements for the target group. The training is provided free of charge and results in a substantial saving to the State.
BITC is a non-profit organisation specialising in advice and guidance to leading companies in Ireland on corporate responsibility and corporate community involvement. It is a business driven network, with major social initiatives. Its membership is drawn from a range of Irish companies.
