About Us - Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre

Welcome to Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre

Foreword from Helen Kavanagh | Centre Director

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre. The Centre is dedicated to providing adults with further or ‘second chance’ education and training opportunities. Its ethos is consistent with the profile of its learner population, meaning that its focal point is on the active participation of the learner in the decision making process.

Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre is focused on providing an environment of study that will enrich the quality of life for both learners and teachers. It also concentrates on enabling learners to engage in life-long learning. I hope you will all get involved in the Centre’s activities, as this participation is a great way of getting to know other learners in the Centre with similar interests.

You are all encouraged to be involved in accepting responsibility for your own learning. We are proud of our record of academic success, the support we give our learners, the progression rates to third level institutions and to employment and the excellence of the facilities available in the Centre.

The Centre operates under the auspices of Laois & Offaly ETB and in accordance with the regulations of SOLAS and the Department of Education and Skills.

Finally, do not hesitate to contact any member of staff if you encounter any problems or difficulties.

I wish you every success for the future.

Helen Kavanagh – Centre Director

Further Education and Training

At Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre we offer a wide and flexible selection of programmes, which provides the learner with numerous developmental pathways into further/higher education and employment. Under our flexible further education programmes the learner has the option to study part-time through the Back To Education Initiative (BTEI), or full-time on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS/PLC). Abbeyleix Further Education and Training Centre is registered with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). We offer programmes that lead to QQI awards on the National Framework of Qualifications and therefore offer a range of courses at QQI level 3, level 4, Level 5 and level 6.

Testimonials

Read what our past students have to say about their experience with the Healthcare Programme courses at Abbeyleix FETC

“Returning to education was a new beginning for me. I initially studied QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies at Abbeyleix FETC and worked for a number of years in the childcare sector. When I saw a QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support course advertised in 2017-2018, I decided to merge my former learning and skills, with my intention of securing employment as a healthcare assistant. Thankfully with the encouragement and support from all staff including my teachers, my time here was truly enjoyable. Making new friends to whom I’m still in contact with was such an added bonus. By following my choice of career as a healthcare assistant, through my studies at Abbeyleix FETC, I found that it gave me courage to seek employment again. I now work as a healthcare assistant for the CPL agency. I am based between The Irish Prison Service, Portlaoise and the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore. I find myself referring and reflecting back upon the skills and theory that I have learnt in Abbeyleix FETC on a daily basis. This learning and knowledge will stay with me for my life time. Abbeyleix FETC has given me the opportunity to follow the path of my choice of career and secure employment. Attending Abbeyleix FETC was a fantastic experience for me and it has given me the confidence in myself in which I felt I had lost. Thank you so much for your enormous support and encouragement to keep me going. I am truly grateful to all of the staff at Abbeyleix FETC. I wish you and all upcoming students the very best of luck in the future.”