Mallow College of Further Education will be sending 15 learners to Granada, Spain on an Erasmus + mobility trip. Our learners will be hosted by Universal Mobility, and the focus will be on work placement. This will go towards their QQI level 6 work experience component and account for 40% of this 15 credit module. In addition, a secondary focus will be on experiencing new cultures and breaking through national stereotypes. The group will be mentored on their 15-day mobility by John Healy, Director of Adult Education and Denis Healy, Principal.
The 15 learners that have been selected come from three different course areas:
- Business Administration QQI Level 6
- Childcare and Special Needs QQI Level 6
- Health and Social Studies QQI Level 6
The 15 learners are as follows:
| 1 | Tracey Cooney | Business Administration |
| 2 | Patrick Moylan | Business Administration |
| 3 | Nicole Dobson | Business Administration |
| 4 | Nicole Marciniak | Business Administration |
| 5 | Patrick O Sullivan | Business Administration |
| 6 | Sharon Kiely | Business Administration |
| 7 | Erika Stratijciuk | Childcare & SNA |
| 8 | Grainne Moroney | Childcare & SNA |
| 9 | Sabrina Jehan | Childcare & SNA |
| 10 | Ciara Cross | Childcare & SNA |
| 11 | Stephanie Aguirre | Childcare & SNA |
| 12 | Kathlyn Walsh | Childcare & SNA |
| 13 | Samantha Fernihough | Childcare & SNA |
| 14 | Similo Dube | Health & Social Studies |
| 15 | Fiona Woods | Health & Social Studies |
The learners have completed a 6-week conversational Spanish course and will be sharing their experiences each day online through blogs.
The objectives and learning outcomes of the mobility are as follows:
- Putting the theory learnt from the learner’s academic sector into practice
- Gaining cultural awareness and real-life industry skills.
- Each learner will be able to contribute more to the learning outcomes as per prescribed by QQI in their work experience module. The following learning outcomes would be greatly enhanced by this project:
- Examine work organisations and personal career opportunities in a particular vocational area, to include consideration of work-related issues and needs.
- Analyse key challenges and opportunities facing a particular vocational area.
- Summarise the basic rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in a particular work, organisational or institutional context, to include health, safety and welfare at work, equality legislation, union representation and regulations relating to pay.
- Compile a personal and vocational skills audit and career plan for a specific vocational area, to include goals and action points for the period of work experience.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills in the workplace, to include personal, interpersonal and technological communication skills.
- Reflect on workplace experiences, to include feedback by supervisor(s) or mentor(s) on personal performance and challenges such as conflict, criticism, meeting new people and learning in relation to quality management.
- Explore options for future education, training and employment in light of work experience.
The following are our anticipated impact on learners:
- higher results.
- upgrading vocational competencies.
- establishing links with industries in Spain.
- breaking national stereotypes.
- becoming more independent and boosting self-esteem.
- the raising of cultural awareness.
- the raising of self-confidence.
- Achieve academic credits in their work experience module which forms 15 credits of their QQI course.
The anticipated impact on Mallow College and stakeholders is as follows:
- the capability of performing at the international level.
- better management.
- implementation of strategies in the scope of training for young people.
- improvement of cooperation with other partners.
- potential to attract new learners using both online course and new Erasmus motilities.
- broaden the culture of the college.
- developing international links.
We look forward to following the journey of learners on this exciting Erasmus + mobility programme.