Outreach to Employment Programme

The Outreach to Employment (OTE) Programme is an integrated service approach to addressing unemployment in Limerick’s regeneration areas.

The Programme is designed to equip unemployed men and women with the skills and confidence they need to access employment, training, and progression opportunities. It is an interagency initiative, coordinated by Limerick City & County Council’s Employment Coordinator, with a range of services and projects delivered in partnership by statutory, community, and industry stakeholders.

The OTE Programme aims to promote access to opportunities for residents and reduce social inequalities by increasing access to education and learning, training, jobs, and social enterprise. Coordination of services, linkages with education institutions and industry partners, and bespoke programming all serve to create clear pathways to opportunities for personal growth, education and training, and employment. Partner organisations regularly design and trial new programmes. Some key joint initiatives include:

• Community Employment Mentor Programme: The north and south side mentors provide flexible, intensive support to individuals most distant from the labour market. The mentors meet clients “where they are” to overcome barriers to employment or training. The mentor posts are hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes CSG and Corpus Christi Family Centre and funded by Limerick City & County Council, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, and the Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP). The OTE Community Employment Mentors work within a wider network of community partners to provide guidance and support to Limerick’s disadvantaged communities.
• Community Skills Fairs: Annual, north- and southside community-based Fairs to showcase training and employment opportunities available to residents looking to begin their journey towards employment or to upskill or pivot. The Fairs are inclusive events for the communities and the wider public, with a particular focus on 5th and 6th year LCA students.
• Junior Careers Fair Programme: Targets local DEIS primary schools. Includes in-school skills fair and visits to local employers.
• Precision Engineering Pilot: The programme involves an introduction to: Measuring – imperial and metric, Reading drawings, Safety, PPE, Quality standards, Tooling & Equipment. Delivered by Moyross Youth Academy, in partnership with Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), and industry partners.
• Public Sector Business Administration Traineeship: QQI Major Award Level 5 developed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board to prepare learners for the work practices and environment of public sector bodies. Opportunities for work placements include: Limerick City and County Council, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the HSE, Department of Social Protection, TUS, University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College, and Limerick City Partnership.

If you’re an employer and you’d like to work with us, we’d love to hear from you! Employers can participate in Jobs or Skills Fairs or work with our job seekers through traineeships and job placements.

For more information, you can contact the Outreach to Employment team at outreachtoemployment@limerick.ie