Co-ops launch online learning programmes...for free

A series of free online and blended learning initiatives are to be rolled out to support the cooperative sector, its members and their families, according to ICOS Skillnet.

The learning and development division of the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society (ICOS) announced the initiative to help people during the current Covid-19 public health emergency and onwards into the future.

Free online programmes

ICOS Skillnet is offering 22 online programmes free of charge – not only to co-op members and their staff, but also to their families, their farmer members and their respective families too.

The learning and development division of ICOS has also added nine free online programmes, including courses relating to: Business Management; Corporate Governance; Financial Reporting; Bullying and Harassment Prevention; Good Manufacturing Practice; An Introduction to Continuous Improvement in Manufacturing; Lean and Waste Reduction; Quality Improvement; and also Maintaining Improvements.

These are also now available on the ICOS Skillnet online learning platform, the co-op organisation said.

‘Virtual classroom training sessions’

Billy Goodburn, head of learning and development at ICOS Skillnet, outlined that the division has worked with some of its training providers and is now offering a series of virtual classroom training sessions for industry.

Some of these include: Covid-19 Mitigation Strategy for the Food Industry (a one-day course); Setting Remote Working up for Success (two-day course); Successfully Managing Remote Working (two-day course); and Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience during Covid-19 (two-hour course).

“We are also working with UCC [University College Cork] to make some of their more technical programmes, that we already deliver, available through virtual classrooms,” Goodburn added.

“We have also developed a top tips list for remote workers for employers and for employees.

“Additionally, we have received funding to support industry with their training needs (from April inclusive to June 30) at a rate of 100%, with no matching funding requirements, in areas such as business continuity, management development, eCommerce including online retail, and future requirements post-Covid-19 in terms of skills development for long-term sustainability.

“This is a new fund made available by Skillnet Ireland who is providing very meaningful and practical supports at this difficult time for industry.”

Masters in Cooperative and Social Enterprise

Concluding, Goodburn revealed that ICOS Skillnet, in conjunction with UCC’s Institute of Cooperative Studies, will be launching a new online Masters in Cooperative and Social Enterprise for ICOS cooperative members.

This will be a two-year online programme with first enrolments starting in May 2020 and the programme starting in September 2020.

“This is a new initiative which we have been working on since before the Covid-19 crisis began. It couldn’t be more timely now at this stage and we are delighted to work with UCC in bringing this important new programme to the co-operative sector.”