December 2007: The EPIC Programme announces results of its Pilot Phase

The results of BITCI's EPIC (Employment of Parents of Irish Born Children) programme were officially announced today, (Thursday, December 6th) at a reception held for the most recent graduates at an event in Dublin city centre. At the event, the Chair of the EPIC programme, Steve Costello announced that 70% of participants on the programme went on to start employment or entered further training and education. Managed by Business in the Community Ireland, EPIC is a pilot programme, started in September 2006, which has been designed specifically to support parents of Irish born children, particularly lone parents from non-EU countries, to access quality employment, training and education. This pilot programme was funded by the NDP Gender Equality Unit and by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform. The EPIC programme is a 6 week training module comprising English skills and a Life and Work skills course, whereby participants receive information and training on a wide variety of topics to orientate them for living in Ireland such as employment rights, entrepreneurship, time management and cultural awareness. Clients then work with dedicated Training and Employment officers to access further training or enter employment. The success of the programme is evident by the present number of successful placements. During the 15 months of the Dublin only pilot phase, 194 people have completed the training and were assigned a Training and Employment Officer. Of these, 95 were placed in employment and 40 are currently in further education and training. Jobs have been secured mostly in retail, healthcare and customer service and clients are primarily from African nations such as Nigeria, Congo and Kenya. Speaking at today's event, Mr. Steve Costello, Chair, EPIC Steering Group, commented, “We are delighted with the results of the pilot programme and look forward to exploring how this initiative could be rolled out nationally. Through EPIC, businesses in Ireland are able to make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants by providing employment while at the same time reaping the rewards of having a diverse and skilled workforce.” For further information, contact Moira Horgan, Marketing Communications Manager at 01 874 7232, or mhorgan@bitc.ie