SQT Blog

Today 25^th May 2011, the government announced the introduction of a new €20m multi-annual higher education fund.  The fund, entitled Springboard, is designed to provide education and training opportunities for the unemployed. 

Phase 1 totalling an investment of €5m, has just been launched and SQT is one of the Training Providers chosen to offer specific training under this fund.

The primary objective of Springboard is to help unemployed people to remain as close as possible to the labour market by accessing part-time, flexible higher education and training opportunities, to up-skill or re-skill in areas where sustainable employment opportunities may arise as the economy recovers.

There is a range of almost 200 different higher education training courses on offer, all free of charge to those who are 6 months or more unemployed (at date of course commencement).  For specific acceptance criteria and to view the courses on offer, go to the Springboard website here.

SQT’s fully funded course is our popular Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training course commencing in Dublin on 19th July.  Six  Sigma is a very successful methodology for productivity and continuous improvement which is being utilised by companies of all sizes in the Healthcare, Financial, Manufacturing and Service sectors in Ireland and beyond. 

Our 5 day workshop (delivered over 2 months), will expose delegates to a set of very powerful problem solving tools and techniques resulting in a skill set, that will help delegates to successfully contribute to real process improvement and waste elimination projects in any work environment. 

You will learn more about…

Understanding variation and waste, understanding Customer Requirements (VoC, SIPOC, CTQ), Process Mapping, Graphical Analysis using SigmaXL, Statistics of a process (Capability, Control, MSA), Cause and Effect Matrices, Root Cause Analysis, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (Predictive Risk Management), Creative thinking, Managing Change, Mistake Proofing, Process Control Plans and many more.

This new practical skill set, on top of an existing qualification or work experience, will help open new possibilities as, let’s face it, good problem solvers are needed today in EVERY industry.

So if you are thinking of re-training, don’t delay, as these 200 free training courses will all book up very fast. All bookings must be made via the Bluebrick website here.

Our tutors in the area of Quality, Environment and Health and Safety are TMS Consultancy. TMS specialise in training and consultancy in these three core areas. TMS also however maintain registers of legislation on behalf of many Irish and UK companies. This internet based service assists organisation in understanding, interpreting and reacting to their legal requirements. It dramatically reduces the implementation costs associated with such systems and allows for organisation-wide involvement.

The TMS Register of Legislation service is the only ISO 9001 certified service of its kind in Ireland.

Here is the website of their register of legislation.

The benefits for an organisation include:

• ISO14001: 2004, OHSAS 18001, ILO-OSH 2001 and EMAS Regulation compliant.
• Expert interpretation of the organisation’s exposure/liability.
• Continuous updates on new/impending legislation.
• Any staff can access expert information anywhere they need it.
• Satisfies applicable legislative/regulatory conditions.
• Links the organisation to SIs, Acts, Regulations, Directives, Codes of Practice and additional guidance.

Organisations using this service from TMS  include:

• Analog Devices
• Alps Electric
• Avid Technology
• Banta Global Turnkey
• Cadbury Ireland
• Dell Inc.
• Element Six
• ESB
• ESBI
• Glanbia
• Guidant Ireland
• Hewlett Packard
• Kerry Ingredients
• Lotus Automation
• O2 Communications
• SMC Group
• Walsh Western

More information can be obtained by contacting TMS at 061 464666 or info@registeroflegislation

My name is Jack Loughnane and I am a Transition Year student in Nenagh C.B.S. Co. Tipperary. For the last number of weeks I have been doing work experience in SQT. When asked to do a Blog I felt it would be fitting to write about the benefits of work experience.

Transition Year has given me many great opportunities throughout the year, none more so than being able to try my hand at a number of different work placements.
Our work experience takes place every Monday throughout the year, with us changing workplace every six or seven weeks. I have been lucky enough to have great variety in the different places I have worked and as a result have been able to do a number of very different jobs. These include: