Learner Supports
All learners are encouraged, upon application for admission, to disclose any special needs or disabilities they may have, in order that appropriate supports or reasonable accommodations may be put in place. Where such a disclosure is made, an appropriate staff member will meet the learner to discuss the nature of the supports that may be required. Depending on the nature of those supports, and the centre in which the course is being delivered, that staff member may be the centre manager/deputy centre manager, guidance counsellor, the FE/course coordinator, or the class teacher. The nature of the supports may vary from one-to-one learning supports around additional literacy or maths needs, other additional tutoring where this may be required or other reasonable accommodations, such as extra time in an exam or reader/scribes. Every effort is made to accommodate learner with disabilities or specific needs.
New guidelines around reasonable accommodations are being developed by the ETBI Assessment Procedures Working Group, and these will be introduced as common WWETB policy on reasonable accommodations.
Learners in full time training programmes, PLC, Youthreach, VTOS, or BTEI may be eligible for low-cost childcare under the Childcare in Education and Training Scheme (CETS), operated by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA).
Learner Information
All WWETB learners should receive an induction session in which they receive general information about the centre, as well as course-specific information such as modules to be covered, the course calendar and timetable, assessments and assessment deadlines, centre attendance policies and procedures, assessment policies and procedures, supports available to learners, SUSI grants, code of conduct, complaints procedure and other relevant information. These induction sessions are facilitated and managed by the local centre. In most cases centres and programmes have locally developed Learner Handbooks.
Upon receiving notification of final results, learners are informed of their right to appeal their grade in accordance with the WWETB Appeals Policy.
Learner Guidance
The WWETB Adult Guidance Service offers educational and career guidance counselling to both public and WWETB learners. This facilitates learners to make informed decisions about accessing education and training, transferring within, and progressing from WWETB.
The WWETB Adult Guidance Service employs 3 Adult Guidance Counsellors and 2 Information Officers across service.
Learner Feedback
Learner feedback is an essential element to the life cycle of a course within WWETB. Feedback is sought for most courses through mid-term and end-of-term evaluations, and the information gathered can be used to address issues arising throughout the course, and informs future iterations of the course. In addition, learners can raise any concerns or feedback they may have with either the course teacher or course coordinator at any time between the formal feedback opportunities. Currently there is no process to review learner feedback at ETB-level on a systematic basis.
Learner Complaints
WWETB has a Code of Practice for dealing with Complaints made by Parent/s, Guardian/s of a Student or by a Student (who has reached the age of eighteen). Training Services currently has a separate Customer Charter and Customer Complaint Form.