Athlone Community Training Centre

What Athlone Community Training Centre does

Athlone Community Training Centre (Athlone CTC) is a private, not-for-profit community-based vocational training organisation founded in 1986 and headquartered on Lyster Street, Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland. It serves early school leavers from Athlone and the broader Midland region, delivering an 18-month employment-focused training programme across four disciplines: Hair & Beauty (VTCT Level 2 Diploma equivalent to QQI Level 4), IT & Digital Media, Catering and Hospitality, and Science & Engineering. Successful completion yields QQI Level 3 (Junior Certificate equivalent) and QQI Level 4 (Leaving Certificate equivalent) major awards on the National Framework of Qualifications, together with work experience placements and structured career preparation.

The centre operates as a single-site training academy with no proprietary technology platform; delivery is in-person and instructor-led, supported by FÁS/Solas bus transport that collects trainees from major towns across the Midland region. Since 1986, approximately 1,250 young people have passed through the centre, with outcomes spanning apprenticeship, employment, further training, and educational course progression. The centre is accredited by QQI and VTCT, and supplements its domestic programmes with international Youth Exchanges involving multiple European countries.

Revenue is generated primarily through government grants from FÁS/Solas and the Department of Social Protection under Ireland's Further Education and Training framework, supplemented indirectly by FET Training Allowances paid to trainees. There is no tuition revenue from learners, no disclosed commercial customers, and no venture or private-equity funding. The organisation is governed by a Board of Management chaired by Andrew Haran, with Colin Flanagan serving as General Manager. The centre is not a technology company and has no AI, software, or digital product line beyond consumer-level digital skills taught within its IT & Digital Media programme.

Name

Athlone Community Training Centre

Legal name

Athlone Community Training Centre

Website

https://athlonectc.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Athlone Community Training Centre is an Irish not-for-profit, founded in 1986, that delivers QQI-accredited vocational training in Hair & Beauty, IT & Digital Media, Catering & Hospitality, and Science & Engineering to early school leavers across the Midland region, funded through FÁS/Solas and the Department of Social Protection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAKAO

Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Career Readiness & Employability Skills (Resume, Interview, Workplace Skills)

Keywords

• Vocational training programmes
• Further education training
• QQI accredited courses
• Apprenticeship preparation
• Early school leavers

Headquarters

HQ city

Athlone

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded Training: The centre receives government funding through FÁS/Solas and the Department of Social Protection to provide vocational training to early school leavers. Trainees may receive FET Training Allowances based on their circumstances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Athlone Community Training Centre is a community-based Further Education and Training (FET) centre that delivers 18-month vocational training programmes for early school leavers in Athlone and the Irish Midlands. It offers four QQI Level 3 and Level 4 accredited courses — Hair & Beauty (with VTCT Level 2 Diploma), IT & Digital Media, Catering & Hospitality, and Science & Engineering — combining classroom instruction with work experience placements and career preparation. The centre is funded through FÁS/Solas and the Department of Social Protection, and supports trainees with regional bus transport services.

Product overview

Athlone Community Training Centre is a vocational training provider offering a unified portfolio of four main training programmes at QQI levels 3 and 4: Hair & Beauty Course (VTCT Level 2 Diploma equivalent), IT & Digital Media, Catering and Hospitality, and Science & Engineering. These programmes are designed for early school leavers, providing nationally recognised qualifications equivalent to Junior Certificate (Level 3) and Leaving Certificate (Level 4), along with 18 months of employment-focused training and work placement experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hair & Beauty Course Vocational training programme equipping learners with hairdressing, makeup application, manicure, and pedicure skills, leading to the VTCT Level 2 Diploma (equivalent to QQI Level 4). Designed for early school leavers seeking employment in the hair and beauty sector.
• IT & Digital Media QQI Level 4 programme providing employment-focused skills in computer applications, database management, spreadsheets, graphics, and digital media including video production. Designed for early school leavers seeking IT/digital roles.
• Catering and Hospitality Comprehensive catering programme preparing learners for careers in restaurants, hotels, delis, and cafes, covering culinary operations, nutrition, baking, pastry, and food safety. Designed for early school leavers pursuing hospitality careers.
• Science & Engineering Course Technical programme preparing learners for entry-level positions in manufacturing and industrial settings, covering engineering workshop skills, milling, turning, electronics, and technical drawing. Designed for early school leavers pursuing engineering/industrial roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1,250 young people trained since 1986 with successful outcomes in apprenticeships, employment, and further education progression.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FÁS/SolascoreOthersGovernment employment and training agency that funds and supports vocational training centres. Provides bus transport services for trainees from across the Midland region to the FAS Centre in Garrycastle, with shuttle service to Athlone CTC.
• QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland)coreOthersNational awards body that validates the centre's training programmes. Provides certification for QQI Level 3 and Level 4 qualifications on the National Framework of Qualifications.
• VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust)coreOthersUK-based awarding organization. The centre delivers the VTCT Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing (equivalent to QQI Level 4) for the Hair & Beauty programme.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Springboard+: Government-funded, SOLAS-managed upskilling initiative offering free/ subsidised courses (including IT and hospitality-adjacent) to jobseekers and returners — a broader FET alternative that competes for the same learner wallet across Ireland.
• SOLAS: Irish State Agency that funds and oversees the 16 ETBs and the CTC network, including Athlone CTC. Sets strategic direction for national FET provision and is the umbrella body for the sector in which the centre operates.

Regional players

• Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board: Adjacent Midlands ETB offering FET programmes including vocational training, Youthreach, and apprenticeships in neighbouring counties. Operates in the same regional labour market but outside Athlone CTC's direct catchment.

Others

• VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust): UK awarding body that currently partners with Athlone CTC to validate the Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing. An enabling accreditation partner whose standards govern delivery of the centre's hair and beauty programme.
• City and Guilds: UK-based international awarding organisation offering vocational qualifications analogous to QQI awards used across Ireland. Represents an alternative accreditation pathway that competing training centres may adopt, shaping the credentialing landscape.
• Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI): National awarding body that validates Athlone CTC's Level 3 and Level 4 programmes. As the regulator of the credentials the centre issues, it shapes the centre's compliance, reporting, and audit obligations.

Direct peers

• Youthreach: National Department of Education programme for early school leavers (typically 15–20) delivering QQI-accredited training and personal development — a direct functional substitute operated by ETBs and serving the same learner persona as Athlone CTC.
• Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board: Local ETB operating Further Education and Training programmes across the same Midlands catchment as Athlone CTC, including PLC courses, Youthreach, and adult literacy — directly competing for the same early school leaver and adult learner pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@athlonecommunitytrainingce5761
• Facebookfacebook.com/AthloneCTC
• Instagraminstagram.com/AthloneCTC
• TikToktiktok.com/@athlonectc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athlone-community-training-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Athlone Community Training Centre