Receiving Jobseekers - FAS Interview

nomorebadtown

I'm on the dole and just got a letter telling me I have a FAS interview to "explore my options", coming up. I have been seeking work and have supplied evidence of this every time i've signed on.

I'm just wondering what I can expect from this interview? What's the procedure? What do they say? What do I have to do etc?

Any information would be great

Thanks folks.

doolox

The placement officer will ask you to fill out a form detailing your employment history and range of tasks done in your previous jobs.
Also your qualifications will be explored in detail to see if there are any matches on offer out there in the jobs market.
Failing that they will probably offer you a course in something you want to do or have a good match in already to upskill or update your CV.
For example I am doing an Industrial Automation course in Cabra FAS at the moment and get the equivalent of the dole to do it, 2 days a week plus study time of approx 10 hrs a week.
Hopefully this will broaden my skills into electrical control, pneumatics and PLC's (electrical control computers) and make me more employable in the future. FAS will also give you guidance on CV prep and interview skills and any courses you need to get a job such as safe pass, driving licenses and catering quals suc as HACCP or general food safety courses now needed for even basic entry level jobs. This is free and saves you money on courses.
Depending on what course you get and who is teaching it you should have no problems as the staff are trained to teach and tailor courses to a wide range of academic abilities, unlike the colleges and universities who expect everyone to be hyperactive, workaholic rocket scientists.............

pandamoanium

Hi Doolox,

I was interested to see you say that FAS help with getting a Driving Licence?

Is this correct? How exactly does that work?

Thanks.

mikemac

They run courses for operation of forklifts so people can apply for warehouse jobs.

I reckon it's a license and course for forklifts, not a normal driving license

pandamoanium

Ah, that's what I was thinking, that would make more sense!

uoluol

I am going to be very blunt as I'm not a fan of FAS. Yes, you will meet an employee assistance officer, but the interview usually is scheduled to last all of 15 mins - which is way too short in which too fully explore all the options that could be available to assist somebody back in to the workforce. Some of the officers also have an appalling attitude to the interviewees - ie if you are even one minute late they will refuse to meet with you, and will send a message back to the Social Welfare Office that you failed to attend, which could result in Unemployment payments being stopped.

However, given all that, it can be a useful meeting, so make sure you are well prepared and have plenty of questions ready to ask.

Nolanger

There was a newspaper article recently stating that the success rate for unemployed directly finding work from being sent to FAS by the dole offices was only 8%.

sunshineeyes

hi, i posted already in another thread but got no replies so im hoping someone here will help me.
Hi there.
I too am emigrating to the uk in january. I have been working full time for the last 12 yrs but the last 13 months i have been in reciept of disability allowance as result of 3 major reconstructive surgeries i have had as the result of a traffic accident.i have one more recontructive surgery to have in 2 weeks time and after my recooperation period i will be moving to my partner in uk all going well.
my question is..can i still receive my d/a even though i will be living in a diff country.plus, once i do find a part time job to start off, can i still keep my benifit..or in other words can the social find out that im earning...do they link their systems.
i know that wat im suggesting is fraud but i am in a catch 22,i am unsure as to whether i will be able to keep employment as to my health, but if i give up my d/a, and then find that i cant physically work..where does that leave me. hence wondering can they find out if i continue claiming and work legitimatley in uk..just shortterm, obviously if i find i am able to work full time i will gladly give up my d/a?
any any information provided would be hugely helpful.
please note, i am not one of these people out to cheat the tax payer and the government by getting all i can, this is not my intention at all.

regards

CSC

FAS are a good resource for people while looking for work. I did some courses years ago and were a good stepping stone in the workforce.
The interview you are going for will be a 'tick the box exercise' for FAS so it is up to you to drive it i.e find out everything that is available to you.

Mrs OBumble

sunshineeyes wrote: »

hi, i posted already in another thread but got no replies so im hoping someone here will help me.
Hi there.
I too am emigrating to the uk in january. I have been working full time for the last 12 yrs but the last 13 months i have been in reciept of disability allowance as result of 3 major reconstructive surgeries i have had as the result of a traffic accident.i have one more recontructive surgery to have in 2 weeks time and after my recooperation period i will be moving to my partner in uk all going well.
my question is..can i still receive my d/a even though i will be living in a diff country.plus, once i do find a part time job to start off, can i still keep my benifit..or in other words can the social find out that im earning...do they link their systems.
i know that wat im suggesting is fraud but i am in a catch 22,i am unsure as to whether i will be able to keep employment as to my health, but if i give up my d/a, and then find that i cant physically work..where does that leave me. hence wondering can they find out if i continue claiming and work legitimatley in uk..just shortterm, obviously if i find i am able to work full time i will gladly give up my d/a?

The Irish welfare system is for people living in Ireland. The UK welfare system is for people living in the UK. You are entitled to short holidays out of the country while receiving an Irish benefit, but once you go to live somewhere else, your benefit here stops. Yes, they have checks in place to catch people who try to defraud the system.

What you would be entitled to in the UK, and what safeguards there are if you find you are not up to working, depends on the welfare system there. Be aware that if you are living with your partner, then the partner may be expected to support you.

sunshineeyes

thanks mary for taking the time to reply. i do understand that the benefit is for someone living in ireland/ irish citizen.
however I am unsure if i will be able to stay in england longterm..but my boyfriends job is there so I need to try and see if we can do it.
Im just nervous that if i give up my entitlement b4 i go, i will be unable to get it back..as it took me so long to actually get it first time round. i wouldnt not have thought my partner would have to support me when we are not actually married.
Im allowed to work here for rehabilitaion purposes up to 20 hrs a week or 130e equivilent without it affecting my benifit. As of yet i have been unable to take up employment here because Im not able bodied enough yet.but after my last operation and a couple of months rehabilitation im hoping to at least try to get back to a work environment, im just unsure about giving it up striaght away incase im unable to continue.
i have checked the benefit system in uk and i would not qualify for anything unless im living and working in the uk for a period of 1.5 year. I would imagine it is something similar to paying your stamps here b4 ur entitled to claim.
IM just soo worried about it, its begining to really stress me out. do you think i would get caught if i just tried a part time job initially for a small period, then all going well, i woould obviously come off it and get back to normality.
any help or advice would be hugely helpful.

pau8lieskins

pandamoanium wrote: »

Hi Doolox,

I was interested to see you say that FAS help with getting a Driving Licence?

Is this correct? How exactly does that work?

Thanks.

You can get Fas or the Dole office to pay for driving lessons if you have been on the dole for a long time they have offering me free driving lessons for months but I'm not interested in driving

jozi

sunshineeyes: there was article in the metro recently about polish people, living in Poland, and claiming job seekers benefits, not allowance, whilst living in Poland.

Don't quote me on this but you might be entitled to job seekers benefits, I'm not sure what the details are but living abroad I think you can claim for 15 weeks. Might be worth your time trying to get into citizen information or at least contacting them.