Funding for job retraining in Limerick

Flaccus

Has anyone any idea on how this is going to work, especially for people who have already been let go from Dell and other companies in the Limerick area.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Dell-crisis-money-here-in.5424639.jp

Will it be another FAS scheme or will people be able to apply on an individual basis to fund courses they have been accepted on ?

Blazer

Looks like a FAS scheme tbh..
they'll probably sent about 2000 people on a crap course like ECDL and claim they're retrained. The rest they'll spend on lunches and jollies.

Flaccus

Do you have any information to back this up per chance ?

Kess73

On Live95FM yesterday there were officials being interviewed on the subject, and the guy represting the EU side of it was puzzled as to why the funds that were made available still had not been officially applied for by the offices of Mary Coughlain and also that Willie O'Dea despite saying a lot months arlier was suddenly not available to be contacted on the matter either.

Flaccus

Well I've written to all the TD's in the Limerick area, plus Mary Coughlan, FAS, and the Dept. of Trade Industry and commerce on this. Awaiting replies.

The article I linked to above in the Leader suggest the funding has been applied for in late June by Mary Coughlan, and the European Commissioner for Employment, Vladimir Špidla has said the money should be available in a number of weeks. You would think by now someone would know how this funding is going to be applied.

Kess73

I reckon it made a nice soundbite at the time for the government reps involved, and after using it to do the old "look we are on top of things" schtick, it was pretty much put on the back burner, as seems to be the norm with them.


To be honest I don't see it ever amounting to any sort of real retraining, and those that lost their jobs are just a nasty statistic to the powers that be.


I would love to be proven wrong, but all too often we have seen the same old faces, at both local and national level trotting out lines about how either jobs are safe or how new jobs/infrastructure etc are on the way, and then years later the same old lines come out again, with no real progress made.


All people can really do is when voting time roll around, be it local elections, like have just gone, or general elections to come, is to bring change by voting, and inbetween those election to contact their local representatives and inform them over and over of problems. If it is a local problem then go after your local councillor, and if it is a bigger nationwide issue, then email/mail/call the office of the Minister for that department. If you get ignored, then remember it come voting time.

Limerick, in my opinion, has been badly let down by it's political representatives at government and, generally, at local level, up to the recent elections anyway, and by those in the city and county councils. Many many promises, both in the boom times and the gloom times, but not many many results.

billy the squid

Sc@recrow wrote: »

Looks like a FAS scheme tbh..
they'll probably sent about 2000 people on a crap course like ECDL and claim they're retrained. The rest they'll spend on lunches and jollies.

sure it worked for the Krupps workers

Stab*City

Will this funding be only available to ex dell employees? Or does everyone who has been let go recently qualify for some retraining?

Flaccus

The official word from the mid-west director of FAS is funding has been applied for but not received yet. It's referred to as the Globalisation Fund, and is NOT just for ex-dell workers. It's unclear how it's going to be distributed as of yet or how you apply for it which is what I'm trying to find out. I've been contacted by a number of politicians who are trying to get this information for me.

JoJo_27

I believe the Globalisation fund will apply to specific courses i.e. the colleges and FAS had to submit a proposal for upskilling courses that will be offered free. For example, LIT are starting a Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice in September that I think will be free to anyone unemployed for 13 weeks or more. Keep an eye on the TusNua website - this is an initiative set up by various agencies in the city following the Dell announcement - http://www.tusnua.ie/

Flaccus

That seems to be the case allright. Though no colleges have heard back. It's still in Brussels. The funds are going to come through the dept. of industry trade and commerce. UL have according to people I have spoken to involved in the process, have actually applied for part of this globalisation fund and are looking to support up to 250 places in undergrad, postgrad and masters courses. Their intention is to profile people and match them to courses. Not sure if it means if you are doing another course you won't get funding. Not much else is known at the moment.

donutheadhomer

JoJo_27 wrote: »

I believe the Globalisation fund will apply to specific courses i.e. the colleges and FAS had to submit a proposal for upskilling courses that will be offered free. For example, LIT are starting a Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice in September that I think will be free to anyone unemployed for 13 weeks or more. Keep an eye on the TusNua website - this is an initiative set up by various agencies in the city following the Dell announcement - http://www.tusnua.ie/

A"Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice " is a bit patronising though isn't it. I'm sure most employees in Dell have been to college previously - I for one certainly have been and done the whole college thing. It is unfair to catagorise all Dell employees as needing retraining for anything.Just since the Dell redundancies have been announced there has been excessive emphasis put on retraining the employees in Dell as if they were in need of retraining. The precieved training is just to cover up there being no jobs. Personally I'm very insulted by the focus on retraining_ I and many like me don't need retraining, we need jobs.

donutheadhomer

JoJo_27 wrote: »

I believe the Globalisation fund will apply to specific courses i.e. the colleges and FAS had to submit a proposal for upskilling courses that will be offered free. For example, LIT are starting a Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice in September that I think will be free to anyone unemployed for 13 weeks or more. Keep an eye on the TusNua website - this is an initiative set up by various agencies in the city following the Dell announcement - http://www.tusnua.ie/

The tusnua site doesn't have any information on it

JoJo_27

EurasianBadger wrote: »

A"Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice " is a bit patronising though isn't it. I'm sure most employees in Dell have been to college previously - I for one certainly have been and done the whole college thing. It is unfair to catagorise all Dell employees as needing retraining for anything.Just since the Dell redundancies have been announced there has been excessive emphasis put on retraining the employees in Dell as if they were in need of retraining. The precieved training is just to cover up there being no jobs. Personally I'm very insulted by the focus on retraining_ I and many like me don't need retraining, we need jobs.

I don't think the aim of any re-training is to be in any way patronising to former Dell employees or indeed all the others who have lost their jobs in the region - reality is though that training will increase peoples chances. That Higher Certificate was just an example and it's a course that's got a science slant to it, to allow people who are experts in the area of manufacturing to diversify for the growth areas of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. These industries have their own peculiar regulations and this kind of course would surely give someone a better chance of getting a job in these more stable industries.
I had a look and the details aren't on the TusNua website but they may not appear until after the Globalisation funding is confirmed.

Flaccus

Like I said above, UL (in conjunction with TUS Nua) have applied for funding from the globalisation fund for over 250+ places covering undergrad, postgrad, and masters courses, and their mandate is to profile people (who are being/have been left go) interested in returning to college against these courses to find one most suitable for them which they think will yield job opportunities. I was told this from the person who is responsible for the applications to this fund from 3rd level colleges only today. However they have no information back yet from the Dept. of Trade,Industry and Commerce, presumably because it's still with Brussels. At least initial indications suggest that not all the cash is going to be thrown at FAS for people to do EDSL or some other course so the government can massage the unemployment figures.

donutheadhomer

Flaccus wrote: »

Like I said above, UL (in conjunction with TUS Nua) have applied for funding from the globalisation fund for over 250+ places covering undergrad, postgrad, and masters courses, and their mandate is to profile people interested in returning to college against these courses to find one most suitable for them which they think will yield job opportunities. I was told this from the person who is responsible for the applications to this fund from 3rd level colleges.

surely this will not be sorted out by start of college term this year though

Flaccus

Yes, that's what my concern is. None of the politicians who got back to me seem to know anything about this Globalisation Fund but have asked the questions on my behalf. The information I posted myself I got from speaking to the people involved directly in UL/TUS NUA and to the Mid-West Fas director.

JoJo_27

As far as I know the intention is that it will be ready for September - according to someone in LIT who has a course in the proposal. However, they can't advertise them until they have the funding. The best bet is to keep an eye on local papers probably. Far from ideal, I know.