All under 65's getting dole letter for Fas interview

Graceland

A friend of mine got a letter in the post from the dole saying that they have to attend a Fas interview. It said in the letter that all unemployed people under 65 years of age are been contacted. The interview is to discuss the range of options available to help secure employment, and it mentioned training courses as well.

Did anyone else receive this letter and what was the interview like. Were they forced to do a training course. Any help would be appreciated.

tomred1

This scheme is called the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) and has been around a number of years now.Once you are signing-on for over 3 months you are sent to your local FAS office for an interview, so thay can help you with re-training,jobsearching etc.You will get into trouble if you don't attend this interview.

Graceland

Thanks for replying. My friend doesn't mind going for the interview, but she would just like to know if fas/dole can force her to do courses.

we'llallhavetea_old

i gota letter bout an open day, ye dont have to go do you??

Xiney

Why wouldn't she want to do the courses? You still get paid while taking them.

I'm on the waiting list for a course, but there's so many people ahead of me and it's not run half as often as it should be. I can't believe they're still doing compulsory courses - there's plenty of people who WANT to learn something.

Nolanger

It's a good way of 'jumping' the queue. They're supposed to reserve a small number of places on FAS courses for the EAP customers. Bring your CV to get the most from the interview. Count yourself lucky to get one of these letters as there's only a small number of FAS interviews for each dole office every week.

Graceland

The reason I posted this on behalf of my friend, is because she is worried about the courses end of it. A few people that she knows have been telling her that fas can force you to do any course that they decide on. I've told her that I don't think this would be the case, that I'm sure she could pick what she would like to do herself. That's why I posted it on the board because I thought others would have gotten a similar letter and would be able to tell her their experiences.

Nolanger

Well you can stick with your chosen profession with regards the job search for the first three months signing on. After that you'd be expected to look for work in other areas. FAS can't force you to do a course and to be honest if you told them to f-off doubt your dole would be cut off. They should also help you with finding work and not just putting you on a training course.

In my experience (from my own histroy and friend's stories, etc.)...



FAS can not and will not force you to do anything. However, they CAN strongly recommend you do a course.


Keep in mind that if you tell them you dont want their course, Social Welfare will want to know why. When you give them a lousy excuse they are likely to assume you're working and will monetarily kick your ass.


It's in your (friends) benefit to go to the course. If they really don't like it, leave the course, sign back on, and tell FAS you were being bullied. They won't look any further into it if you claim you were being bullied as it is a personal harrassment and you're not obliged to give information (though you can offer to do so anonymously). You can then sign back on with Welfare.



Use the same bullying tactic twice and Social Welfare will, you guessed it, kick your ass.



You can only dodge FAS for so long, but in saying that, I highly recommend their courses. Especially the simpler ones (basic computers, etc.) as they're just a great opportunity to meet other people and have a laugh and do something with your day. Though in saying that, I'm not really a social person, so it did wonders for me.


Their courses are also pretty good at filling up ye olde CV in my opinion, too. I just finished a course at the end of May and am starting another one at the end of August. I think they're great.

greendom

There are some fantastic courses with Fas, dependent on your requirements obviously. I've just completed a 9 week manual and computerised accounts course and am moving onto the IATA course year 1. This would be pretty expensive to do on your own bat, yet FAS fund the whole thing and even provide the course books. And you keep your dole money.

Your friend should really take the opportunity and see what's available

Graceland

Thanks everyone who replied. I phoned my friend and read out all the replies to her. She feels happier now and wouldn't even mind doing a course of her own choosing. So hopefully things will turn out ok for her.

IT Loser

Signing on for three months?

I have been waiting 3 months just to have my claim processed.

Does this mean I could potentially be doing a course before my money even comes through?

Or is it 3 months after your claim is approved?

Cheers.

IT, It's pretty random when you'll hear back from them, but you can claim your money via a local 'health clinic' (they're everywhere i believe) and they'll pay you while Social Welfare mull it over. However, any money Social Wlfare owe you, it will be deduced the amount that you have gotten from any health clinic.



If you get a course before you get your claim through, I'm not 100% sure what happens, as you'll need to sign off before your claim is officially processed. However, I believe they process ALL claims, regardless, so it's likely that you'd still be back-dated the money they owe you at a later date (when your claim is approved).


I had to wait about six weeks to have my claim processed after I last signed on (end of May this year).

J_Dublin15

Well I got a phone call today which I'd say is related.

The thing is she mentioned about courses like basic computing, english reading and writing and maths and stuff like this, and told me the reason I could not find a job was because I obviously was not skilled enough, my CV writing was poor and that I am being very unflexible with my jobs. I nearly lost my temper with her on the phone as she was so patronising.

To give you a brief since leaving college I've worked non stop for the last 4 years until being layed off, and since then I can't find any kind of a job in either IT, Tech Support or customer care that doesn't require some Nordic, German, French or Spanish Language, every day I look for jobs and see dozens upon dozens for people who can speak any other language and nothing else.

She said that basically as I only spoke English fluently, I would also have to go on a course to learn a new language or my payments may be cut. How ridicolous is that, she basically insisted I was both stupid, unable to write a CV and lazy, when I am none of these, I'm scouring jobs sites day in day out and this is how I get treated, whilst other people who have claimed for years, way before the downturn set in, are getting away scott free.

The irony is when I left my from my last job, I was told that my CV was excellent by FAS who come in, and that with my qualfications and experience, I would not need to take on any of the basic courses as I have the skills already in these areas, I've worked bloody hard for years and I hate being on the dole, I want to work every day as I hate being stuck around the house, it's depressing and very boring.

However this woman simply said, if you haven't got a job, your not looking hard enough - really annoyed me to say the least. In any case she says she'll send a letter out and I'll have an appointment. Fun times ahead no doubt.

we'llallhavetea_old

J_Dublin15 wrote: »

Well I got a phone call today which I'd say is related.

The thing is she mentioned about courses like basic computing, english reading and writing and maths and stuff like this, and told me the reason I could not find a job was because I obviously was not skilled enough, my CV writing was poor and that I am being very unflexible with my jobs. I nearly lost my temper with her on the phone as she was so patronising.

To give you a brief since leaving college I've worked non stop for the last 4 years until being layed off, and since then I can't find any kind of a job in either IT, Tech Support or customer care that doesn't require some Nordic, German, French or Spanish Language, every day I look for jobs and see dozens upon dozens for people who can speak any other language and nothing else.

She said that basically as I only spoke English fluently, I would also have to go on a course to learn a new language or my payments may be cut. How ridicolous is that, she basically insisted I was both stupid, unable to write a CV and lazy, when I am none of these, I'm scouring jobs sites day in day out and this is how I get treated, whilst other people who have claimed for years, way before the downturn set in, are getting away scott free.

The irony is when I left my from my last job, I was told that my CV was excellent by FAS who come in, and that with my qualfications and experience, I would not need to take on any of the basic courses as I have the skills already in these areas, I've worked bloody hard for years and I hate being on the dole, I want to work every day as I hate being stuck around the house, it's depressing and very boring.

However this woman simply said, if you haven't got a job, your not looking hard enough - really annoyed me to say the least. In any case she says she'll send a letter out and I'll have an appointment. Fun times ahead no doubt.

got thats unreal, but the thing that really is laughable is that there are very few bloody jobs out there!!

IT Loser

J_Dublin15 wrote: »

Well I got a phone call today which I'd say is related.

The thing is she mentioned about courses like basic computing, english reading and writing and maths and stuff like this, and told me the reason I could not find a job was because I obviously was not skilled enough, my CV writing was poor and that I am being very unflexible with my jobs. I nearly lost my temper with her on the phone as she was so patronising.

To give you a brief since leaving college I've worked non stop for the last 4 years until being layed off, and since then I can't find any kind of a job in either IT, Tech Support or customer care that doesn't require some Nordic, German, French or Spanish Language, every day I look for jobs and see dozens upon dozens for people who can speak any other language and nothing else.

She said that basically as I only spoke English fluently, I would also have to go on a course to learn a new language or my payments may be cut. How ridicolous is that, she basically insisted I was both stupid, unable to write a CV and lazy, when I am none of these, I'm scouring jobs sites day in day out and this is how I get treated, whilst other people who have claimed for years, way before the downturn set in, are getting away scott free.

The irony is when I left my from my last job, I was told that my CV was excellent by FAS who come in, and that with my qualfications and experience, I would not need to take on any of the basic courses as I have the skills already in these areas, I've worked bloody hard for years and I hate being on the dole, I want to work every day as I hate being stuck around the house, it's depressing and very boring.

However this woman simply said, if you haven't got a job, your not looking hard enough - really annoyed me to say the least. In any case she says she'll send a letter out and I'll have an appointment. Fun times ahead no doubt.

Are you still getting your money? As long as you are getting your giro, I wouldnt fret too much. Of course there are people in the system who dont know jack about jack, thats what happens when you are in some secluded office environment, a mile from the street. Their ignorance is their own.

J_Dublin15

Oh I'm still getting my money, I was jsut a birt concerned as she basically was saying that they were going to stop it unless I agreed what she said to and take some action.

My girlfriend is facing the chance of losing her job in a big multinational in the next few months, and if that happens and she gets a decent redundancy sum and I still haven't found work we're strongly considering moving to the UK, as whilst the situation is not great there, there does seem to be more jobs around for the skills and industries I have the experience for.

baxterfly

we'llallhavetea wrote: »

got thats unreal, but the thing that really is laughable is that there are very few bloody jobs out there!!

Man it sounds like youve got the exact same CV as me. The amount of jobs for people advertised for speakers of english plus another language. Im sick of wafting thru job sites meself "calling all dutch speakers" I feel like replying saying f**k off and advertise this in Denmark.

The majority of Irish people, like a lot of english speaking countries dont speak a language other than english. If we spent all those years learning a european language instead of Irish the country might have been a lot better off today. I know its our heritage and all that, but what a waste of all those years.

There is a lot more jobs in England for customer serivce/IT/tech support, so if you do decide to go there good luck.

Mrs OBumble

baxterfly wrote: »

The amount of jobs for people advertised for speakers of english plus another language. Im sick of wafting thru job sites meself "calling all dutch speakers" I feel like replying saying f**k off and advertise this in Denmark.

The majority of Irish people, like a lot of english speaking countries dont speak a language other than english. If we spent all those years learning a european language instead of Irish the country might have been a lot better off today. I know

You do realise just how funny your first paragraph is?

Seriously though, if the folks from continental Europe can learn 3-4 different langauges, then surely the Irish could too? And then you could complete for all the language jobs that are around and being filled by immigrants now.

IT Loser

JustMary wrote: »

You do realise just how funny your first paragraph is?

Seriously though, if the folks from continental Europe can learn 3-4 different langauges, then surely the Irish could too? And then you could complete for all the language jobs that are around and being filled by immigrants now.

Yeah. Because such a huge portion of jobs in Ireland are being filled by Norweigan speaking Italians and Dutch speaking Romanians.

Dave_Dublin

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I didn't want to start a new one for the same thing...

This is my first post on this forum site so please be gentle.

In 2002 I became unemployed from a position I'd held for several years. I received a letter stating that an appointment had been made for me at my local FÁS office. I attended and talked with the guy for a few minutes. Wimbledon was on TV at the time and I mentioned that I'd been watching it.

The interview ended and the next morning at around 08:00 I received a phone call from another FÁS office on the other side of the city stating that I'd been placed on their "TENNIS COACH" course and would I please arrive the following Monday with a tracksuit, shorts and a racket.

...I had no interest in playing tennis myself, let alone coaching someone else to play it.

Long story short: My benefit was stopped for 3 WEEKS because I refused to attend the course.

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I ended up doing another course later that year due to another letter arriving with a forced appointment - This time it was at my local FÁS office and was a "Truck Driving course"

I got a "C1" driving licence at the end of it having passed my truck driving test but I never got any further help from them as you needed 2 YEARS driving experience to get ANY job in that field.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -

Since the day of my driving test I have NEVER set foot in a truck again.

I quickly learnt to delete FÁS from my CV because at several interviews afterwards, the potential employer looked down on me for attending FÁS.

I'm not saying that will happen nowadays but that was my experience.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
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I'm now unemployed again having worked for a major Irish company for over 5 years and today I received one of these letters stating that everyone over 65 . . .

I've spent a lot of time today looking up courses on the FÁS website and in reality, none of them are suitable for me.

I already have more I.T. qualifications than the most advanced they offer; I've been working in Customer Relations for years and could probably teach the courses they offer on that and I received a manual handling cert from THEM during the Truck Driving course.

I'm not "up myself" so please don't take the above sentence the wrong way but, to be honest, I fear being forced on another Tennis Coach course by them just to remove me from the dole lists . . .

Any thoughts / comments would be welcome.

(sorry for the lengthy post - thanks for reading)

ABajaninCork

I had a similar experience to J Dublin. I was in and out of the FAS office like a fiddler's elbow. Showed him my CV, he told me about the basic computing courses, office work courses, etc. I asked if he'd read my CV properly which clearly showed over 20 years experience with computers, office work. 'Oh right, grand'.

He then told me about the various job search websites. I almost laughed in the poor boy's face. Of course, I'm registered on all the ones he mentioned. As I was leaving, I said to him: 'You've missed a few off, mate' told him what they were and left.

Wasn't offered any more courses after that. The whole thing took six minutes - I timed it.

OP - Tell your mate not to worry. It's all procedure.

louiseamd

Graceland wrote: »

A friend of mine got a letter in the post from the dole saying that they have to attend a Fas interview. It said in the letter that all unemployed people under 65 years of age are been contacted. The interview is to discuss the range of options available to help secure employment, and it mentioned training courses as well.

Did anyone else receive this letter and what was the interview like. Were they forced to do a training course. Any help would be appreciated.

I got a similar letter from sw about attending a fas interview. I was not forced into any training courses but they told me that they would just take my benefits off me if I didn't apply for anything. I applied for courses and got nothing back from them, naturally.

I enquired about doing an internship after I finished college and they wouldn't give me any information and just told me to apply for these pointless courses of no relevance to my qualification.Personally I believe that this internship scheme doesn't exist and its the website is there to make it look as though people are not sitting on their holes and trying to get work especially if a sw officer asks.

I hate the way they treat the people who are genuinely interested in finding a job and working but they are just so far up their own arses to see this. The people who don't want to work, won't, its the culture in the country. The government won't catch these people and the genuine jobseekers will be treated like scum because if it.