Need help with Fas apprenticeship.

LegacyUser

Hi, I was wondering if anyone would have any advice or know what to do next in this situation.

Basically I completed my Fas apprenticeship a couple of years ago and left the job soon afterwards and went to work doing something outside my trade,
I waited for a few months and still no sign of papers, rang Fas who said they never received them, rang my old boss who said he forgot to send them in and would do so, fast forward to a few months later, boss said he sent them in and Fas still said they hadn't received them, Fas contacted him but still nothing happened, a few months later the company went into liquidation.

I've rang fas since who said they'd send me details on how to appeal it etc but they haven't, rang them again, they said they'd send them out again but still nothing,

Everytime I ring and want to speak to someone more senior they always say someone is on their holidays and will contact me on my return

Today is the first day i've received anything from them and it was a letter i'd apparently requested saying to fill in my details and they'd pass my details on to employers as I was made redundant before my apprenticeship was up and which is obviously not what I asked for and just shows that they will not listen to me at all, I'm furious about it and feel like i'm banging my head against a brick wall.

Mrs OBumble

Try Citizen's Information, they may be able to help you communicate with FAS more effectively.

TBH, I suspect you're out of luck: I'd assume that the papers must be filed within a certain amount of time of you finishing the apprenticeship, not years later.

And a tip for life: if you have to ring agencies about things that haven't been done, try every week, rather every few months.

LegacyUser

Thanks, there is indeed an appeals process which they said they would send me out the details for but they haven't.

There is only man who apparently can help and trying to reach him is nearly impossible.

The man in question also knows that the apprenticeship was completed as he spoke to the employer at the time. At the time Fas said that they would get the papers from the employer for me and not to worry.

The reason why I waited a few months in the first place was because it can take up to 6 months to get your papers, I then rang fas who hadn't received them and rang the employer who said they forgot to send them but would do so then, then I waited another 6 months as fas said I wouldn't get prefential treatment even though the employer hadn't sent them in, after the 6 months still no papers and Fas rang the employer and I was under the impression that they would sort it for me, then shortly afterwards the company went into liquidation.

I rang fas and the man I was supposed to speak to was on holidays and I had to wait a couple of weeks, I have rang countless times and can hardly ever get to speak to the person who I want to speak to, the secretay every day guarantees that the man in question will ring me back the next morning but he doesn't, she said that on wednesday he would ring me on thursday, on thursday he would ring me on friday and on friday she said he will ring on monday. It is infuriating.

I hope this explains why it is a couple of years later and also why there were months gaps in my dealings with fas.

amen

And a tip for life: if you have to ring agencies about things that haven't been done, try every week, rather every few months.

a better tip: after the first 1/2 phone calls stop ringing, write to them, keeping all copies of letters you send/receive and give them dates by which you expect a response.

If needs be cc you local TD(you shouldn't have to but it can help)/CEO of the organisation.

I would keep pursuing this until it is resolved.

BostonB

Just phoning people is no use. You need to have proof you called and what was said. So everytime you make a phone call, write them a letter, repeating what was in the phone call. Then go down to the office and sit there until you get seen. Ask as many politicans to help as you can. They get paid enough.

LegacyUser

I thought I was getting somewhere the last few days but then once again no reply.
I'm thinking about threatening them with Joe Duffy
I have sent a letter in for the last few conversations.
Who if anyone is there to complain to about this?

Birdsong

I would suggest going to the local FAS training centre, where your employer would have been dealing with. I do the apprentice paper work in my company, all my dealings are with Service to Business section in the local FAS training centre.

I would ring the office, ask who deals with apprentices, and go down & ask for "John" by name & then you might get somewhere. Phonecalls don't work with FAS:o

LegacyUser

I finally got a phone call back yesterday advising me to write a letter with as much detail as possible and include some pay slips from the time my last phase would have been completed, he said he had already written out a letter for me which he would send along with my letter to whoever was over him and hopefully that will be enough to sort it.

Thanks for your reply, I lived in Dublin at the time of the apprenticeship and worked in Dublin but completed fas phases in waterford and dublin so if I were to go in then which office would go to?