Vec job

whiteandlight

Hi,
I just got a job in a vec school however the interview was only by the principal and vice principal. After I had accepted he said that I would need to be reinterviewed in October for the same position by the vec panel and I wouldn't get a contract until after that. The job will be re-advertised in the national press etc then. Has anyone heard of a situation like this before? I'm turning down a career break for this so I'm quite nervous!
He did say that nearly everyone in the position already gets the contract....

doc_17

That's how I started out. Got a job as temp cover for 2 months directly from the school.....knew the job was going to be advertised and that I'd have to go for it. Individual VEC schools don't appoint their own teachers....It has to be done by the VEC itself.

You'll have a good chance of getting it as long as you do well until the interview in October. Unless there aren't any unforeseen circumstances.

dno7239

Just out of curiosity, how did you hear about this VEC job? The VEC website always says its not hiring, im just wondering if theres somewhere else these positions are advertised.

whiteandlight

dno7239 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, how did you hear about this VEC job? The VEC website always says its not hiring, im just wondering if theres somewhere else these positions are advertised.

It was advertised in the independent to a PO box as opposed to through the VEC. Thanks for the reply it's reassuring to know they aren't fobbing me off in some random way!

spurious

dno7239 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, how did you hear about this VEC job? The VEC website always says its not hiring, im just wondering if theres somewhere else these positions are advertised.

You need to check the individual VEC sites, not just one.

Here are some hiring at the moment:
City of Dublin VEC

County Dublin VEC

County Wicklow VEC - their closing date is tomorrow

rainbowtrout

Musicmental85 wrote: »

Hi,
I just got a job in a vec school however the interview was only by the principal and vice principal. After I had accepted he said that I would need to be reinterviewed in October for the same position by the vec panel and I wouldn't get a contract until after that. The job will be re-advertised in the national press etc then. Has anyone heard of a situation like this before? I'm turning down a career break for this so I'm quite nervous!
He did say that nearly everyone in the position already gets the contract....

Why is the job not becoming vacant until October? They obviously need a teacher in September so someone will be absent.

You will probably be paid as a sub until October. You will then have to go for re-interview. While there is every chance that you will get the job in October they are not obliged to give it to you.

This could easily be a case of a teacher who is retiring but not officially going until October. They will be on sick leave for September so they can't give out contract until they officially leave.

whiteandlight

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Musicmental85 wrote: »

Hi,
I just got a job in a vec school however the interview was only by the principal and vice principal. After I had accepted he said that I would need to be reinterviewed in October for the same position by the vec panel and I wouldn't get a contract until after that. The job will be re-advertised in the national press etc then. Has anyone heard of a situation like this before? I'm turning down a career break for this so I'm quite nervous!
He did say that nearly everyone in the position already gets the contract....

Why is the job not becoming vacant until October? They obviously need a teacher in September so someone will be absent.

You will probably be paid as a sub until October. You will then have to go for re-interview. While there is every chance that you will get the job in October they are not obliged to give it to you.

This could easily be a case of a teacher who is retiring but not officially going until October. They will be on sick leave for September so they can't give out contract until they officially leave.

He said there are 5 others in the same position so it seems unlikely that they have 6 out on sick? It feels a little like they are having their cake so to speak, if they don't like me then im out on my ear because I'll have no contract. It's awful, I can't get excited because I dont feel secure at all. At least with the career break I was secure and employed to august next year. This is for 5 less hours a week too. I'm well aware that there's no future in the career break hence why I kept looking. Annoyed tbh because it wasn't mentioned at all, was told it was x hours a week, no mention of another interview and today he said it was standard practise in VECs but with the exception of the original poster no one I've spoken to seems to have heard of this with an RPT post. He said I get a 12 month contract then but does that run to next October?? I'm so worried I've made the wrong decision...

Art Teacher

Dont worry too much - it could be a case where school enrolment has been growing - the VEC has to wait until the ' October returns' go in before they have formal sanction for the appointment.
Or maybe you are a resource teacher and the VEC are waiting for resource hours for students to be formally sanctioned.

Yes you will have to pass an interview but because you have already been accepted by the P and DP then its a huge advantage - have pity for those souls who will be applying for a job thats already gone!

implausible

Art Teacher wrote: »

Dont worry too much - it could be a case where school enrolment has been growing - the VEC has to wait until the ' October returns' go in before they have formal sanction for the appointment.

The October returns determine the allocation for the following year, not the year in which they are carried out - crazy, but anyway...

Probably a retirement in waiting. Management often know that a vacancy is going to occur, but it's not official so they can't advertise it.

Go for it OP, make a great impression in the school and you could fly the interview.

seavill

I would imagine it is due to a retirement. That is how I started out with my job with a VEC. I got the job last minute in September through a phonecall. Somebody had retired at the last minute.
Technically they went on sickleave in September and then the post was advertised in October. I was interviewed in November for it and got it. However I was told afterwards there was nothing between myself and another candidtate, apart from (I would say) the fact that I was already in the job and they knew I was ok.

Art Teacher

deemark wrote: »

The October returns determine the allocation for the following year, not the year in which they are carried out - crazy, but anyway...

Probably a retirement in waiting. Management often know that a vacancy is going to occur, but it's not official so they can't advertise it.

Go for it OP, make a great impression in the school and you could fly the interview.

Is that how you got your job?

rainbowtrout

Musicmental85 wrote: »

He said there are 5 others in the same position so it seems unlikely that they have 6 out on sick? It feels a little like they are having their cake so to speak, if they don't like me then im out on my ear because I'll have no contract. It's awful, I can't get excited because I dont feel secure at all. At least with the career break I was secure and employed to august next year. This is for 5 less hours a week too. I'm well aware that there's no future in the career break hence why I kept looking. Annoyed tbh because it wasn't mentioned at all, was told it was x hours a week, no mention of another interview and today he said it was standard practise in VECs but with the exception of the original poster no one I've spoken to seems to have heard of this with an RPT post. He said I get a 12 month contract then but does that run to next October?? I'm so worried I've made the wrong decision...

It's not standard practice, he's just covering his back. It's probably a retirement and they can't advertise the job officially. We've had a few of them in my school over the last few years. Everyone knows they're going in May but their official retirement date might not be until Sept/Oct.

If the vacancy was there now, the VEC wouldn't be waiting around to hold interviews until October.

If it's a case that the person retires, the hours you did in September will be classed as your own because the person never came back to their job.

Art Teacher

I dont think Musicmental needs to worry too much but there is something strange here.

In my own VEC when there is a retirement due ( yes it usually takes place around october) but the VEC always advertise and fill the post with their main round of recruitment in May/June.

If it is a retirement here then i would expect the principal to have informed Musicmental that it is a retirement situation. Yes I have seen teachers hired in my VEC on the basis that the job will be advertised in October/ Nov but I have only known this to occur where
(1) its a new school or enrolments are on the up and a special case is made out to the DES. ( as opposed to allocation based on previous year).

or
(2) its based on resource hours

whiteandlight

Art Teacher wrote: »

I dont think Musicmental needs to worry too much but there is something strange here.

In my own VEC when there is a retirement due ( yes it usually takes place around october) but the VEC always advertise and fill the post with their main round of recruitment in May/June.

If it is a retirement here then i would expect the principal to have informed Musicmental that it is a retirement situation. Yes I have seen teachers hired in my VEC on the basis that the job will be advertised in October/ Nov but I have only known this to occur where
(1) its a new school or enrolments are on the up and a special case is made out to the DES. ( as opposed to allocation based on previous year).

or
(2) its based on resource hours

Do you think it would be rude of me to ring up/call in and just ask why this is the case? I don't like the uncertainty! I know different vec's do things differently but I was talking to my neighbour (vp with vec) and shed never heard of a situation like this either.

If I have to wait til October for the official contract I won't have a hope in hell of getting another Rpt at that stage?!

Art Teacher

I think it would be good if you could ask the principal about it - thats if s/he is not away on holidays. No its not rude or anything, its fairly normal to find out these things. Principals are used to being quizzed by teachers about their contracts.

Ring up and ask asap before they shut down for holidays. Let us know how you get on.

implausible

Art Teacher wrote: »

Is that how you got your job?

Art Teacher wrote: »

I dont think Musicmental needs to worry too much but there is something strange here.

In my own VEC when there is a retirement due ( yes it usually takes place around october) but the VEC always advertise and fill the post with their main round of recruitment in May/June.

You cannot advertise a job that doesn't exist, that's why most VECs cover their asses by taking people in on temporary contracts. It's not unusual for someone near retirement to take the last bit off sick and a temporary vacancy to occur. When the retirement is made official the job can be advertised and most of the time, the person in the position gets the job.

My situation was a bit unusual: I went for an interview with the VEC, but there was a teacher already covering the position, so she got it. I was number one on the panel and when the official retirement came through in another school, I got the job, starting at the beginning of Oct. In my case, as I was on the panel, they didn't have to advertise.

OP, it'd be no harm to inquire if it's a retirement situation.

whiteandlight

deemark wrote: »

Art Teacher wrote: »

Is that how you got your job?

Art Teacher wrote: »

I dont think Musicmental needs to worry too much but there is something strange here.

In my own VEC when there is a retirement due ( yes it usually takes place around october) but the VEC always advertise and fill the post with their main round of recruitment in May/June.

You cannot advertise a job that doesn't exist, that's why most VECs cover their asses by taking people in on temporary contracts. It's not unusual for someone near retirement to take the last bit off sick and a temporary vacancy to occur. When the retirement is made official the job can be advertised and most of the time, the person in the position gets the job.

My situation was a bit unusual: I went for an interview with the VEC, but there was a teacher already covering the position, so she got it. I was number one on the panel and when the official retirement came through in another school, I got the job, starting at the beginning of Oct. In my case, as I was on the panel, they didn't have to advertise.

OP, it'd be no harm to inquire if it's a retirement situation.

Just as an update: I rang the secretary today and asked, emphasising that I'm just looking for reassurance. She said that it's been standard practise in the school for a number of years but she's not sure why. Passing the message to the principal so presumably he'll get back to me

Art Teacher

Its a bit strange. I got my job by being on a panel too. Normally VEC's advertise and hold interviews in early summer. They then form a panel from which appointments are made in the months following.

Maybe in this case the Principal has a different way, but its unusual that the VEC would allow it to happen often.

2seats

is this Kildare VEC by any chance

whiteandlight

Just to let everyone know, it is standard practise in the school I'm applying for (heard from a teacher there). Thanks to everyone for the advice.