Springboard course issue

MattD

I recently applied for and have been accepted to a Springboard training course beginning in November and running for 6 months. I have been accepted and I begin in a couple of weeks as far as I know.

The issue is that I was accepted without actually being on the dole register, and so I am not receiving any sort of Jobseekers Allowance. I have a part time job that I've had for the last couple of years through college and since I've graduated.

I've said to my work that I am doing the course, and they are fine with me being unavailable to work on the days of my course, but I was just wondering if I'd be called up on this, and by whom...?

I know I can apply for casual Jobseekers Allowance, and therefore be eligible for a Springboard course, if I work 3 days a week or less. However, though I'll only work 20-25 hours (definitely part-time) a week in work, this can be spread over 4-5 days, so I'd rather not limit my working hours

StillWaters

Springboard courses can accept people not on the live register, but they have to pay the course fee. This varies from course to course, but is normally about €3k per year.

MattD

The course is being run namely for those on the live register, no mention of payment has been made. My main question is that will they know that I'm not on the register on my arrival for the course?

StillWaters

MattD wrote: »

The course is being run namely for those on the live register, no mention of payment has been made. My main question is that will they know that I'm not on the register on my arrival for the course?

75 percent of places on spring board courses are reserved for those on the live register. The rest can be filled with fee payers. The college will pass ppsn numbers to the DSP and get confirmation of eligibility prior to commencement of the course.

tatli_lokma

No offence OP, but I think its a bit sneaky that you are trying to take up a place on the Springboard programme when you are not on the live register and have an income. There are literally thousands of people out there who are on the live register, don't even have part time job and would sell their granny to get the opportunity to participate in a springboard programme. I mean FFS you are asking WORK for time off to attend a programme intended for those on the dole. If you want to take the course then you should do so as part of the 25% who pay for the training.

Personally, I hope that StillWaters is correct and they do confirm eligibility with SW. I would prefer my tax payers money goes to a legitimate applicant.

MattD

Just so you know, I've worked in retail for the last four years to mean that I'm not a burden on my parents as I went through college.

Since finishing college with honours and collecting my degree I've been applying for jobs in my actual field for the past 6 months with nothing but 2 interviews and little else to show for it. During that time I've retained my job, again, as a means of supporting myself to ease my parents mind as they put my sister through school and pay numerous other bills. Multiple career zoos and advice sessions later, I'm founded with the fact that I need to be either ridiculously lucky and fall into a job, or upskill. So I could either get my family to pay thousands upon thousands for a Masters and sit in school for another year, or do a Springboard course (seeing as, to do an internship I'd be required to sign on for 3 months (doing nothing) before I'd be even eligible).

A free springboard course is literally the only viable way I can get into my field. But in your opinion, I should just rot in retail on minimum wage until someone hires a very under-skilled and under-experienced (in the scheme of the people I'd be competing with for the job) me, just because I actually tried to help my family out.

And what happens if I leave my job for the purpose of doing a springboard course? I can't sign onto the live register.

So forgive me if I don't shed a tear for others after reading your post.

hdowney

The point he is making is Springboard was set up to get people OFF the live register. You aren't on it. You may be working in retail, but I am sure tons of people on the live register would much rather be working your job than claiming socal. You don't meet the criteria for Springboard as an unemployed person. You are NOT unemployed and claiming a payment from the DSP. You are also not considered as seeking employment (yes you and I know you are looking for a job in your graduate field, but to the DSP you HAVE a job and therefore are not seeking one). You have been accepted onto the Springboard, but not as an unemployed person. So there is quite a high chance that you will be asked to pay to participate. You seem to think that they HAVE to let you do it for free. They don't. If they pay your way they won't be paying for someone on a DSP payment, therefore that person will STILL be on the payment and not getting off the live register all because you think you have the entitlement. Remember some of the people doing Springboard courses have NEVER been to college, unlike yourself who has a qualification. This is their first go around.

I do completely understand that you find yourself stuck, like a LOT of recent graduates in this country at the moment. That is the state of the country. I applaud that you want to make yourself as skilled as possible and therefore as employable as possible. I also want to do the same. I am fearing though for both of us that no matter how many qualifications we have we will still find it hard to gain that employment as the 'experience' we are expected to have for the most basic of entry level jobs is rediculous

Lenin Skynard

I don't understand the argument here. The guy is going to have to pay the fees like any course. He didn't apply for a Springboard course, he applied for a course. Springboard doesn't come into it unless you're on the live register.

hdowney

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

I don't understand the argument here. The guy is going to have to pay the fees like any course. He didn't apply for a Springboard course, he applied for a course. Springboard doesn't come into it unless you're on the live register.

He did apply for a springboard course and he does want the free course. He says so in the above post

Lenin Skynard

hdowney wrote: »

He did apply for a springboard course and he does want the free course. He says so in the above post

Yeah I worded my post a bit confusingly I suppose. I meant the whole Springboard thing won't apply to him so he'll have to pay fees. Whether or not the course is part of the Springboard initiative, it makes no ends to him because he'll be charged as soon as the paperwork goes through.

StillWaters

OP, you should start looking into student loans, some of those springboard courses are really good, and worth the money, they are often much cheaper than a traditional masters too, even paying full fees.

tatli_lokma

MattD wrote: »

Just so you know, I've worked in retail for the last four years to mean that I'm not a burden on my parents as I went through college.

Since finishing college with honours and collecting my degree I've been applying for jobs in my actual field for the past 6 months with nothing but 2 interviews and little else to show for it. During that time I've retained my job, again, as a means of supporting myself to ease my parents mind as they put my sister through school and pay numerous other bills. Multiple career zoos and advice sessions later, I'm founded with the fact that I need to be either ridiculously lucky and fall into a job, or upskill. So I could either get my family to pay thousands upon thousands for a Masters and sit in school for another year, or do a Springboard course (seeing as, to do an internship I'd be required to sign on for 3 months (doing nothing) before I'd be even eligible).

A free springboard course is literally the only viable way I can get into my field. But in your opinion, I should just rot in retail on minimum wage until someone hires a very under-skilled and under-experienced (in the scheme of the people I'd be competing with for the job) me, just because I actually tried to help my family out.

And what happens if I leave my job for the purpose of doing a springboard course? I can't sign onto the live register.

So forgive me if I don't shed a tear for others after reading your post.

Boo hoo - actually scratch that, forgive ME if I don't shed a tear for you after reading your posts.

What makes you a different case to thousands of graduates out there, so that you can get a free course you are not entitled to but others can't?

I appreciate that you are trying to pay your way and not be a burden on your family. Fair play, I commend you for that. But why should that entitle you to free training paid for by the tax payer? You know yourself that Springboard is primarily aimed at those on the live register. So why did you apply knowing you are neither unemployed nor on the live register?

When I finished my masters degree I found it hard to get work in the area I wanted. I would have loved to study futher which would have meant that I would have more opportunity in my preferred field. But I couldn't afford it. So is life. Instead I got on with it, did other things, other jobs, some not even remotely relevant to my masters so that I could earn a living, some even in, shock of shocks, retail.

You are not any different to literally tens of thousands of other people. Suck it up. Pay for the course, or do like the rest of the country and keep plodding along as best you can til things improve.

MattD

I wasn't asking for you to shed a tear. I'm just saying, I'm going to do what I have to do for myself. I'm not going to act the martyr for everyone else out there. I have this opportunity and I'm going to take it, I'm not one for plodding.

I feel I am just as entitled to this course as anyone else, as I only work part-time, even after multiple requests for full time work over the summer. If I hadn't had a job and signed onto the register straight away as I came out of college (a common practice, I'm sure you know), apparently you'd have no issue with me. If I could quit tomorrow so I could do internships or springboard courses in my field, I would. But then I instantly make myself ineligible. The only way I can be eligible (and 'entitled' to the course) is to keep my job.


To put an end to this thread, I'm going to sign onto the live register for jobseeker's allowance for part-time workers. I'll be means tested along with working part time, so I'll receive no money really. Springboard courses (at least this one) don't require any length of time of being on the register before the commencement of the course, so I was never in danger of them assuming I was paying for the course.

StillWaters

I feel your frustration. You are caught in a bind, the only way around it is to rearrange your hours to work over 3 days, sign on for the xs and os, and inform the college your application for jobseekers is pending. You need to do this prior to the commencement of the course.

You do need to inform the DSP you are doing this course, so go armed with proof you are actively seeking full time work and will continue to do so.

Good luck, I hope it works out.

tatli_lokma

MattD wrote: »

The course is being run namely for those on the live register

MattD wrote: »

I feel I am just as entitled to this course as anyone else, as I only work part-time,

So you KNOW it is for those on the live register and still despite you NOT being on the live register you feel you are entitled because different rules apply to you than everyone else. Right so.

So what you were hoping for here was for someone to say, ah sure don't worry about it, they never check, do the course AND get your part time work. Is that right? sorry, but doesn't seem like anyone on here wants to encourage you to scam the system so you can have your cake and eat it.

MattD

What you're not picking up at all, even though I've said it a couple of times is that you can be on the live register when you're forced into working part-time, as I am now...

So I am eligible for the live register as little as you want to believe it.

StillWaters wrote: »

I feel your frustration. You are caught in a bind, the only way around it is to rearrange your hours to work over 3 days, sign on for the xs and os, and inform the college your application for jobseekers is pending. You need to do this prior to the commencement of the course.

You do need to inform the DSP you are doing this course, so go armed with proof you are actively seeking full time work and will continue to do so.

Good luck, I hope it works out.

Thanks!

tatli_lokma

I know you can be on the live register and work on a casual basis. I am more than well aware of that.

I completely can see your point - regardless of you trying to fit the rules to suit yourself. Being eligible to go on the live register and actually being on the live register are two entirely different things, and you know it. Stop trying to justify your actions - you wanted to go on the course and not sign on because you don't want to have to reduce your hours in your part time job to fulfil the critera of the casual payment. That is called wanting to have your cake and eat it.