Comparable Qualifications in Job Spec

The_Stranger

Hi,

I applied for a job recently and was turned down because in the job spec it asked for Leaving Certificate. I don't have a Leaving Certificate but I do hold a full award in Fetac Level 5 which I believe is the equivalent to the Leaving Cert on the National Framework of Qualifications. They are refusing to accept the Fetac Level 5 as an equivalent to the Leaving Cert.

Do I have grounds to complain here? If so, who would I bring my complaint to?

Jim2007

Where do you get the idea that it is equivalent to the Leaving Certificate. Do you have a link to an official site that states this?

The_Stranger

http://www.nfq-qqi.com/

I don't know if there has been any sort of wrong doing on behalf of the employer but it's the first time I have ever come across an employer that won't accept a full award in Level 5.

OMM 0000

They haven't discriminated against you (based on the law), so there's not much you can do.

My feeling is it's probably not worth working for this sort of employer anyway.

Tom Dunne

It's probably a combination of things - ignorance of the fact that a Level 5 is technically equivalent to the LC and the core content of the Level 5 qualification that you have. But the devil is in the detail - while you may have a Level 5 qualification, is it really comparable in terms of hours it took you to study and effort required? As in, did it take you 2 years to complete it, or was it just a short course? So while it may be at the same level, it may not on fact be comparable. Look at the Level 8 Higher Diploma in the QQI website linked above - Higher Diplomas are typically 1 year in duration, yet are at Level 8 on the QQI. Does that make them identical to a 4-year, Level 8 hounours degree? Definitely not.

I'd say it wouldn't be worth the hassle of fighting this one with them and just move on.

CIARAN_BOYLE

the other thing is having a level 8 degree is nursing does not have you qualified as an engineer (also a level 8 degree). a level 5 cert is not the leaving cert and does not pretend to be.

while it has the same ranking on thr fetac chart thry are not the same qualifications.

JC01

Unfortunately I've seen loads of cases like this through years of re educating myself, although the NFQ claims parity between each level, that's simply not the case in the real world. Whether that's fair or not is another debate but that's the way it is, you really don't have any grounds to appeal/ fight this one.