Ireland's new unemployed are being urged to update skills

Going back into education and training may be the only option for Ireland’s vast new army of unemployed as the dole queues lengthen.

The Government, State agencies and education providers are struggling to keep up with the pace of the downturn and the demand for retraining places. Jobseekers, from unskilled labourers to architects and engineers, are being encouraged to retrain.

Suddenly Sean Haughey, until now the low-profile Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, finds himself in the eye of the storm as chair of an inter-departmental group that aims to upgrade the country’s skills. The inter-departmental group is due to issue a set of short-term recommendations next month.

"This is a very challenging time of high unemployment,’’ says the minister. "We see upskilling as crucially important.’‘

Back in the 1980s, when unemployment was also high, the emphasis of government policy was on Community Employment Schemes. Now the Government is keener to promote the idea of retraining and education.

Sean Haughey wants to emphasise that people who lose their jobs can get retrained or go on a college course, and receive funding.

"I would urge anyone who is unemployed to look at this option.’‘

The Government now wants over 50,000 young people signing on the live register to improve their qualifications during the recession.

In recent days, the Department of Social and Family Affairs has been posting a mailshot to all 18 to 25-year-olds on jobseeker’s allowance advising them to look at the options available through their local VEC, adult-education centres and FáS.

The department says some young people may have opted out of education and training opportunities when the draw of high wages during the boom years was irresistible.

It says such people are now more likely to remain unemployed if they are not actively improving their skills and gaining new expertise.

But what can the Government do about the new army of unemployed with good qualifications and degrees?

While FáS was traditionally geared towards unemployed workers with few skills, the new generation comes from a wide variety of backgrounds and many have degrees.

The State training agency and colleges are having to adapt rapidly in order to make courses more relevant to the unemployed middle classes.

Sceptics such as Labour’s Education spokesman Ruairi Quinn have expressed doubts about FáS’s ability to rise to the challenge.

Quinn recently warned in Business And Finance magazine that FáS had a limited number of training facilities and the State training agency is more associated with traditional building crafts and related skills than the IT skills required in the new era.

Many of the new unemployed may not realise that they can receive allowances to get back into education and improve their job prospects.

In last month’s budget, changes were announced to allow jobseekers back into education more quickly.

It was recently announced that the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) will be changed to allow earlier access to the scheme. The BTEA enables unemployed people doing courses to continue to receive benefits.

To qualify for third-level funding, the length of time applicants must have already received social welfare payments will be reduced from 12 months to nine months.

Tens of thousands of the new unemployed worked in construction.

John McGrath, research manager at FáS, says many of these workers can retrain to improve their skills.

"To take one example, an electrician who worked in construction might have an opportunity to do a third-level course in electronic engineering or computing at an Institute of Technology.’‘

"These kinds of skills are in heavy demand. Even architects can improve their skills,’’ says Mr McGrath.

"We have courses in the latest CAD (computer-aided design) skills. Many are architects not yet fully trained in the most up-to-date softwares.’‘

Sean Haughey says the priority of the Government will still be to provide training to those with low skills.

"FáS still has a major role to play in this, but the unemployed can also do courses in Further Education.

"In the future we can see growing opportunities for jobs in certain areas,’’ says Sean Haughey. "These include the green economy, sustainable energy and information technology.’‘

The National Adult Learning Organisation AONTAS warns that adult education providers are now struggling to meet the public demand for courses.

The numbers of people contacting adult education guidance service has increased by 25pc this year. The number of people contacting AONTAS has also soared, with almost half of those describing themselves as ‘newly unemployed’.

AONTAS warns that the recent budget measures aimed at boosting the numbers in education and retraining will not be enough.

"These initiatives are a drop in the ocean and will not go far enough to meeting the need for education and training out there," said AONTAS director Berni Brady. "Education and training providers are already struggling to meet the demand.’‘

Kim Bielenberg