With many people being made redundant, there has never been a better time to upskill, with huge emphasis now being placed on retraining

IN light of the major surge in unemployment levels over recent months, experts are calling on redundant workers to look outside of traditional sectors and careers and consider retraining in a new area. The aim is to enhance their skillsets, with a view to targeting different types of roles.

In the publication of its Irish Labour Market Review 2008 last week, training and employment authority FÁS stressed how retraining will be important for some of those who are made redundant during the downturn.

This, according to FÁS, is especially true for those who have been made redundant from declining sectors such as construction and some manufacturing industries. The idea is not so much to upskill people within their current sectors, but to start retraining them in sectors "that are likely to grow when the economy picks up".

With this in mind, FÁS is set to provide what it calls a new range of certified, short, flexible, modular programmes.

"While the focus of policy-makers is understandably very much on the immediate outlook, there is a continued need to address Ireland’s longer-term skills requirements," it says.

Harry Walsh, director, ITEC (the Irish Training and Educational Centre), agrees that training in new sectors is needed for many of those made redundant. In addition, he says short and flexible courses are ideal for those looking to get back into the workforce quickly.

"The courses we are specifically advertising at the moment are career-focused courses, which are designed for you to work for yourself, and when you complete them you will be in a position to start up your own business," he explains.

Walsh says there are some unusual careers being considered by redundant workers at present. For example, ITEC’s private investigator course is proving very popular.

He explains: "It’s a hugely successful course and has been running for 15 years, but recently there has been a greater uptake of it."

The course looks at the principles of being a private investigator, and Walsh sees a market for private investigators, going forward.

"There is a lot of work in the marital breakdown area; the legal profession has a need for verification of false claims and even the Social Welfare Services has a need for them," he says.

Another unusual, but increasingly popular, career is that of wedding consultant, according to Walsh.

"It’s a question of needing to diversify. You have a lot of people who are qualified in areas and there’s just no work and no work going down the line. If you have a mortgage to meet and outgoings that won’t go away, you have to consider retraining," he says.

The ITEC courses are taken by distance learning, which means participants can start them at any time. ITEC is using some interesting marketing techniques—apt in the current environment—to attract students. The company is offering two courses for the price of one, where your husband, wife, partner or friend can take another course for free. Walsh points out that the institute had this ‘value for money’ offer out long before the recession started to bite.

Career coaches are also finding themselves very busy at present, and there is a demand for career advice programmes, says Walsh. The National College of Communications, for example, offers career advice programmes for people leaving school, or those facing redundancy. For €100 or under, the courses offer advice on creating CVs, networking and job interviews, etc.

Linda Daly