Many new retraining strategies have been developed in colleges around the country to assist the unemployed

Institutes of Technology Labour Market Activation Proposals

The Institutes of Technology (IoT), in consultation with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), have identified specific categories of people likely to experience employment difficulties, who could be helped by the IoT sector.

These are:

● Apprentices and craft persons who become redundant.
● Graduates from any level, even Levels 9 and 10 (post graduates
with Master’s and PhD degrees), who lose their jobs.
● Persons who are graduating from the IoT sector in 2009.
● Students who already hold, or will obtain this year, the Leaving Certificate, and who would normally look for a job immediately.
● Other persons who will become unemployed.

The IoT sector has put together a range of programmes to cater for the needs of these groups and a range of courses is being offered in institutes of technology throughout the country.

Redundant Apprentices

The first course is aimed at redundant apprentices by providing a special programme across all the trades.

Apprenticeships normally progress through a series of seven ‘on-the-job’, ‘off-the-job’, (ie, work-based, college-based) phases, on completion of which they are awarded their Advanced Craft Certificate.

Many apprentices have recently been stuck at phase 4, which is a college-based phase, because they have no job to return to for their on-the-job phase 5.

The new special programme will facilitate their progression from phase 4 to phase 6. It is envisaged that apprentices who go on to this special programme will emerge with phase 6 completed, and would be able to complete 36 weeks of ‘on-thejob’ training with a new employer to satisfy their phases 5 and 7.

About 700 places should be available in September to apprentices who have been made redundant in the middle of their apprenticeship.

Accelerated programmes for unemployed people

Other proposals from the IoT sector include the provision of accelerated programmes throughout the IoT sector for unemployed people, bringing them up to NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications) Level 6 and Level 7.

The accelerated programmes would allow someone with Level 5 (Leaving Certificate level qualifications) to progress to Level 6, and those with Level 6 to progress quickly to Level 7, and so on.

Level 6 normally describes a two-year higher certificate programme, while Level 7 describes a three-year ordinary degree programme, both usually provided through the Institute of Technology sector.

Graduates who have been made redundant

Further courses are proposed for Level 8 (honours degree) graduates who have been made redundant.

The programmes would focus on courses in business, computing , mechatronics (a mixture of mechanical and electronic engineering) and informatics, as well as some industry accredited programmes from the CISCO and CompTIA suites.

Training of National Energy Technicians

Another proposed programme allows for the training of National Energy Technicians, through which suitable apprentices and craft persons in the electrical and installation and plumbing trades could develop skills to deliver government energy and environmental targets.

All institutes of technology around the country will offer some choice of programmes, although what they can offer will depend on the resources required and the costs involved.

Mary O’Donnell