David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the location of centres operating the job fit scheme; the number of participants in each of these schemes; the funding made available in 2010 to operate the scheme; the way in which the scheme provides work experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38447/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Labour Market Activation Fund is designed to assist in the creation of innovative training and education provision by private, not-for-profit and public sector providers. It is targeted at specific priority groups among the unemployed, namely the low skilled, and those formerly employed in declining sectors - construction, retail and manufacturing sectors – with particular emphasis on the under 35s and the long-term unemployed. Following an open tender competition in which 370 tenders were received, offers of funding were initially made to 26 organisations across the private, not-for-profit and public sectors to support specific training and education programmes for the priority groups.

An additional allocation of €12 million has been made available to the Fund, raising it to €32 million in all. This has enabled the Department of Education and Skills to offer funding to 33 additional projects. This will bring to almost 60 the number of projects throughout the country being supported by the Fund.

The job fit programme is being delivered in the following locations in Dublin at Blanchardstown, Smithfield and Tallaght and in Athlone, Castlebar, Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford. There are currently 694 participants on the various courses being provided and it should be noted that this figure exceeds the anticipated intake for October 2010.

Further courses will commence throughout the reminder of 2010 and in early 2011 and it is anticipated that a total of 1,500 participants will avail of the programme. A total sum of €7.03m funding has been allocated to the running of these programmes from start to their finish in 2011.

To ensure that programmes being funded are meaningful and will offer a qualification to individuals, programmes financed under the Labour Market Activation Fund are accredited.

Work experience is provided by local employers for periods of up to 4 full weeks, delivered flexibly according to employer and participants needs. Participants who successfully complete the programmes will receive recognised certification and these programmes will provide an opportunity for unemployed individuals to enhance their career prospects in a meaningful and realistic way and will provide a stepping stone for these people to pursue a career in their chosen profession. Of the start up number 51 participants have recently attained employment and this figure is expected to rise over the coming months.