Written answers

Thursday, 12 November 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Eligibility

Photo of Paul ConnaughtonPaul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind the requirement for participants in vocational training opportunities schemes to be on a payment from the Department of Social Protection for six months before taking up a course; her views on whether this effectively incentivises persons to stay on social protection for some months longer than they would otherwise do in order to access the course; her views on whether persons who require re-skilling after becoming unemployed would benefit from starting retraining as soon as possible in order that they could re-enter the workforce; her plans to remove the requirement that participants be on social protection for six months or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39865/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), introduced in 1989, was designed specifically for long-term unemployed people who have minimal or no qualifications to facilitate their return to education and training.

There are a range of other options available to unemployed people for upskilling in the Further Education and Training sector. Eligibility criteria for these programmes vary and time related conditions do not apply to all programmes. While many programmes follow the academic year, there are some training programmes that commence at other times of the year. Information on the options currently provided and any eligibility criteria to be satisfied is available from local Education and Training Boards (ETBs) throughout the country.

It should also be noted that unemployed people are primarily referred to Further Education and Training programmes by Intreo, the Department of Social Protection employment service. Intreo profile all unemployed people to assess their likelihood of gaining employment and this informs their engagement with case officers in terms of their options. For people with a higher likelihood of gaining employment, a period of job search is usually undertaken before any referral to employment programmes or programmes of education and training.

I have no plans to amend the eligibility criteria for the VTOS programme. However, the VTOS programme will be reviewed as part of the implementation of the Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019.

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