Skills for Work FAQ
What is the Skills for Work Programme?
Skills for Work is a national initiative under the FÁS One Step Up programme.
Skills for Work aims to provide adult basic education opportunities for low-skilled workers (typically workers who left formal education before completing the Junior Certificate). The Dublin Employment Pact is working with FÁS on the rollout of the programme in the Dublin region.
Why is there a need for the Skills for Work programme?
The National Adult Literacy Agency estimates that there are 440,000 Irish people in the workforce with low levels of basic education. The National Skills Strategy identified 70,000 employees who need to be upskilled from FETAC levels 1 & 2 to level 3.
Why is this initiative being undertaken now?
The Enterprise Strategy Group Report (published in 2004) emphasised the need for businesses in Ireland to become more competitive in relation to emerging economies. To do this staff will need to be able to deliver products and services of a higher quality. Employees with basic skills will respond to training aimed at improving quality of service and products better than those without basic skills.
How much training is needed for a person with low skills?
In most cases employees who have a basic education need only need a small amount of help to address this need. Data from the UK Basic Skills Agency states that 60% of workers with basic skills needs require only a little education to reach higher skill levels. In many cases learners may only need training in a particular area where they feel that their skills are rusty.
How is the Skills for Work Programme funded?
The Workplace Basic Education Fund (under the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment) was set up by the government to address the upskilling of low-skilled workers in Ireland. The fund provides money to FÁS to address this issue.
What are the costs to business?
FÁS funds 100% of tuition. Training is conducted during work hours where possible for two to three hours a week over a number of weeks. If suitable, training takes place on company premises so there is no commuting time between training sessions and work for learners.
Who is entitled to avail of Skills for Work?
Employees with basic skills needs in private companies with valid PPS numbers are eligible for training under this initiative. Skills for Work is not available to CE workers or to workers employed by or on behalf of the government. Skills for Work does not provide language training.
How does an employer know that literacy is a problem in the workplace?
Other companies who have been involved in similar schemes identified issues that they had prior to undertaking a basic education programme. These are some of the issues that they mentioned:
- General communication difficulties in the workplace
- High error rate in documentation
- Lack of feedback when employees are asked for their views
- Inflexibility in workers undertaking other roles that they are not used to (staff unwilling to move outside their ‘comfort zone’)
- Employees not applying for internal promotion
What causes a lack of basic skills?
The reasons why a person may have missed out on opportunities for education as a young person are many and varied. Early school leaving, poor teaching, large class sizes and specific learning difficulties are some of the impediments to effective teaching for young people. Basic education training for adults can address gaps in education experienced by people when they were in school.
What are basic skills?
Basic skills are the skills that you need to function effectively in society either inside the workplace or outside of it. Basic skills include listening, speaking, literacy, numeracy and aspects of social, economic and emotional personal development.
How does the Skills for Work programme work?
Training courses can address basic education needs of employees as well as the needs of the business. Occupational health and safety, computer skills, communications, and maths are just some of the courses which can be run in businesses funded by FÁS. The course for employees is designed by the Skills for Work Coordinator and the training providers taking the specific needs of the business into account in consultation with management.
What processes are followed in establishing a workplace basic education course?
Skills for Work Co-ordinators speak to employers about education needs of their employees. If there is a need to develop a workplace basic education programme the Skills for Work Coordinator and the training provider consult the employer and the employees so that basic education needs are met through a programme. A proposal is sent to Services to Business unit in FÁS with the name of a suggested trainer to request funding. Learning sessions can start as soon as funding is approved
How long does the programme take to complete?
Learning sessions usually take place for two to three hours per week over 15 to 20 weeks.
Who provides training?
Qualified literacy trainers who are registered on FÁS’s National Register of Trainers supply the training. Usually these trainers are employed with the local VEC. These tutors are sensitive to the problems that surround a lack of basic skills and follow best practice nationally and internationally.
How many people can be trained at the one time?
Training usually takes place in groups of 8 to 10 employee learners on business premises. Class sizes and venues can vary depending on circumstances.
What subjects are undertaken?
Skills for Work is designed to fit the needs of businesses. Communications, Maths, Computers, Personal Development, Interpersonal Skills are all courses which can be run in businesses. The course for employees is designed by the tutors in conjunction with management taking the specific needs of the business into account.
How does Skills for Work benefit employers?
These are just some of the benefits of establishing a workplace basic education programme to employers:
- It becomes easier to upskill employees
- Employees become better able to communicate in the workplace
- The number of accidents at work is reduced
- Improvement in processes as employees are better able to use documentation
- Less supervision needed
How does the initiative benefit employees?
Some of the benefits to employees include:
- Increase in confidence and pride in work
- More opportunities for staff who have better basic skills
- Staff more likely to move out of their ‘comfort zone’ in work situations
- Learners go on learning – 90% of learners continue on to other courses
Do employees get a qualification?
All courses can be accredited by FETAC to level 3. This is a modular course structure under the National Framework for Qualifications. This means that learners can build a portfolio of qualifications and move on to higher levels of qualification.
Who do I contact for more information?
In the Dublin Region contact Sinéad Hyland (087 0528392) or Ger Dorgan (087 0560655) or visit Dublin Employment Pact’s website