FAS FETAC Course - GUBU

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galleyslave

Registered User
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199
ok, can you believe this. My wife is not entitled to dole as she was self employed so she has had to wait for a FAS course to be available to get some money in the door. Course in question is a level 4 FETAC course. In the first week they did nothing but icebreakers. Yesterday they did some really basic stuff on filing and then discussed what would happen today. Apparently today they will be organising the Xmas party. She was also asked to supply crayons and a picture as they will be doing a collage. They also were encouraged to bring in some plants, pictures etc to brighten the place up. Now, while I'm glad we're getting in some extra income, I can't believe the lack of content in this course so far. It's literally kindergarten stuff. We're partly amused and partly outraged at the waste of money. God save Ireland...
 
What is the course topic?

If it is a mess, take some action. Contact the local FAS training centre management. If that doesn't work, get onto the meeja.
 
it's a reception skills course - apparently they're finally doing relevant stuff, but it's taken a week and a half. We don't wish to rock the boat given how we need the money from the course and any future courses she may get on.

Just thought it worth mentioning. I dunno if it's the norm or not.
 
Defo seems like a waster of money... but then again you getting the few quid so yes maybe keep it shut!
 
Out of curiousity, did she specifically ask to do a reception skills course or was did the FAS rep suggest it?
 
A long long time ago, I used to teach some basic/intermediate IT courses for FAS. The content of the courses was appalling and I recall spending hours trawling the internet to look for new sources of practice tests etc. FAS supplied me with nothing. Also, when I queried a particular exam that the students had to sit (City & Guilds), there was some question that referenced a typewriter and literally could not be attempted by students, I was told just to give some sort of mark and it didnt really matter.

Shocking stuff really.
 
Same experience with family members and friends who did FAS courses. unless it is for a trade/training course, which can be independently verified, most of them are rubbish. Had a relative who did a Return to Work course for women. They did relaxation classes, drawing classes in Stephens Green, music therapy. after a few weeks they did basic computer skills. Very, very basic skills.
The whole thing was a joke. They got the impression it was really run for the benefit of the staff.
 
I'm actually a partially qualifed blocklayer from a FAS course. Years ago, when I was doing work experience from College (doing a business degree) for 6 months, FAS took 3 of us on for office and some project work We subsequently found out that they had 3 unfilled vacancies on a block laying course, they registered us for that and paid us as being on that course. We even got a cert at the end. We were known as the posh brickies as we had a collar and tie when we were getting our pay slips with the rest of the course. £57 a week we got back then if me memory is correct

That was 22 years ago, I thought times may have changed them, looks like that is not the case
 
Staples said:
Out of curiousity, did she specifically ask to do a reception skills course or was did the FAS rep suggest it?
Click to expand...

it was the first course available to her. given she's got no dole coming in and can't find work, she'd have taken a course in how to walk chew gum were one available
 

sounds familiar. they are doing some typing today so thats something relevant although earlier in the day they were making a collage of pictures on the wall (WTF?)
 
galleyslave said:
sounds familiar. they are doing some typing today so thats something relevant although earlier in the day they were making a collage of pictures on the wall (WTF?)
Click to expand...

LOL. My four-year-old did something similar at school in the run-up to halloween.
 
galleyslave said:
it's a reception skills course - apparently they're finally doing relevant stuff, but it's taken a week and a half. We don't wish to rock the boat given how we need the money from the course and any future courses she may get on.
Click to expand...
While I understand your reluctance to make a fuss, nothing is going to change unless people are prepared to stand up and be counted.
 
Complainer said:
While I understand your reluctance to make a fuss, nothing is going to change unless people are prepared to stand up and be counted.
Click to expand...

agreed, but the sensible thing is to do it once she gets work, not while she is utterly dependant on FAS to get any money at all.
 
Do they not have to fill in an evaluation at the end of the course? Wouldn't count on anything changing but they at least have the opportunity to comment.
 
Jeeze her one sounds pretty bad...... crayons? you'd think that will all that money on expenses somebody could have bought a few boxes of crayons!
 
Madness. Sounds like playschool.

Hopefully some of the other courses they offer are more challenging.
 
did I tell ye that they were told that they need to put a fiver aside each week for the xmas party and if they didnt go they'd get it back and to look at it like a savings scheme...
it really is playschool
 
Will they be allowed alcohol at the Christmas bash or just mi wadi orange and jelly and ice cream?
 
There was a story/urban myth doing the rounds years ago about a FAS, or ANCO, course where they practiced telephone answering skills. They hadn't telephones to practise with, so they used bananas.

Or so the story goes.

Maybe things haven't change that much since then ?
 
Can we possibly pass on this thread to Shane Ross? If, (and I am not doubting the OP considering some of the stories I have heard about FAS course) it really is a joke.

On a related subject, my girlfriend lost her job a year ago and was told by FAS to dumb down her cv to help her find employment. When she said she worked damn hard for that cv and wouldn't dumb it down, she was told she deserved to be unemployed. She was then offered a ECDL course.
 
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