FAS FETAC Course - GUBU

Do they just throw you onto any random course, regardless of your skills and working history?
 
Sounds so familiar - worked with a person who was doing manual book-keeping course... - nobody knew what they were doing - tutor was crap - and then these students were expected to do exams - which coincidently a high percentage failed - typically no questions asked by those in authority!
 
liaconn said:
Do they just throw you onto any random course, regardless of your skills and working history?
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In theory no but in practice yes. From what I hear they are really struggling with the new type of unemployed person that they are seeing i.e. well educated and qualified. They are just not set up to deal with them
 

In defence of some tutors (granted there are some fairly weak ones) the course syllabi and learning outcomes are often so shocking that they have very little to work from. Alot of these people only get paid for the hours they teach, although they spend an equal amount of time outside of the training room, trying to devise materials. I think most of the blame has to be allocated to the curriculum depts in FAS
 
according to my other half they actually did some relevant content on filing and typing yesterday so perhaps its just a very slow burner...
I still think wasting a week and a bit is an outrageous waste, in particular given our current economic state.

Sunny, I can see the logic in dumbing down a CV in order to apply for a particular role but that doesn't excuse what she was told
 
I would be very annoyed if I was advised to dumb down my CV.

When I was looking for a new job a few years ago, I registered with FAS. Have to say it was a very positive experience. The lady I met with was very encouraging and gave some good advice (at a time when I was getting low in confidence).

I also know a lady who did a course with FAS years ago. She speaks very highly of it. She has since worked her way up into a good job. Without that course she may never have re-entered the workforce, she had been a stay at home mother for years.

So maybe they do provide some decent courses.
 
Can I add 2cents here. My mother is also doing a Level4 reception skills course with Fetac and there are tears at home every night as she cannot keep up wiht the work load. I reckon it varies massively from course to course
 
liaconn said:
Do they just throw you onto any random course, regardless of your skills and working history?
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there was no pressure on her to do it, but it was the first course that had places available and was the only way for her to get an income
 


I had a similar experience a while back. I am qualified to teach ECDL & a Microsoft Master Instructor. FAS insisted that I should do an ECDL course because I don't actually have the certificate. They wouldn't offer me any other course because I refused to accept what they thought was most suitable for my skills.
 

A friend of mine had that experience in Britain on a Jobseekers course in the late 80s
 
FAS spent in the region of €4.98 million on a training centre in Mountlucas Cffaly in 2007 / 2008. I wonder is it being used and if so, how do unemployed people get to it without using their own transport ? What a waste !!
 
In defence a friend of mine is doing a FAS course and complained how simple it was at the beginning, unchallenging and thought she would not get anything out of it.
A year on she is on to extremely complex formulas for designing a wages spreadsheet through Excel for a company employing twenty people.
Having seen the formulas she needs to learn it is like a mad scientists chalk board scribblings, everyone starts on a level footing, some go as far as their intellect will allow and others as far as they wish to progress dependant on their abillities.
You can not tackle a masters degree without the fundamentals under your belt first of all no matter how mundane it may be, so I think this thread paints a somewhat scewed picture.
The tutors apparently are excellent she says.
 
What's the point? - using excel to calculate PRSI etc?
Okay, I'm biased here, but I would think it crazy to be using Excel to run the wages for 20 people.

To me, that sounds worse than the banana story. Insane.
 
The point being its a ficticious company and the exercise is to teach operating excel in its entirety, just so happens I would surmise that wage calculations are a good way of doing this. It is only part of the course which comprises many facets other than Excel.
I know a little about spreadsheets and from what I was shown of the progression from last year it seemed a worthwhile undertaking.....I guess some folk are never happy unless they are gripeing !
 
legs-akimbo said:
A year on she is on to extremely complex formulas for designing a wages spreadsheet through Excel for a company employing twenty people.
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A year on??? What course is she doing that takes a year to do Excel?

Is there any demand for the Excel skills such that a year long course is worth the investment?
 
perhaps you should consider a FAS course yourself in basic English Staples, if you understood by simple post you would comprehend the following quote.

"It is only part of the course which comprises many facets other than Excel".

As I said some people are never happy unless they are gripeing.
A litany of complaint against FAS courses and a little glimmer of good and there is a clamour to shoot it down. Typical Irish begrudgery
 
Just to add a bit of balance to this discussion: My brother in law started a FAS/FETAC course a couple of weeks ago in sales and marketing. He thinks it's great, and he's learning a lot.
 

I understand the multi-faceted content of the course and my point was not directed at the individual undertaking the course.

My point is that a period of one year or more is a long (and therefore expensive) period to expect the state to provide training to any individual. This long-term arrangement is more akin to a regular education course which students choose to pursue as a long-term investment without getting any payment/allowance.


I have no difficulty with the provision of short-term courses that provide skills to improve the employment prospects of individuals benefit but course of one year or more are more difficult to justify, particularly when the individual is also in receipt of an allowance for this period. There may well be circumstances in which the state's provision of training for periods of this length (accompanied by payment of allowances) is justified but I can't think of any. My personal opinion, is that the objectives and outcome of training over such long-term training should be a bit more ambitious than proficiency in Excel or other skills at a similar level. I believe is that if you're being paid by the State to train for a year or more, the skills you receive should be extrememly specialist and they should be in demand.

The state (and therfore taxpayers) pay heavily for FAS training. It's reasonable to question the value of any such training without being accused of begrudgery.
 
legs-akimbo said:
A litany of complaint against FAS courses and a little glimmer of good and there is a clamour to shoot it down. Typical Irish begrudgery
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Eh? How the hell is it begrudgery to criticise a company with a budget of €1 billion of taxpayers money just because they offer a 'glimmer of good' amoung a litany of complaints?
 
Sunny said:
Eh? How the hell is it begrudgery to criticise a company with a budget of €1 billion of taxpayers money just because they offer a 'glimmer of good' amoung a litany of complaints?
Click to expand...

+1. We have a right to examine how our tax euros are spent.
A year long education where the participants are paid should be examined in detail.
 
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