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  • Minister Quinn congratulates WorldSkills Winners
  • The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD congratulated the Irish Competitors on their success at the WorldSkills Competition in London. The 11-strong Irish team won three Gold Medals and five Medallions of Excellence. 

    The WorldSkills competition recognises excellence in traditional apprenticeship skills and also high-technology skills such as electronics and service skill areas like cooking and beauty therapy. 
  • October, 2011
  • Minister Burton publishes plan for development & implementation of a new National Employment and Entitlements Service (NEES)
  • The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton T.D. today (3rd August, 2011) published the plan for the development and implementation of a new National Employment and Entitlements Service (NEES), as provided for in the Programme for Government. The objective is to integrate the provision of employment services and benefit payment services within the Department and in so doing to ensure that the payment of income supports to people who do not have a job is directly linked to the equally, if not more important, task of supporting people in their pursuit of employment and related opportunities and improving their life chances.
  • August, 2011
  • Expert Group Publishes Monitoring Ireland's Skills Supply Report
  • The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) today published its annual report on the supply of skills to the Irish labour market. The report, 'Monitoring Ireland's Skills Supply: Trends in Education and Training Outputs', examines the numbers of students entering and leaving the education/training system in Ireland and reports on:
     The demographic profile of the school age population
     Junior and leaving cert trends
     Further education and training awards
     Higher education trends
     Where graduates go
     Adult lifelong learning participants.
  • August, 2011
  • Expert Skills Group Publishes Update on Employment Trends and Demand for Skills
  • The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) today published the 2011 update of the National Skills Bulletin, its annual review of employment trends and demand for skills in Ireland.  This year’s Bulletin shows that the rate of deterioration in the labour market during 2010 was slower than in 2009. Despite the decline in employment and diminished job opportunities in most segments of the Irish labour market, vacancies, and in several areas skill shortages, continue to exist.
  • July, 2011
  • EMPLOYMENT & ADVICE FAIR (Europe and Ireland)
    Event Held: 19th & 20th May 2011 - County Library, Library Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24
  • The International Employment Services Unit of FÁS, together with FÁS Dublin Region (South) is working in association with the South Dublin County Council to organise a Regional/National and European Employment and Advice Fair. The event will take place in the County Library, Tallaght and will be open on Thursday 19th May from 2.00pm until 7.00pm, and Friday 20th May from 10.00am until 4.00pm. The event will be attended by local Employers, Employers and Public Employment Services from Europe and locally based Employment Advice Agencies.
  • May 2011
  • Third level qualifications coupled with work experience and foreign language skills in demand by employers

    New EGFSN report finds some job vacancies continue to arise despite recession
  • Amid a challenging labour market and continuing high unemployment, the first annual 'Vacancy Overview' Report from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has found that despite the recession and high unemployment levels, some job vacancies continued to arise in 2010, providing positive news for job seekers in Ireland. Although the number of newly advertised vacancies is significantly lower than at the peak in 2007, vacancies continue to arise. Demand is mostly limited to experienced candidates. Where job vacancies arise, jobseekers with third level qualifications coupled with work experience and foreign language skills were more likely to be in demand by employers. This underlines the need for jobseekers to engage in upskilling and for the education and training system to continually align with the skills needs of enterprise.
  • March, 2011
  • FÁS Introduces New Measures following Review of Contracted Training Provision
  • FÁS today (Monday, 4th October, 2010) announced a range of new measures to ensure the highest standards of training assessment and examinations for its learners. These include new contracted training procedures, new contractual arrangements and a new system upgrading training standards with an emphasis on more regular and robust monitoring. The new measures will be introduced on a cost neutral basis. These improvements in services follow a review of contracted training sought by FÁS’ Director General, Paul O’Toole as a result of issues over certification for a number of trainees in the North East Region last year. Speaking on the reasons for the review, FÁS Director General, Paul O’Toole said ‘this review was necessary as we are determined to ensure that our external trainers are working to the highest possible standards’.
  • October, 2010
  • Board of FÁS plans for the future
  • The Board of FÁS concluded two days of meetings today, 7th September 2010. The Board agenda consisted of three main topics - current performance, a review of contracted training provision and the development of a strategy for the future.

    Commenting on the work of the Board since its formation in January of this year, Chairman, Michael Dempsey said: ‘FÁS has an ambitious programme to deliver in 2010 to support people who are unemployed and who are seeking guidance, training and re-skilling opportunities. We are pleased to report that our targets for guidance, training interventions, community employment and other supports are all on track. During 2010 we will provide training, community employment and other opportunities to over 150,000 people.’
  • September, 2010
  • Important information regarding Childcare Support for FÁS Learners
  • From Monday 13th September 2010 FÁS will no longer pay a childcare contribution to learners who need childcare while on a training programme. However learners who are already participating on a training programme and in receipt of a childcare contribution will continue to receive this contribution until they finish the programme. For courses beginning on and after Monday 13th September 2010 free childcare places are available through the new Childcare Employment and Training Support (CETS) Scheme, which is provided and managed by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). Full-time, part-time and after-school places will be provided by local Childcare Providers.
  • August, 2010
  • New Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme announced
  • In June 2010 the Government announced a new Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) exemption scheme. The Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme means that when an employer employs additional eligible workers in 2010, they will not have to pay employer’s PRSI in respect of their employment for twelve months from the date.  
  • August, 2010
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