Vol. 476 No. 5
227 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will report on the job training scheme; the take-up rate of the scheme; the eligibility criteria; whether a person who has already obtained a qualification under the scheme may re-enter the scheme for the purposes of further qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7336/97]
The job training scheme is a workbased training programme provided by employers in co-operation with FÁS. This training approach links the world of work and training in a practical way and aims to use the training capacity and expertise within the workplace to train potential employees. The benefits to the employer are a trained potential workforce and improved company performance.
The programme is aimed at unemployed persons aged 16 years or over and provides full-time training for between 13 and 52 weeks, depending on the training requirement in each case. To qualify for the scheme, a person must be unemployed and signing on the live register for at least eight weeks immediately preceeding the date of their recruitment. Persons completing a FÁS, CERT Teagasc or other approved State-sponsord scheme are also eligible, where this involves a progression, as are individuals registered with the National Rehabilitation Board. Trainees receive a weekly training allowance from the employer. A contribution of 75 per cent of FÁS-approved training allowance rates is made by FÁS to the training allowance paid by the employer.
The issue raised in the Deputy's question concerning re-entry to the scheme is one of progression. As such, each case would have to be considered on its individual merits by FÁS at local level. All such cases would be given every consideration, taking into account the demand for available places, particularly from people who had not availed of any previous opportunity. At the end of January 1997, there were 2,425 people participating on the scheme.
