Cork County Council today outlined recent and ongoing initiatives with FÁS which will see the local authority providing training for up to 55 apprentices and unemployed people from Cork to secure on the job training and relevant work experience.
The FÁS Redundant Apprentice Placement Scheme (RAPS) gives redundant apprentices the opportunity to complete on-the-job phases 3, 5 and 7 to enable them to progress in their apprenticeship while the FÁS Work Placement Programme (WPP) assists the unemployed to retain their skills levels and/or secure work experience that will assist them in getting a job.
Commenting on the announcement, Mallow based Cllr. John Paul O’ Shea (Ind) said “I hope today’s announcement will give apprentices and unemployed people in the county a sense of hope and optimism for their future with the advancement of this scheme. Cork County Council is acknowledging the need to make the necessary efforts to ensure apprentices and unemployed within the county are given the opportunity to finish their training with Cork County Council. As a direct result of these two schemes throughout 2011, 55 people will benefit from the essential work experience and skills set that they require for completing their apprenticeships and enter the work force”.
The purpose of FÁS RAPS is to give redundant apprentices the opportunity to complete on-the-job phases 3, 5 and 7 to enable them to progress in their apprenticeship. FÁS will identify and place the redundant apprentice with an eligible employer like Cork County Council who will provide the relevant workplace training and assessment phases. The maximum period of placement is 26 weeks for Phases 3 and 5 or 12 weeks for Phase 7.
Cork County Council piloted the FÁS RAPS in 2010 which enabled them to provide places for 3 apprentices – two plumbers and an electrical instrumentation technician. This enabled the three people to complete their workplace training in order to achieve their craft certificates. As a direct result of this successful experience in 2010, Cork County Council has identified up to 30 apprentice places under the 2011 scheme.
Cork County Council is also providing 25 positions (maximum number allowable to Cork County Council) through the FÁS Work Placement Programme (WPP). The FÁS WPP is a work experience programme to assist the unemployed to retain their skills levels and/or secure work experience that will assist them in getting a job.
Cllr. O’ Shea added “Anyone registered with FÁS is eligible to participate in the FÁS Work Placement Programme with Cork County Council. A mentor will be assigned to each person on placement which will enable them to develop and/or retain their skills and provide on-the-job training and valuable work experience”.
The WPP programme provides a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 9 months work experience. The 25 positions with Cork County Council include opportunities for Marketing/Media graduates, Arts graduates, Office assistants, Accountant/Accounting Technicians, Engineers and Instrumentation, Electrical, Environmental and Architectural Technicians. Full list outlined below:
At the end of the WPP, five paid project places will be awarded by Cork County Council to five of the 25 WPP participants which will run for a further twelve months.
Details on the FÁS WPP programme are available at www.fas.ie and application forms can be requested from recruitment@corkcoco.ie or, alternatively, by telephone at 021 4285511.
Cork County Council FÁS Work Placement Programme (WPP) Positions:
* Marketing/Media Graduates in Communications Office
* Arts Graduate
* Office Assistant (Ballincollig)
* Accountant / Accounting Technician – 2 placements
* Mechanical Engineer
* Water Services Engineer (Clonakilty/Skibbereen)
* Graduate Engineer – Housing Department
* Graduate Engineer – Environment Section (West)
* Coastal Engineer (Clonakilty/Skibbereen)
* Graduate Engineer – Roads Department (Clonakilty/Skibbereen)
* Graduate Civil Engineer – Water Services Investment Programme
* Graduate Engineer – Midleton Accessibility Project
* Electrical Instrumentation Technician – North Cork Division
* Electrical Instrumentation Technician – South Cork Division
* Electrical Instrumentation Technician – West Cork Division
* Architectural Technician
* Environment Technician
* Computerisation of Library Records
