Skills Connect

Midland Border East Skillnet supports the workforce development needs of businesses within Childcare, Green Energy, Manufacturing and Retail sectors, within the Midlands, Border and Eastern regions. Working with other government employment support agencies.

Supporting Impacted worker through Just Transition

Training and upskilling requirements for Sectorial and Regional employment, Digital Transformations, Green Acceleration and Just Transition by:

  • upskilling employees to learn both technical and transversal skills needed by industry as economic recovery gains momentum,
  • re-skilling employees to allow them to take up alternative rolls within other divisions of BnM, or to allow them to access employment in other sectors of the economy
  • providing employees that have been notified of redundancy, the opportunity to avail of upskilling and conversion initiative prior to departure to maximise employability
  • availing of employment opportunities with companies that are members of the network.

We currently offer a small number/selection of industry-led and fully funded programmes for people who will be affected under Just Transition or who are not in employment, subject to eligibility criteria and the availability of places.

Explore Programme

Programme Aim: This programme will consider the various levels of proficiency and digital skills available to and acquired by employees and will include “one on one” coaching and mentoring sessions with all affected BnM employees during this Just Transition stage. The Explore programme will be available to all participants, on all of the following six programmes, culminating with a career guidance day, and site visits to various venues for employees depending on the programme affected employees wish to pursue.

 

Micro Solar Photovoltaic Systems – QQI level 6

Programme Aim: This programme is designed to provide participants with the skills and knowledge to implement Micro scale Solar Photovoltaic projects according to industry standards, legislation, guidelines, and manufacture’s specification, while working autonomously.

 

 

Micro-Generator Electrical Installations – QQI Level 6

Programme Aim: This aim of this course is to provide learners with the knowledge, skills and competence to, install and connect Micro PV and wind turbine systems.

 

 

Warehousing Operations – QQI level 5

Programme Aim: This Courses aim to provide those working or looking to work in the Warehouse / Stores area who want to develop their confidence and gain an internationally recognised qualification. The course will be delivered by a blended format, 2 days classroom style and 3 days online training mainly by Distance Learning (e-learning and home study) attendance at one classroom session at the beginning & one classroom session at the end.

 

Logistical and Transportation Operators

Programme Aim: To Provide the participant with the Skills and competencies required to work in a professional Driving environment

 

 

Programme 5. Domestic Heat Pump Systems – QQI Level 6

Programme Aim: The aim of this course is to equip the learner with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to design, install and commission heat pump systems for domestic space heating and hot water supply in accordance with industry standards and codes of practice.

 

 

Programme 6. Orbital Engineering Technology

Programme Aim: The aim of this course is to equip the learner with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to design and install the orbital welding process, using tube piping and orbital rotating weld heads.

 

 

If you are currently not in employment and wish to upskill or reskill, please contact us for further details. Further details of Skills Connect and the eligibility criteria can be found on the Skillnet Ireland website.

Eligibility Criteria

Please read the eligibility criteria below to determine if you are eligible to participate in our training for people who are seeking employment.

 

Eligible Individuals who are Welfare Payment Recipients

Unemployed people with an entitlement to a Jobseekers Allowance (JA) or Jobseekers Benefit (JB) payment from the Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection (DEASP) may retain such payments subject to the Back to Education criteria of that Department.

People in receipt of other forms of income support from DEASP may retain such payments subject to the Back to Education criteria of that Department. Other forms of income support include:

  • Jobseeker’s Credits only
  • Blind Pension
  • Disability Allowance
  • Farm/Fish Assist
  • Illness Benefit
  • Invalidity Pension
  • One-Parent Family Payment
  • Rural Social Scheme
  • Supplementary Welfare Allowance
  • Adult Dependants (of listed schemes)

 

COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

People in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) may participate in training delivered through Skillnet Ireland’s Skills Connect scheme and Employment Activation Programme (EAP). As most training available through these initiatives is of short duration or part-time, recipients may continue to receive the PUP. However, once recipients identify the specific training programme that they wish to undertake, they must check their eligibility to retain the PUP with their Intreo office.

 

Eligible Individuals who are not Welfare Payment Recipients

Individuals who are not in receipt of a welfare payment from DEASP and whose circumstances are described below are eligible to participate.

  • Former sole traders and business owners
  • Recent graduates who are unemployed
  • Homemakers
  • Retirees seeking to return to the workplace
  • Individuals who fail to qualify for social welfare payments because of a spouse’s income
  • Individuals signing on for credits but in receipt of no social welfare payment
  • Individuals who have recently accepted redundancy payments
  • Non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals holding immigration Stamp 4

 

Programme Duration Conditions for Welfare Recipients

Programmes offered by Skillnet Ireland networks may be full or part-time and may be continuous or staggered over time. Programmes typically will incorporate a work placement, the duration of which is included in the overall course duration.

 

Programmes of 20 or less days’ duration

Programmes of 20 or less days’ duration may be pursued without prior approval from Intreo Offices/DEASP Scheme Areas. Individuals in receipt of a Job-seekers payment or other payment (listed above) should inform their local offices, wherever possible in advance, of their intention to participate in such short programmes.

 

Programmes Exceeding 20 days’ Duration

Individuals in receipt of a Job-seekers payment or other payment (listed above) must receive prior approval from INTREO Offices/DEASP Scheme Areas to participate on programmes delivered by training networks which exceeds 20 days in duration. For example, Disability Allowance recipients should contact the Disability Allowance Section within DEASP.

 

Ineligible Unemployed Individuals

Skillnet Ireland, under its current mandate, does not provide training to unemployed people who fall into any of the following categories:

  1. Current participants on Jobs Initiative (JI) Schemes
  2. Non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals holding immigration Stamp 1, Stamp 2 or Stamp 3
  3. Full-time students engaged in second or third-level education.

 

Important Additional Information for Unemployed Individuals

Please note that:

  • Once eligibility has been established, it is the responsibility of the Skillnet Learning Network to decide who participates in training based on the network’s programme selection criteria
  • Skillnet Learning Network Managers may seek information about previous work history, education and career aspirations to ensure programmes that candidates are interested in completing are relevant
  • If training occurs on the same day as a signing day, it is the responsibility of the learner to inform the INTREO Office and arrange an alternative signing day prior to commencing training
  • All trainees are required to complete relevant programme documentation including a Participant Profile Form and a Training Evaluation Form
  • After training is complete, learners may be contacted by the Skillnet Learning Networks or a representative of Skillnet Ireland for the purposes of evaluating programmes and determining how learners have progressed since the completion of training
  • Learners must be resident in the Republic of Ireland