Mayo companies will soon have an opportunity to compete for Government funding to offer retraining and educational opportunities for unemployed young people.
Some €20 million has been allocated under the Government’s Labour Market Activation Fund and the Government will soon be advertising for applications from companies for training and educational proposals.
That is according to the Minister for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary, who has been working on the scheme with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD.
Minister Calleary is encouraging Mayo companies to consider applying for funding under the scheme.
This scheme will be specifically targeted at people under 35 who are unemployed because of a decline in the sector they were working in, such as construction, manufacturing, or retail. People who have little or no qualifications and the long term unemployed will also be targeted.
It will provide programmes that provide qualifications at Levels 1 to 5 on the NFQ, or equivalent for people who do not have a Leaving Cert or equivalent.
Re-skilling programmes will also be provided for up to Level 5, or honours bachelor degree level.
“My Department is now preparing tender requirements for applicants but I would like to encourage Mayo companies to get thinking about what this could mean for them,” said Minister Calleary.
Proposals that will target areas with significant potential for employment will be given particular consideration. Full details of the tender requirements will be published at the time of the call for proposals on www.etenders.gov.ie
“This is the first time the Department has gone to the private sector seeking submissions on suitable areas for training, and I want to urge companies in Mayo to consider what they might be able to offer to the process.
“Anyone looking for further information or updates on the scheme can contact my office in Ballina. It’s hoped that the training schemes will be up and running by Easter,” concluded Minister Calleary.
