Expand+The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is an educational opportunities scheme for unemployed persons which is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund. The Scheme is operated through the Vo...

Hide-The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is an educational opportunities scheme for unemployed persons which is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund. The Scheme is operated through the Vocational Education Committees and provides a special range of courses designed to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people.

The aims of the scheme are:
- to give unemployed people education and training opportunities which will develop their employability

- to prepare people to go into paid employment or on to further opportunities leading to paid employment

Expand+Education: It is expected that the learner availing of this programme will come from diverse social, economic and/or cultural backgrounds. The learner may have an existing vocationally specific skill-set and seek re-skilling/up-skilling in order to ...

Hide-Education: It is expected that the learner availing of this programme will come from diverse social, economic and/or cultural backgrounds. The learner may have an existing vocationally specific skill-set and seek re-skilling/up-skilling in order to re-enter the workforce. Many learners will have completed second level education. However if the learner has not achieved a previous formal qualification, it is expected that s/he will be able to demonstrate the levels of knowledge, skill and competence associated with the NFQ level 4 when accessing this programme. It is expected that the learner will be participating in this programme through an appropriate provision, for example, Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC), Community Education, BTEI, VTOS, etc. The learner may be progressing onto this programme from community education, Youthreach, second level education or other formal or informal learning. The learner may or may not have had a positive experience of education in the past but will have expressed an interest in learning new things and practicing new skills. It is expected that the learner will have a range of learning styles, strengths and needs related to the programme.

Aptitude: The learner will have the capacity to take responsibility for his/her own learning within the managed environment provided by [Named Provider].

Previous Experience: Applicants must be able to demonstrate a moderate range of knowledge, skills and competencies relevant to the course, be able to work with responsibility and demonstrate the ability to work on their own initiative.

Expand+Eligibility criteria are determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

To qualify for VTOS a person must:
- be at least 21 years of age at the commencement of the course,

- be in receipt of an unemployment payment or signing for c...

Hide-Eligibility criteria are determined by the Department of Education and Skills.

To qualify for VTOS a person must:
- be at least 21 years of age at the commencement of the course,

- be in receipt of an unemployment payment or signing for credits for at least 6 months*.

Also, the course must be provided or approved by the local VEC for the purposes of the VTOS scheme.

A limited number of places are available to persons in receipt of One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit/Allowance, Widow's/Widower's Contributory/Non Contributory Pension and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance and to qualified spouses/partners of persons eligible to participate in VTOS.

Periods spent on VTOS, FS training schemes, Community Employment, Job Initiative, Youthreach or time in prison can count towards the 6 month qualifying period.