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<h1></h1><h2>Tech Giants have pledged over $5.5 billion to help solve the housing crisis in San Francisco? Could this work in Ireland to?</h2> Google, Facebook, Apple, Cisco &amp; Microsoft have between them pledged over $5.5 billion to solving the States’ massive housing crisis.Google and Facebook are investing $1bn in housing, Apple upped them saying it would devote $2.5bn to the issue. The move also followed a flurry of smaller donations and activity from firms such as Cisco and Microsoft, who said they would invest $500m. The money is being used to provide loans to the state to build more affordable housing, to provide funding for first time buyers and also to provide land for housing development.$1bn from Apple is set to directly finance affordable housing projects and to provide $1bn to California&#39;s first-time homebuyer’s fund. The process of finding or buying a home in California can be daunting, so housing agencies offer loan programs to help qualified first time buyers to get a mortgage. Others will also benefit from programs that provide low down payment requirements if they want to buy. Having more housing units will obviously take the pressure off the rental market, stabilizing it and who knows maybe even lowering rents.Google and Facebook also plan to invest hundreds of millions in new housing and land owned by the tech companies will be made available for housing construction with Google handing over land worth in excess of $750m.But Why?According to a recent news article, San Francisco as the centre of America&#39;s thriving tech industry has some of the highest housing costs in the US. Homeownership is in retreat and homelessness is surging, alongside newly-minted fortunes. Many believe that the tech boom created vast wealth divides and that this put added pressure on the housing situation as the industry boomed and house prices and rents doubled in the last decade. The high cost of rents are putting massive pressure on all workers in the area not only Tech employees.As people struggle to pay high mortgages and rents, other local businesses and service providers are having to raise wages so that workers can afford to live nearby. It must also put a massive pressure on key workers for example people who provide vital services such as police, healthcare and education.But the tech industry was also struggling to attract talent to the area, which is believed to be one of the reasons the tech firms have also taken an interest. Carol Galante, director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley says &quot;It&#39;s in their self-interest but it&#39;s also obviously in the community&#39;s interest too.&quot;Facebook and Google have each said their plans should produce about 20,000 new housing units, some of which will be offered at below market rates. Apple has not provided an estimate for its total commitment, but expects to build about 3,600 new affordable units on its land. Original source if you’d like to read more; https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50295130

Tech Giants pledge $5.5 billion to solve California's Housing Crisis

Pamela Woods

<h2>Retail Ireland Skillnet have officially launched an Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision! </h2>They are now inviting Employers to register to participate – the programme will initially run in Galway and Dublin and will take on 120 Apprentices. Participants will be trained free of charge and will receive an Advanced Level 6 Award with the opportunity to progress to year 2 of the Retail Management Practice Degree. Employers will only be asked to release employees for training 23 – 24 days during September to June. It will allow retail employers to attract new employees who want to participate in the programme and existing employees can also participate. Apprenticeship In Retail SupervisionINFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS What is the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision?The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision is an exciting new two-year programme designed for people who have potential to work in a management or supervisory position within retail. This Apprenticeship programme provides apprentices with the skills, attitude and competencies to excel as a Retail Supervisor in any retail subsector.The Apprenticeship combines classroom learning and on-the-job learning experiences. The Apprentice must attend classroom 23 – 24 days per year (Year 1 – 24 days and Year 2 – 23 days), as well as complete workplace tasks as part of on-the-job learning to develop the competencies and practical application in the retail environment. The programme has a total annual intake of 120 Apprentices, 60 in Galway and 60 in Dublin. Classes are held from September to May/June with no classes scheduled on retail busy dates.There is no fee attached to enrolling apprentices on this programme, however retailers must release employees so they can attend all classroom days and online learning sessions. On successful completion of the two-year programme, apprentices will graduate with an Advanced Level 6 Award with the opportunity to progress to year 2 of the Retail Management Practice Degree. This means that your employees can graduate with an Apprenticeship and a Degree all within 4 Years.This new and innovative programme has been developed by Retail Ireland Skillnet in close collaboration with Irish retailers. The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision offers retailers an opportunity to attract new employees as well as retain and develop existing employees.Learning Modules Year 1Programme InductionRetail Professional SellingRetail Customer ExperienceRetail ITCommunications for RetailLegal Issues in RetailSafety, Health &amp; WelfareRetail Supervision Learning Modules Year 2Retail Pharmacy *Food Safety &amp; HACCP *Retail Merchandising *Retail Security *Finance &amp; Decision MakingOmni-Channel MarketingRetail Supervision 2Capstone Module* Elective Module Benefits for EmployersBusiness GrowthThe apprentice brings new ideas to your workplace with the potential to grow revenue. Develop Talent &amp; ExcellenceUpskill your team with the skills and competencies to succeed in your business. Create Career PathwayDevelop a career progression route to attract and retain people to your business. Cost of the ApprenticeshipIt&#39;s FREE! There is no fee for employers to register employees as apprentices. Professional QualificationThis Apprenticeship leads to a Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Retail Supervision. Who should apply for the Apprenticeship? The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision is an exciting career opportunity for:The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision is primarily targeting existing retail employees who have been identified by you as future managers in your organisation. Existing retail supervisors or retail managers would also find this programme highly beneficial. Retail Ireland Skillnet can only take applications for the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision from retailers. School leavers and career switchers interested in enrolling on this programme should secure retail employment with a retailer willing to sponsor them over the two years. All applications must come directly from the retailer, as apprentices must be sponsored for the duration of the two-year programme. Entry RequirementsRetail Ireland Skillnet can only accept applications from retailers. Applications cannot be made directly from school leavers, retail employees or career switchers. All apprentices must be sponsored by a retailer for the duration of the two-year programme. The entry requirements to enrol on the programme:Applicants must be 18 years or older to obtain a place on the programme<ul><li>Grade O6/H7 or above in 5 Leaving Certificate subjects (including Maths F2/06/H7 along with English or Irish 06/H7) or a full QQI Level 5 or higher qualification</li><li>Mature applicants aged 21 years and with 3 years relevant retail work experience</li><li>International applicants must present the equivalent of a full Level 5 qualification or higher. Learners for whom English is not the first language must demonstrate proficiency in English. Applicants should achieve a minimum of a grade B2 in the Oxford English Test or equivalent in other recognized English Tests</li></ul>Recognition of Prior Learning will also be considered as part of entry requirementsThe Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme is delivered in two locations, Galway and Dublin. There is a total annual intake of 120 apprentices – 60 in Galway and 60 in Dublin. The Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision commences every year in September. Applications are accepted all year. If your business is interested in taking part in the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision, submit the Employer Register Your Interest Form and a member of the Retail Ireland Skillnet team will be in touch. <a href="https://www.retailirelandskillnet.com/apprenticeship/employer/?fbclid=IwAR1-x-WveCiBvW6PDb6Sade6l2jeh1U4lCgsfCTojUheUsFqaOmgTKD0MwE">Click here</a> to go to the Retail Ireland Skillnet Website

Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision programme

<h2> Unlimited annual leave is taking off in Australia and New Zealand but how does it work?  </h2>While the average Annual Leave is around 4 weeks in Ireland, across the globe companies are pushing out the boundaries – but how are they doing it and what effect does it have on their businesses?So the companies just leave it to its staff to decide what an appropriate amount of time off is without the leave affecting the quality of their work or projects.After 12 months with an unlimited leave policy, Inventium, an Australian innovation consultancy, found that the average amount of leave taken was 24 days. After two years it was 27 days, or five weeks and two days.They said &quot;It means staff are taking what they need (which was clearly more than four weeks) but by the same token, the policy is not being abused,&quot; says founder Amantha Imber.&quot;Interestingly, five and a half weeks is about what I now take. This consists of a couple of weeks off over Christmas, a decent three-week family holiday in the middle of the year and the occasional long weekend where I&#39;ll take the Friday off work.&quot; Other companies, including eHarmony, Hawker Britton and Student Flights, also have similar leave policies but the number is still small.Here in Ireland some staff find it difficult to take the basic leave off as some say that they find it hard to stay away from the office too long, we have someone like that in our office….Sean – next year we’ll be pushing you to take more breaks for sure - we don’t want you to burn out!Bendelta, an Australian strategic leadership firm, says there is strong evidence that more leave increases productivity.&quot;This is because employees feel more able to put more energy into each working day, as they see that this will be balanced out by some respite on the horizon,&quot; says Anthony Mitchell, the co-founder and chief potential officer at Bendelta, a company that even has it’s own ‘public holiday for anyone employed by Bendelta’, placed in the middle of winter to make up for the lack of public holidays at that time of year.Some companies don&#39;t &quot;give&quot; more time off but allow staff to &quot;buy&quot; more holidays. At HSBC Australia, staff can buy up to two weeks extra, so basically they offer employees the chance to buy five or ten days extra leave per year, and they can then either opt in, opt out as they wish. We had that in Gateway 2000 when I worked there back in the 90’s – gosh they were ahead of their time when I think back now.The buy rate is normally an individual&#39;s pay rate. And if they want, the money can come out of monthly pay over 12 months. They still get sick leave and accumulate long service leave as normal.WHY DON&#39;T MORE COMPANIES DO IT?Ross Reekie, the Founder of Rise, a workplace meaning and happiness consultancy, says flexible working and unlimited paid annual leave is not new. Ross says it’s been around for years, with big brand companies such as Virgin having first introduced the policy.&quot;The real question is, why aren&#39;t more companies doing it when the policy will make employees happier and help them find more meaning in their work?Rise has introduced an unlimited paid leave policy, to give employees the opportunity to pursue their passions, by giving them the freedom and flexibility to do the things they love.There was shock in the room when Reekie announced the new leave policy.&quot;People wondered if they&#39;d heard the announcement correctly,&quot; he says. &quot;One member of the team even burst into tears as she said the policy would take so much pressure off her shoulders.&quot;He says the policy has also brought the Rise team closer because it demonstrates that they care about each other&#39;s lives and that everyone is valued.&quot;It has increased trust and, surprisingly, it makes me feel better about being a boss and has increased my level of work satisfaction too,&quot; he says. I’m sure it must really also help to attract staff and ensure that employees think twice about leaving.Technology, in the form of email, text and smartphones, has created an &quot;always on&quot; expectation which has led to a change in the work relationship. So even though people get to take time off, many of us don’t work standard hours normally anymore anyway.HAPPINESSBusinesses are starting to realise that it can&#39;t be all take from their side and they need to give something back to employees to avoid burnout and disengagement.Research confirms huge productivity, creativity, customer service, cultural, and financial benefits. The concept is fundamentally based around trust and most employees would never dream of taking advantage, I’m sure.In New Zealand, video game company Rocketwerkz offers staff unlimited leave and sick pay, saying the scheme which trusts employees to manage their own time has got the best out of its workers.Staff are trusted to manage their workload, as well as the amount of time they need to be in the office, and workers simply talk to their team if they want to go off for an extended period of time.Chief executive Dean Hall said the strategy has helped the company attract skilled staff away from big studios and gets the best out of its workers. But, you&#39;ll have to relocate to New Zealand, which shouldn&#39;t be a problem as you&#39;ll have all the time in the world to fly home for a visit. They are hiring at the moment and have some relocation packages to help if you fancy a new experience and you have the skills they need.Jobs currently available at Rocketwerkz include;<ul><li>People and Talent Manager</li><li> Producer (Intermediate or Senior)</li><li>Technical Artist (Senior)</li><li>Game Designer (Senior)</li><li>Unreal Programmer (Intermediate or Senior)</li><li>DevOps Engineer (Intermediate or Senior)</li><li> Environment Level Designer</li><li>Concept Artist</li><li>3D Artist (Characters)</li><li>3D Artist (Hard Surface)</li><li>3D Artist (Organics)</li><li>Animator (Intermediate or Senior)</li></ul> Here’s what RocketWerkz say;Why RocketWerkz? We&#39;re independent, make our own original games and operate flat teams - meaning you have the chance to make your mark, contribute ideas and directly affect the success of our projects. We think decisively, take calculated risks, get the best tools for the job then move fast and adapt quickly. Plus we&#39;re based in beautiful, creative New Zealand with an awesome lifestyle, friendly people and exciting projects to work on.What&#39;s the RocketWerkz story?After the global success of influential survival game DayZ, Dean Hall returned to his native New Zealand. RocketWerkz opened its first studio in Dunedin, a university city in the south of New Zealand, in early 2015. In September 2019 RocketWerkz opened a studio on the waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand&#39;s largest city, to focus on next-gen AAA survival game. The planned 60 person team will be hiring throughout 2019 and 2020. The Dunedin studio has 50 team members, working on the continued development of Stationeers and two unannounced projects. The studio believes in rapid prototyping and experimentation and has also successfully cancelled three projects. RocketWerkz has received investment from one of the world&#39;s leading games companies Tencent, but remains independent and majority-owned by Dean Hall. What&#39;s RocketWerkz&#39;s vision?To make thinking-person&#39;s games with some depth in them, with people who are passionate about what they do. We believe that games only really come to life when they are played, and that truly great games come out of taking the right risks.Where is RocketWerkz?We have two studios in beautiful New Zealand.Our growing Auckland studio is in downtown Auckland, close to nightlife, fresh air, ferries and public transport. This team is working on a genre-defining AAA survival game, and is expected to grow to 60 or more people during 2020.Dunedin is a historic university city in the South Island of New Zealand, close to mountains, surf and wildlife and home to our original studio. As well as larger projects, the 50-strong Dunedin team work on smaller experimental and indie games with more opportunities for graduate students and indie game developers.There are career opportunities at both studios.Who works at RocketWerkz?An interesting and diverse group of artists, gamers, programmers and more from around the world. They&#39;ve worked at some of the world&#39;s leading game studios such as Bethesda, Sony PlayStation, Activision, Grinding Gear Games and Bohemia Interactive before joining RocketWerkz. We love the outdoors as well as technology.  We encourage applications from interesting, talented and experienced people from anywhere and with any background. RocketWerkz highly values diversity. Anyone regardless of disability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or any other aspects of a person’s culture or identity can have an important role to play in our team. What kind of employee are you looking for? Any tips for applying? Currently we are prioritizing experienced game developers and artists for our Auckland studio, especially those with experience working in Unreal Engine 4. We love to see complete art portfolios and links to playable published projects you have contributed to.  How are the pay and benefits? Highly competitive salaries (relative to the city) and excellent benefits. All staff receive a retirement plan (a 4% employer contribution towards the New Zealand KiwiSaver, similar to a 401k plan, if you are eligible) and four weeks annual leave. We have family-friendly practices, pet-friendly workplaces, regular social events and professional development opportunities. Senior staff enjoy flexible working and generous annual leave and sick leave.  About New ZealandNew Zealand is a great place to further your game development career. We’re high-tech, English-speaking, family-friendly, cosmopolitan and have some of the best coffee in the world. Being surrounded by nature is part of the New Zealand way of life, from a waterfront walk in your lunch break to a weekend field trip. Situated between America and Asia, but with Māori and European heritage, New Zealand is a multi-cultural and beautiful country.Aotearoa, as New Zealand is also known in the native Māori language, is a creative place. Our film and visual effects industry is world-famous and there is a strong, collaborative game dev community with regular meetups and conferences.  For more information on living and working in New  Zealand, visit www.newzealandnow.govt.nz. RocketWerkz can support successful candidates apply for a New Zealand visa and cover your relocation costs.If you&#39;re not sure, why not come for a visit? We love hosting international guests.FOR FULL JOB DESCRIPTONS OF THE JOBS ON OFFER CLICK HERE;<a href="https://careers.rocketwerkz.com/">https://careers.rocketwerkz.com/</a>

Imagine unlimited annual leave!

<h1></h1><h2>Late-night trains to operate for Christmas party season and will also help those working late!Announced; Thursday, 28th November, 2019</h2>Iarnród Éireann has confirmed details of its late-night Christmas services, which will be widely welcomed by seasonal partygoers.Commencing on Friday, December 6, the services will then run on Saturday, December 7, Friday, December 13, Saturday, December 14, Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21.Details of the late-night services are as follows:Maynooth Commuter• 00:20hrs and 01.55hrs. Dublin Pearse serving all stations to Maynooth.Kildare Phoenix Park Tunnel services• 00:50hrs and 01.50hrs from Dublin Pearse, serving Tara Street, Connolly, Drumcondra and all stations from ParkWest Cherry Orchard to Kildare.Dundalk Commuter• 00:40hrs and 01.40hrs from Dublin Pearse serving Tara Street, Connolly and all stations from Howth Junction to Dundalk.DART services• 00:30hrs and 01.30hrs from Dublin Connolly serving all stations to Greystones.• 00:30hrs and 01.30hrs from Dublin Pearse serving all stations to Howth. Fares will be charged at normal rates, meaning customers can use Leapcard and buy cash fares for the best value Christmas travel option. Weekly, monthly and annual season tickets are valid on late night services, so season ticket holders will be able to use late night services at no extra charge.Late night services will also have security personnel on board to ensure customer safety.An Iarnród Éireann spokesperson said: “We’re delighted to begin our late-night Christmas services on the three weekends in the run up to Christmas. The trains will once again be hugely popular with late night party-goers who can save on expensive taxi fares.”

Late Night Train Services for December

<h2>Skoda under its new &#39;Simply old, still clever&#39; age diversity initiative are hoping to encourage older people to return to the motor industry.</h2>They&#39;re looking for people who may have worked in the motor trade to return particularly for the busy January and February sales period to cope with the busiest time of the year. Hoping that older, retired people will be tempted back on a part-time or temporary basis, they feel that the company could really benefit from the wealth of customer service and sales experience that older sales people will bring to their organisation. Right now they are hiring for showrooms and forecourts across their dealer network.Speaking at the launch recently, Skoda Ireland Head of Marketing and Product, Raymond Leddy said: &quot;Many vehicle brands are over-focused on the youth market, technology and digitalisation. Very few brands are stepping into the territory of considering older employees and even fewer will publicise or endorse associations with the older generation. At Skoda, we see ourselves as paving the way for others in not just the motor industry but in Irish businesses in general to follow suit.&quot;Celebrity hotelier and TV presenter Francis Brennan has come on board with Skoda to be the face of this new campaign. He said at the launch &quot;I just turned 66 and I have no plans to retire anytime soon&quot;. &quot;Many of us are fitter and more physically active in our 50s and 60s than our parents were. Life expectancy is at record levels and we can expect a much longer period of healthy, active retirement. The more I experience, the more I know that keeping mentally active has significant benefits for health and wellbeing. Opportunities like this will bring huge benefits to both the employees and the Skoda business in general.&quot;The company is expecting that 75 per cent of its dealers will take part in the recruitment, providing flexible working arrangements designed around the correct candidates.Check out this video about their initiative; <a href="https://youtu.be/shV5oEZatn0">https://youtu.be/shV5oEZatn0</a>More information direct from Skoda here; <a href="https://www.skoda.ie/news/news-detail/skoda-brings-older-people-back-to-the-workplace-register">https://www.skoda.ie/news/news-detail/skoda-brings-older-people-back-to-the-workplace-register</a>

Skoda looking for retired sales people to return to the Motor Trade

Parents can apply online from Wednesday, November 20, 2019, for the National Childcare Scheme, Ireland&#39;s first-ever statutory entitlement to financial support for families towards the cost of childcare.The National Childcare Scheme is a landmark new Scheme for Ireland. It is the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for childcare.It establishes an equitable and progressive system of universal and income-related subsidies for children up to the age of 15.It also provides an innovative and user-friendly online application process to access those subsidies.The National Childcare Scheme aims to improve children&#39;s outcomes, support lifelong learning, make work pay, reduce child poverty and tangibly reduce the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families across Ireland.Minister, Dr. Katherine Zappone, T.D said that &quot;without the National Childcare Scheme, we simply cannot move forward with delivering the quality, accessible, affordable childcare that Ireland needs and deserves. The Scheme provides a flexible, future-focused and sustainable platform to invest in quality Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. It is our commitment to children. It is our investment in families.&quot;The scheme provides subsidies to help parents meet the cost of quality early learning and care and school-age childcare. It will replace all previous targeted childcare support programmes with a single, streamlined and user-friendly scheme.Universal subsidies will be available to all families with children under 3 years, or families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool (ECCE) programme. The subsidy is not means-tested and provides up to €1,040 a year off the cost of a Tusla-registered childcare place, regardless of income.A landmark new scheme for Ireland, it has been developed as the country&#39;s pathway to truly accessible, affordable, quality childcare. It establishes an equitable and progressive system of universal and income-related subsidies for children up to the age of 15.The scheme also provides an innovative and user-friendly online application process to access those subsidies.Through the National Childcare Scheme, the government is committed to changing Ireland’s childcare system from one of the most expensive in the world to one of the very best.The National Childcare Scheme will increase the number of families who can access financial support. Many families will, for the first time, be entitled to subsidies which reduce their childcare costs significantly.<h2>Income-assess subsidies up to age 15</h2>Income-assessed subsidies will be available to families with children aged between 6 months and 15 years. They are means-tested and will be calculated based on a family’s individual circumstances. The subsidy rate will vary depending on the level of reckonable family income, a child’s age and educational stage.The subsidy can be used towards the cost of a Tusla-registered childcare place for up to a maximum of 40 hours per week where parents are working, studying or training and a maximum of 15 hours per week where parents are not working, studying or training.<h2>Threshold for Income-assessed subsidies</h2>The threshold for applying for Income-assessed subsidies is €60,000 reckonable income per year. Reckonable income is calculated by taking net family income (income after tax, PRSI and USC) and deducting any allowable items under the Scheme.Through all of the above, the National Childcare Scheme aims to improve children&#39;s outcomes, support lifelong learning, make work pay, reduce child poverty and tangibly reduce the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families across Ireland.The National Childcare Scheme allows Ireland to move forward with delivering the quality, accessible, affordable childcare that Ireland needs and deserves. The Scheme provides a flexible, future-focused and sustainable platform to invest in quality Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. It is Ireland&#39;s commitment to children. It is part of Ireland&#39;s commitment to children and investment in families.<ul><li>Online applications for the National Childcare Scheme will open on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.</li><li>To apply for the Scheme online the applicant will need to have a verified MyGovID.</li><li>Further information and a range of resources for families who wish to apply is available on the website Here.</li></ul><h2>Types of Subsidies</h2>There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme:Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children under 3 years old. They are also available to families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool programme (ECCE). This subsidy is not means tested and provides 50c per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place for a maximum of 40 hours per week.What you will need to apply online:<ul><li>A verified MyGovID account</li><li>The date of birth and Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) for each of the children you are applying for</li></ul>Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested and will be calculated based on your individual circumstances. Your rate will vary depending on your level of family income, your child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in your family.If you (and your partner, if you have one) are working, studying or training, the maximum number of subsidised hours available per week are 40.If you (or your partner, if you have one) are not working, studying or training, the maximum number of subsidised hours available per week are 15.<h2>Reckonable Income</h2>To apply for an Income Assessed subsidy your reckonable family income must be less than €60,000 per year.Reckonable income is calculated by taking your net family income and deducting any allowable items under the Scheme, such as the Multiple Child Discount.In other words it is the family income, including social protection payments, after tax, PRSI, USC, and any allowable items under the Scheme have been deducted.To calculate your reckonable income the following items can be deducted from your net income:<ul><li>A Multiple Child Discount of €4,300 for families with 2 children under the age of 15</li><li>A Multiple Child Discount of €8,600 for families with 3 or more children under 15</li><li>Pension contributions, up to the limit allowed by the Revenue Commissioners as a deduction from tax.</li></ul>If you are applying for an Income Assessed subsidy your income assessment will, in general, be based on your income from the previous tax year. However, you can choose to have your income from the current year assessed if you prefer. You may choose this option if your circumstances have changed from the previous tax year, and you believe that your income from the current year will be significantly less than your income from the previous year.There are two ways your income can be assessed:1) You can choose to have your income automatically assessed using information available from the most recent year from the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. This is called ‘Fast Track’. If you choose to Fast Track your assessment, the Scheme’s IT system automatically retrieves the information from Revenue and Social Protection using your Personal Public Service (PPS) number (and your partner’s, if you have one). This is typically the fastest way to have your income assessed and your application processed, and you don’t need to provide any supporting documents when applying.2) You can choose to provide supporting documents, such as payslips or Social Protection declarations, which show your income and have them reviewed and assessed by an officer of the Scheme Administrator. These documents provide the same information that would otherwise be provided by Revenue and Social Protection via the Scheme’s IT system under the Fast Track option. All of the supporting documents that you need can be found in the Application Form Guide. They can be uploaded with your application either by scanning them onto your computer or by taking a photograph. If you choose to have your income assessed on the current year, you will be required to manually provide supporting documents. Applications which are manually reviewed and assessed will take longer to process than Fast Track assessments.How will the subsidies work?The National Childcare Scheme is designed to be flexible, recognising that childcare needs are different for each family. The system has been designed to respond to these needs by providing subsidies which can be applied to the amount of care agreed between parents and providers.Parents and providers will continue to work together as they currently do, agreeing the amount of care based on a combination of what a parent needs and what a provider can reasonably offer.Providers will continue to set their own fees, sessions and decide their own admissions policies. The subsidy can then be applied to the care agreed, up to the maximum amount available under Scheme limits.You can use your subsidy with any childcare provider who is participating in the Scheme. Your subsidy will be paid directly to your chosen childcare provider once you have made arrangements with them. To find childcare services in your area who are participating in the Scheme you can use the <a href="https://ncs.gov.ie/en/childcare-search/">Childcare Search.</a>After your application has been approved, you will receive a unique code, called a CHICK (Childcare Identifier Code Key). The CHICK, along with your child’s name and date of birth, are all your provider needs to register your child on the National Childcare Scheme. After you have confirmed the details registered by your provider, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will pay the subsidy to them on your behalf. Your provider will then subtract your subsidy from your childcare bill, reducing your childcare costs.For more information, see: <a href="https://ncs.gov.ie/en/">https://ncs.gov.ie/en/</a>

Ireland's first-ever statutory entitlement for financial childcare support

PAYE Employees – this is your last chance to claim a tax refund for 2015, so if you have a bit of time today, get working on your claim.
You can claim for health expenses, nursing home fees, tuition fees or flat rate expenses. The door for claims is only open for 4 years so the deadline for 2015 claims is the 31st December. Now is a good time to check that you have claimed all your entitlements before the silly season begins and you’ll be flat out getting ready for Christmas. 
You can claim back tax that you have overpaid for any of the last four years at the same time if you like. You can do all this easily and conveniently online, using the PAYE Services in myAccount on line if you already have an account. And to make it even easier you can access myAccount on all mobile devices or through RevApp.
Claims are of course subject to verification, but most online refund claims are paid really quickly, so if you submit your claim online now, you may get your refund before Christmas.
The important things to remember are:
• There is a four year time limit for claiming tax refunds, so if you have a claim for 2015, go online and submit it by 31 December 2019.
• The quickest, easiest and most convenient way to claim your tax back is online, using in <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/index.aspx">PAYE Services</a> in <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/index.aspx">myAccount</a>, or through RevApp.
• If you are not already registered for <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/Home.aspx">myAccount</a>, you can register quickly and easily on the Revenue website.
Best of luck, hope you get a nice few bob back!

PAYE Employees – last chance to claim a tax refund for 2015

Director & Ideation Manager

Pamela Doyle

So here’s something that’s a little bit different! We spend money on sending our children to camps when they’re young and maybe the Gaeltacht and costly school trips abroad when they’re older. But would you pay €1099 for a Soccer mad young adult (18 – 30) to spend 8 – 12 weeks in the Summer to travelling across the USA, with fully Licensed UEFA Coaches, learning to coach &amp; playing soccer with kids in summer camps. The fee includes; ·      Return flights from Dublin to the US·      A Meet and Greet at the Airport·      Accommodation·      Medical Insurance·      J1 Camp Counsellor Visa·      Police Cert·      Soccer Kits (3 Sets)·      Full Orientation and Training The organisers will also set up a US Bank Account for them and while working at the camps they will receive up to $250 a week from the Camp organisers. Participants get the week of 4th July off and can stay on for 30 days at the end if they want to continue travelling across the US. Not everyone will be accepted onto the programme – there is an FREE assessment that must take place first. They don’t need to be a brilliant soccer player or a college student, they need to show enthusiasm for the opportunity and the ability to work well with kids. I think that the assessment process is a good idea – we must remember that they will be a long way from home, so the organisers would have to be sure that the applicants are suitable for the experience and I suppose there is a limit to the amount of people that they can take. Assessment days are taking place at different college venues across the country in December – full list below.I’ve spoken to some people who took up the opportunity and they’ve had the time of their lives. They come back with great memories, more confidence, a great deal more mature than when they left and with a whole bunch of new friends from all over the World. They also get to add some new skills and work experience to their CV. My Nephew did it a few years back - he got more than that, he fell in love with a beautiful American girl and they had their dream wedding at Trim Castle this year – he’s never been happier and we have a whole new family in the US now.As I said it’s a different type of opportunity, but I’d definitely encourage my child to go if they liked soccer and wanted to see a little bit more of the world. Some of the finer details;As I said to get hired as a soccer coach you need to pass a coaching assessment. You don’t need to be a brilliant player or a college student, just show you’ve got enthusiasm to do the job and will work well with kids.ELIGIBILITYAge 18-30 - you don&#39;t need to be a student – you must be 18 years old by June 1st 2020You must fluent in the English Language.NO FORMAL TRAININGYou don’t need any coaching badges or formal training to apply, you will be fully trained by one of our UEFA Licensed Coaches if you are accepted onto the programme.LOCATIONS FOR COACHING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE USDenverSan DiegoAtlantaSacramentoCincinnati COST THROUGH USIT; €1099You pay a deposit of €49 initially.ABOUT FREE ASSESSMENT DAYSIn order to assess each applicant&#39;s suitability to become a paid coach for the Coach Soccer USA programme, each applicant must attend an assessment with a Soccer team. During this session, they will work through a number of practical coaching drills (so bring your boots and gear!) and have a bit of fun with the footballs too.In addition to the practical demonstrations, there will also be an interview based chat about your motivations for wanting to enrol as a coach, your ambitions for what you&#39;d like to get out of the program and your coaching and relevant educational experience to date.If you&#39;ve any questions about the assessment or the programme themselves please contact our USIT Soccer Team by emailing soccer@usit.ie or talk to Joe on (01) 6021697 FREE ASSESSMENT DATESAttend the next FREE assessment day near you and get all the information;Athlone IT - 18th November Waterford IT - 19th NovemberDublin – NUI Maynooth 20th NovemberDublin – UCD 21st NovemberDonegal - Letterkenny IT 2nd DecemberGalway - NUI Galway 3rd DecemberLimerick - University of Limerick 4th DecemberDublin - Oscar Traynor Centre 5th DecemberTO REGISTER FOR A FREE ASSESSMENT DAY CLICK <a href="https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/usit-travel-10655923957">HERE</a> BEST OF LUCK

Coaching Opportunity USA - Something a little bit different!

Fear - the thing that holds us all back!That nagging Fear that we may fail, is the one big thing that holds people back from gaining success, achievement and the life that we really want.But what have we really got to lose by trying to pursue our dreams? If we fail at business we&#39;re not going to die (I hope! :) ) No but really, it&#39;s not like we&#39;re risking our lives to do a big stunt. We may however lose money, feel some pain, but we can always brush ourselves off and go back to a day job if we have to or indeed try another business. Many Millionaires and Billionaires didn&#39;t succeed at their first business either you&#39;d be in good company.We learn from taking risks, if we didn&#39;t try new things even as kids, we would have never learned to walk, run, jump win, love .... or succeed into adulthood.I heard a great phrase this week &quot;we cannot be what we cannot see&quot;, how true is this? Like if we don&#39;t explore all the options and look beyond where we were born, our family status and everything around us now, sure we&#39;d never see what&#39;s really out there, the opportunities...the possibilities - how far we can actually go!What we should really fear is not trying at all!It&#39;s time to change the way we think, to tell the voices in our heads to &#39;shut up&#39; to stop talking for a while. We need space to think, to believe in ourselves and visualise more. We need to Dream!Remember fears can come in many forms;<ul><li>Procrastination</li><li>Perfectionism</li><li>Lack of Clarity &amp; Direction</li><li>Being Overwhelmed</li><li>Lack of Action &amp; Implementation</li><li>Indecisiveness</li><li>Lack of Self-Confidence</li></ul>So ask yourself again;What would you attempt to do TODAY if you knew you could not fail?Write down your answers, read them from time to time.Become the Person You Want To Be

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

Delighted to be a guest speaker today at the Ballymun Job Centre / JP Morgan IN-VEST Programme Pilot results presented at the JP Morgan Offices, Sir Job Rogerson’s Quay. (Pictured; Peter Nolan, BJC Board Member, Pamela Doyle, JobAlert.ie and Regina Doherty TD Minister for Employment.)JobAlert.ie were honoured to be involved in the programme and to have been able to provide work experience to the participants at the end of their training programme. Great to hear that of the 73 Participants that participated in the initial pilot, 45 have either found employment or have accessed further education opportunities. JP Morgan have approved another round of funding. Independent Research showed that;100% felt more skilled100% felt that their confidence and self-esteem had improved.100% felt more independent and empowered.96% reported improved levels or ambition and belief. IN-VEST is an innovative pilot initiative funded by JP Morgan. It differentiates from other employability programmes. The flexibility to tweak and tailor the content and delivery based on learning with a focus on soft skills would not be possible in other accredited employability programmes offered. IN-VEST was not linked to welfare payments, so participants were not mandated to attend hence participants were motivated by other intrinsic factors to participate (IN-VEST Evaluation October, 2019)

BJC / JP Morgan IN-VEST Programme Pilot Results Presentation

(Pictured above at the launch of the ability to work fund are Ailbhe Keane, a board member of SIFI, Lisa Cox, a member of Blue Diamond Drama Academy, Regina Doherty, Minister for Employment Affairs &amp; Social Protection, Daniel Ryan, member of Blue Diamond Drama Academy and Tadhg Young, State Street country head. Photograph: Conor Healy/Picture It Photography)Applications Now open for the Ability to Work Fund!<h2>A new €1.5 million fund has been created by the Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) and US financial services group State Street to offer more opportunities in the workplace for people with disabilities.</h2>The partnership will see the “ability to work fund” created to provide funding over three years to organisations working to help people with a disability gain employment. The fund is also supported by the Department of Rural and Community development.SIFI and State Street intend that the fund will reach 500 educationally-disadvantaged students over its three-year lifespan and help 250 to progress to employment.Launching the fund, Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, noted that many people with disabilities wish to work but are faced with barriers and challenges. This fund, she said, is an important initiative to provide the supports for those people living with disabilities.“Within the public sector we are looking to double the number of people with a disability employed by 2024 and we are looking at alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities,” Ms Doherty added.SIFI chief executive Deirdre Mortell noted that almost 10 per cent of people living in Ireland identified as living with a disability according to figures from the last census. Those people are, however, half as likely to be in employment as others or working age, she said.“It is encouraging that more and more employers are recognising the contribution people living with a disability can make to their organisation and are actively seeking to create employment for this group. Through the ability to work fund we hope to give more people with a disability the confidence to pursue employment,” Ms Mortell said.The ability to work fund is open for applications until February 2020 and successful applicants will receive cash grants as well as a place on a programme which includes training.Applications are sought from organisations that work with people who have an intellectual, physical or sensory disability from the age of 17.Source of Article; Irish Times - Peter HamiltonMore information from the Social Innovation Fund;What are the aims of the fund?The fund has two main aims:<ol><li>to empower 250 people to progress along the pathways to employment by investing in organisations that provide training, upskilling, education and other services to people with disabilities; and </li><li>to double the impact of successful applicant organisations by providing project funding and other supports such as:</li></ol><ul><li>strategic planning</li><li>communications strategy development</li><li>mentoring</li><li>leadership training</li><li>market research</li><li>financial modelling (forecasting your organisation’s financial performance) </li></ul>What does the fund offer?<ul><li>Cash grants of up to €90,000 each year for three years*</li><li>A business supports package to help not-for-profit organisations expand their business expertise and expand and deepen their impact</li><li>A place on SIFI’s Accelerator Programme, a programme which provides training from experts from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors</li><li>Project performance management, including managing its impact</li><li>Access to SIFI’s networks of charities, social enterprises, government and donors</li><li>Access to training and mentoring from State Street employees</li></ul>*Applicants can apply for any amount up to €90,000 for three years. SIFI will decide how much money to award, which may be less than the amount requested. The amount of the award will depend on how many organisations are selected, their past financial performance, and the budget they submit as part of their application. Who can apply?We are inviting applications from organisations that work with people with an intellectual, physical, mental health, learning or sensory disability who are aged 17 and older. The organisations must be engaged in creating ways to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities through education, training and skill-building.What kind of projects can apply? Projects must meet the criteria set by both SIFI and the Ability to Work Fund. These are outlined below. Please note: Projects seeking funding for capital assets (such as buildings, vans or equipment) are not eligible. Social Innovation Fund Ireland criteria<ul><li>The project must address a critical social issue </li><li>It must be innovative in an Irish context</li><li>It must be possible and desirable to replicate the project or grow its impact in Ireland (or internationally, although this is not a requirement)</li><li>The project or organisation must have a proven track record</li><li>The project must be based on the island of Ireland and make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland</li><li>The applicant must be a not-for-profit organisation such as a charity, trust, company limited by guarantee, and so on. It must not be a commercial company</li></ul>Ability to Work Fund criteria<ul><li><ul><li>The project must relate to education, training or preparation for the workforce</li><li>The project must support people with disabilities aged 17 and over to achieve better employment outcomes</li><li>The project must be able to show how it helps people in at least two of the following outcome areas:</li><li>Participants in the project must be living with a disability</li><li>The project must be able to measure the outcomes for participants</li><li>The project must consult its participants about its design, delivery and evaluation</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Applications from projects which provide individual pathways for participants are more likely to be successful</li></ul>Which projects cannot apply?Projects that are not eligible to apply are:<ul><li>Advocacy projects</li><li>Projects seeking funding for capital items such as buildings, vans, renovations, equipment, and so on</li><li>Research projects</li><li>Projects promoting or aligned with a political party</li><li>Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination</li><li>Projects where the main impact is outside the Republic of Ireland</li><li>Projects led by people under 18 years of age</li><li>Projects that are an idea (only) and that have not yet started</li><li>Projects that do not benefit people with disabilities </li></ul>Which applicants are not eligible?<ul><li>Applicants under 18 years of age </li><li>Commercial companies (the fund is only open to not-for-profit organisations such as charities, trusts, schools, or companies limited by guarantee) </li><li>Staff, directors and their immediate family members of Social Innovation Fund Ireland and State Street </li></ul>How do we apply?Click here and complete the online application form, or download and complete the application form and return it to us by 5pm on 14th February 2020. If you opt to complete your application form online, you will need to upload documents such as a three-year budget for your project (in Excel), your financial statements and a link to a 2-3 minute video about your project. What happens next?A team of experts will review the applications. Projects which are shortlisted will be invited to an interview to give more information about their project. Project leaders will be invited to interviews, which will take place the week starting 23 March 2020. The judges may do further checks or site visits. The awardees will be notified in June 2020. The Awards Ceremony and announcement will take place in July 2020.What happens if our project is successful?We will invite your project leader to take part in an Accelerator Programme which runs from July 2020 to June 2023. This programme will include:<ul><li>mentoring</li><li>planning for growth</li><li>measuring the impact of the project</li><li>communications training</li><li>access to Social Innovation Fund Ireland’s expertise and networks</li></ul>We will expect your project leader to devote at least two days a month to the programme.Frequently asked questionsHow do I upload a video link to my application?Click here to watch our short guide to uploading video.What should we include in the video?Look at this sample video for ideas. The video should be 2-3 minutes and should tell us who you are, why you are applying for the grant, the problem you are trying to solve and how your solution is innovative.Can you explain what you mean by outputs (model, impact, testing etcetera)?Click here to see our handy one-page glossary of terms, and click here to see examples of how those terms can be applied.What can we spend the grant on?You may only spend the grant on the project which won the award. The specific use of the grant will be agreed between you and Social Innovation Fund Ireland. Please note: you cannot use the grant to pay off debts or buy land, buildings or equipment (capital expenses).Who will decide who wins the awards?The final decision will be made by the Board of Social Innovation Fund Ireland.What is the selection process?<ul><li>Stage 1: Open call for applications (11 November 2019 to 14 February 2020)</li><li>Stage 2: Selection process (February to March 2020)</li><li>Stage 3: Interviews (week starting 23 March 2020)</li><li>Stage 4: Final checks on short-listed applicants (April to May 2020)</li><li>Stage 5: Final decision by Social Innovation Fund Ireland’s Board (June 2020)</li></ul>How can we find out where we are in the selection process?We will inform applicants by telephone or email.Interviews and feedback<ul><li>If you are invited to the next round of the application process, you will be asked to attend an interview which must be attended by a project representative (ideally the project leader). </li><li>If selected for interview, we will share the information you have provided with the judges. </li><li>The SIFI Board of Directors will choose the winning applications and decide the awards based on the recommendations from the panel of judges. The Directors’ decision will be final. </li><li>The SIFI Fund Manager may offer general verbal feedback to unsuccessful applicants who have reached the interview stage.</li></ul>Publicity<ul><li>The awardees must take part in publicity about the grant. SIFI reserves the right to publish the names of organisations that are successful in their applications.</li></ul>Terms and conditions of the Ability to Work FundBy applying for the Ability to Work Fund, you agree with the following: <ul><li>You are 18 years of age or older.</li><li>You have given full and truthful information, both verbal and written, at all stages of the application and selection process. </li><li>You are eligible to apply. This means that your organisation meets the criteria for the Social Innovation Fund Ireland and the Ability to Work Fund, as described earlier.</li><li>You have the right to apply. This means that you hold the necessary rights to carry out the project.</li><li>By sending in your application, you accept these terms and conditions and our Privacy Statement. If you do not comply with these terms and conditions, you may be disqualified and may have to return any award granted. </li><li>SIFI will hold the personal details which you submitted with your application form. We will only share this information with the third parties administering the application and selection process, unless we agree otherwise with you. Please see our Privacy Statement for full details.</li><li>If you decline an award or if the award is taken back because you did not comply with the terms and conditions, the Directors may select an alternative awardee.</li><li>SIFI reserves the right to disqualify any entrant, to change the terms and conditions without notice, or to cancel the application process at any stage.</li></ul><a href="http://www.socialinnovation.ie/ability-to-work-fund/">CLICK HERE FOR TO GO TO THEIR WEBSITE</a>

€1.5m fund to offer more work opportunities for people with disabilities

Marks and Spencers are recruiting Sales Advisors for their stores in the following locations; Blanchardstown, City Centre, Omni - Santry, Liffey Valley, Dundrum and Blackrock. The thought always counts at M&amp;S. All year round, day in, day out, they think about how to put customers first and make their shopping experience special. If you’re a friendly, approachable person that likes helping customers – we think it’s a challenge you’ll enjoy this festive season.Join the Marks and Spencers team and you will receive a competitive salary plus 20% staff.To apply for each store click on the relevant link below;Blanchardstown – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-advisors-marks-spencer-9">CLICK HERE</a>City Centre – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-assistants-city-centre-marks-spencer">CLICK HERE</a>Omni – Santry – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-assistants-omni-shopping-centre-marks-spencer">CLICK HERE</a>Liffey Valley – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-assistants-liffey-valley-shopping-centre-marks-spencer">CLICK HERE</a>Dundrum – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-assistants-dundrum-marks-spencer">CLICK HERE</a>Blackrock – <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/job/sales-advisors-blackrock-marks-spencer-4">CLICK HERE</a> BEST OF LUCK!!!

Marks and Spencers are recruiting Sales Advisors across their Dublin Stores

Our MissionOur mission is to fill vacancies with quality candidates as quickly and affordably for companies of all shapes and sizes. We also want to guarantee that anyone who wants a job, gets one!We are particularly passionate about helping disadvantaged jobseekers. We try our best to get the word out on any news or information that we feel can help someone in need. From apprenticeships and traineeships to interview preparation and CV writing; we want to equip jobseekers with the information that can aid them in their job search.Unlike other job boards, we don’t wait for jobseekers to come to us, we go to them. We use the power of social media to get directly in front of potential job seekers. With a community with over 300,000 social media followers, we can reach a massive audience. Our content takes on a life of its own as it gets liked, shared and commented on around the country.If you would like to advertise on JobAlert.ie click <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers">HERE </a>or contact us on 01 8495003If you are a jobseeker follow our Facebook pages or visit <a href="www.jobalert.ie">www.jobalert.ie</a>

What a great year at JobAlert.ie

If you need help choosing courses check out the fantastic free tool “CourseFinder” from Careersportal.ie. It will help you find courses in Ireland using filters such as career interests, course level, points required based on last year, specific colleges, region and career interests. Students are urged to apply for CAO as soon as possible to avail of the discounted registration fee of €30, which is only available until January 20th.Registration after the January 20th will cost €45 up until February 1st, after this time the Late Registration facility will be open from 12 PM on March 5th  and will require a €60 fee.To go to the CourseFinder tool <a href="https://careersportal.ie/courses/simple_search.php">CLICK HERE</a>The CAO website also has a demo application where you can ensure that your application will be perfect. You can access this facility by <a href="http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=demo">CLICKING HERE</a><h2>Student Advice from our Team</h2>If you’re doing the leaving certificate this year, here’s some advice from our team.<h3></h3><h2>Which course?</h2>Choosing a course is a really important decision, because remember you’re going to be the one doing the hard work, the course assignments and the final exams. So make sure it&#39;s your choice and that it&#39;s the right choice based on proper research.Try and choose something that you think you will enjoy and that you will want to work at after you finally graduate. So, if you have something in mind talk to people who did the same course or people who work in the industry, it will give you a better perspective. Careersportal.ie have some great tools that can help you find courses based on your interests, also do some research on line yourself. <h3></h3><h2>Oh the dreaded points!</h2>While last year’s points will give you an indication of what to expect, the best thing to do is to choose the courses that interest you first and make a good long list of options. Then you can check if there are any special entry requirements to see if you will qualify, then based on what points you are aiming for, you will then be able to narrow down your list. For more information on filling out your CAO form visit <a href="http://www.cao.ie./">www.cao.ie.</a><h3></h3><h2>Which College?</h2>While it might be nice to go to a college near where you live, you should also keep your options open. Visit all the colleges that you are thinking of putting on your CAO form. The Open Days are a great opportunity to get a good feel for the place, the journey there etc. Also make sure and talk to the relevant lecturers, staff and if possible the students on the day.<h3></h3><h2>Check out schemes like DARE and HEAR</h2>DARE and HEAR are great schemes that offer college places on reduced points to people with disabilities or who face barriers to education. You can find out more about these schemes here and the qualifying criteria <a href="https://accesscollege.ie/">https://accesscollege.ie/</a>Best of Luck! <h3>Useful Websites</h3><a href="http://www.cao.ie./">www.cao.ie</a><a href="https://careersportal.ie/">www.careersportal.ie</a><a href="https://www.qualifax.ie/">www.qualifax.ie</a>: search all courses from PLC to college <a href="http://accesscollege.ie/">www.accesscollege.ie</a>: information on special entry routes for students with a disability or coming from disadvantaged backgrounds <a href="http://campus.ie/">www.campus.ie</a>: lots of insights into college life <a href="https://hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/">www.studentfinance.ie </a><a href="https://susi.ie/">www.susi.ie</a> – grants QQI – NFQ info

The CAO online application facility is now open

<h2>Are you an EU🇪🇺 citizen born between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2001? Would you like to spend the summer☀️ travelling through Europe by train🚆 for free? Apply now to participate!</h2> Get ready to explore Europe! What is DiscoverEU?DiscoverEU is an initiative of the European Union that gives you the opportunity to discover Europe through learning experiences. Travelling predominantly by rail (there are exceptions to allow those living on islands or in remote areas), you will discover Europe’s stunning landscapes and its variety of cities and towns. Young people can apply during the two application rounds which take place each year. Successful applicants are awarded with a travel pass.As an 18-year-old citizen of the European Union, DiscoverEU offers you the opportunity to participate in a travel experience that will enable you to take advantage of the freedom of movement throughout the European Union, explore the diversity of Europe while travelling, learn about European cultural heritage and history, and connect with people from all over the continent. Furthermore, DiscoverEU enables you, as a young person, to develop life skills of value to your future, such as independence, confidence, and openness to other cultures.    Almost 50 000 young people have been awarded a travel pass since the first application round in June 2018. Another round is taking place now and will run until Thursday 28 November 2019 at 12:00 (CET). To be eligible, you need to:<ul><li>Have been born between 1 January 2001 (included) and 31 December 2001 (included);</li><li>Have the nationality of one of the Member States of the European Union at the time of the award decision;</li><li>Complete the correct ID or passport number on the online application form.</li></ul>Then you will need to participate in a quiz (unless you apply as a group member).If you are selected, you can travel for a period of minimum 1 day and up to 30 days between 1 April 2020 and 31 October 2020. Note that if you have a disability or a health problem that makes your trip challenging, you will receive assistance and support to help you take part in DiscoverEU. Can I travel with my friends?Yes you can! It really is up to you. You can go solo or add up to 4 friends in your group provided they meet the eligibility conditions above. They will use your application code to submit their own application. You can also organise meet-ups and combine travel plans with other DiscoverEU travellers! The DiscoverEU Facebook Group is a good platform to do this. Join the Group now to chat with other participants.   ‘There is a whole world out there. Pack your backpack, your best friend and go.’ Share experiencesAs a DiscoverEU Ambassador, you will be invited you to share your travel experiences through social media tools - Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter - using #DiscoverEU. You may decide to give a presentation at your school or local community. Moreover, you could participate in the #DiscoverEU photo/video #Competition and win great prizes. I want to know more – here’s some information from the factsheet;“Turning 18 marks a major step to adulthood. We want to support Europe’s young people in taking this step by giving them the opportunity to discover our continent’s incredible cultural heritage, get to know and learn from other people – and come to recognise that there is more that unites us than divides us.” Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth &amp; Sport  WHAT IS DiscoverEU? DiscoverEU is an EU initiative giving 18-year-old young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to travel around Europe, learn from other cultures, build new friendships with fellow Europeans, and explore their European identity. Organised for the first time in 2018, young people embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm. Nearly 275,000 young people applied for the almost 50,000 travel passes available over three application rounds in 2018-2019. The allocation of the travel passes was based on the share of Member States’ population compared to the overall population of the EU. All country quotas were used. 49,551 participants have already participated in previous rounds – they represent;70% in school or leaving school 22% in higher education 2% in vocational training 2% on a gap year 1% employed 1% volunteering 2% other Here are some of their stories from past participants;”Most definitely I liked trains and the long-distance journeys, I fell in love with railways and I think that this is the best mean of transport. I enjoyed the opportunity to travel in Europe and I liked visiting places that I did not have the chance to visit before. I also liked my full independence and self-reliance. I liked getting to know other people with whom I’m still in contact today. I was surprised that I fell so much in love in this kind of travel, like visiting several places in 2 weeks or more. I learned how to travel on my own without the help of my parents. For me the best city has definitely been Amsterdam, I liked the atmosphere and the city itself.” Aleksandra B. (Poland): travelled to Germany, Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands “The word I would use to describe my journey is “Union”. The thing that really surprised me was the ease with which I and the other DiscoverEU participants became friends, we shared experiences and emotions, without knowing each other at all. The union between the different cultures of this trip has left me speechless, I really never thought of finding such great people who offered me a smile every day. Without any doubt I learned to trust others and I shared everything that I could while travelling.” Marta P. (Italy): travelled to Hungary, Czechia, Germany and The Netherlands “From the start, I was eager to participate in the DiscoverEU initiative, and I was extremely happy to be among the selected ones. The European Commission showed an open attitude and was determined to find solutions for my situation. The experience has been very enriching for me and also for society. On the one hand, society was surprised to see me, a boy with great disability helped by a team of assistants to enjoy life abroad. On the other hand, my severe limitations created very positive feelings of empathy and help among people, and ultimately integration.” Javier G. (Spain): travelled to The Netherlands Europe is at your feet. Take the first step - what are you waiting for? CLICK <a href="https://europa.eu/youth/discovereu_en?fbclid=IwAR0f-6yWntJGyrkBt1ubic4nxEOqGSV4NSZrpVrVEaX78NtRndCyP8aj_ZI">HERE</a>

 Get ready to explore Europe by Train for Free!

Do you have your Junior Cert?Here&#39;s a great opportunity to achieve an Aircraft Spray-Painting - City and Guilds Diploma: NVQ Extended Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering while learning on the job at Dublin Airport. Once the course is successfully completed, participants will be offered full time employment! This programme is running in partnership with IAC, Dublin Airport; encompassing on-the-job training. Learners will gain the skills, knowledge and competencies required to work effectively as Aircraft Surface Finisher. The programme is City and Guilds certified. GV and medical form part of the recruitment process.Start Date - 18/11/2019End Date - 15/05/2020Duration - 26 WeeksENTRY REQUIREMENTS<ul><li>Education: Learners should ideally have Junior Certificate (or equivalent) english, maths and science.</li><li> Aptitude: The selection process on behalf of employers may include initial assessment where applicants will be asked if they have any qualifications or experience that can be accredited against the requirements of the award. They may also be required to take tests in basic numeracy and literacy, communications skills and spatial awareness. There may also be an interview to ensure applicants have selected the right occupational sector and are motivated to become an learner on the course, as undertaking this course is a major commitment for both the individual and the employer.</li><li>Previous Experience: Previous work experience is desirable but not essential.</li></ul>Receive the following City &amp; Guilds Awards:Complying with Statutory Regs. &amp; Org. Safety Reqs. (1789-001)Using &amp; Interpreting Engineering Data &amp; Documents (1789-002)Working Efficiently &amp; Effectively in Engineering (1789-403)Reinstating Work Area on Completion of Activities (1789-404)Applying Aircraft Paint Finishes by Hand (1789-489)Applying Aircraft Paint Finishes by Spray Guns (1789-490)Applying Transfers, Decals &amp; Livery to Aircraft (1789-491)Stripping &amp; Removing Aircraft Finishes (1789-492)Applying Finishes to Aircraft Composite Mouldings (1789-493)This course is very popular, so if you&#39;re interested, apply today! For more information and to apply call 018167400 or click <a href="https://www.fetchcourses.ie/course/finder?sfcw-courseId=274409">here</a> to apply online.

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