UNEMPLOYMENT RISE SPARKS RETURN TO FULL-TIME EDUCATION

May 2009

Rising unemployment has led to long queues at DkIT as people plan a return to education after being made redundant.

The latest Live Register figures paint a grim picture, with the number of people signing on in Dundalk increasing by more than 80% over the last year.

Indeed, in the past month alone, an additional 114 people were added to the Live Register in town.

But a renewed interest in education has seen a huge increase in enquiries to DkIT, according to access officer Eileen Lynch.

‘ The shock of redundancy can be devastating, but we are saying to people, take heart, there are options out there, and this could be the opportunity to finish a degree or get a completely new qualification.’

She reveals that the numbers of unemployed people seeking information about courses and programmes had gone up.

‘Some days it has been every second person coming in who has recently lost their job, other days it’s almost everyone we come across.

‘A lot of enquiries are from men in their late 30s who have been made redundant and are worried about what they should do next.

‘But the main thing is, people are trying to plan for their future, and that is very encouraging.’

Ms Lynch adds that for those concerned they might not be able to afford to go to college, the back to education allowance may be available.

In some cases, this could mean they are able to hold on to entitlements such as job seekers’ allowance, disability payments and lone parents’ benefit, whilst going to college.

‘Obviously every case is different, but for someone who has just lost their job, they should enquire through the social welfare office what they may be entitled to.

‘We are also encouraging anyone who is trying to plan to come in and talk to us.

‘Often, it is making that first step that it is the most difficult.’

Meanwhile, students who had dropped out of college during the boom years are also returning to education.

‘As it is now, there has never been a better time to get back to education, and we are seeing more and more people who perhaps opted to go into employment before finishing their studies,’ the access officer explains.

‘ There is a huge advantage to some of our former students, who can use credits from the first time they had attended college.

‘In some instances, they have a lot of subjects done already, and may only need to do a few extra months or a year to gain the qualification they missed out on first time around.’

She adds that there is some concern about the self-employed, many of whom are men who opted to take up employment in the once plentiful construction sector.

‘ These people are not showing up on any figures, which is worrying, as there are a lot of men especially who were ‘ working for themselves’ and are struggling now to find jobs.’

Ms Lynch believes that returning to education is perhaps the best thing to do to boost your CV, adding that age is no barrier to study with DkIT having many mature students.