€1.3m ... that's a huge slice of the FAS funding pie ... and all to one company!! Do I feel jealous, like every other trainer or training company in the midlands - "yes I do!"
Judging from the response I've received personally from various Trainers, Training companies and clients in the Westmeath area, there is a justified sense of unfairness about this. I'm sure the thousands who read the Independent on the 9th July'10 all felt the same.
Lir Business Services & Training Centre is in business for 20 years, and other training companies almost tipping up the same number of years. We all went through the various tendering processes, quoting fair course fees to run courses to the best of our ability and to best practice, giving the learner, the trainers and the funding agency itself (FAS) good value and return on their investment. Instead, we all have filing cabinets bulging with letters "I am writing to inform you that you were unsuccessful in your tender".
In my opinion, and with the standards we set for best practice, if you went any lower, you had no option but to 'cut corners' and where exactly would that end? If I told you that there are trainers out there who are being paid weekly (not properly contracted, but with all the responsibilities of having to pay their own PAYE/PRSI at the end of the course they are giving, with classes of 20 learners) at the rate of €8-€10 per hour around the country? Would you believe me? €8 is clearly below the hourly minimum wage! Is that fair to the trainers?
Nor are many of these trainers listed on the FAS NRT, which, to be fair, is not exactly all their fault because there seems to have been no movement since last year on applications. It is no wonder shortcuts are being taken by these training companies to come out with a profit.
Did no one in FAS look at the numbers and say "lads, we seem to be giving a huge slice of our funding to (what seems to be, if I'm not mistaken) one training company in the midlands". Maybe this happened all over the country, maybe its still happening.
Did no one look at the FAS NRT (National Register of Trainers) and see that there were other companies only too happy to quote fair, justified fees for their services because they are professionals - not there to 'rip off' FAS but to provide a professional service that they could take pride in and gain the respect and repeat business of the learners? Was it a case of the "lowest tender" applied?
Anyway, enough of that ... all seems to be well again and business goes on the same as usual except if we spare a thought for those other training companies in the midlands who closed this year, possibly due to the downturn in the economy, who knows.
Are there any lessons to be learned for the remaining trainers and training companies in the future? Maybe, but I say, 'stick to your guns' and do what you have been doing and doing best - running training courses and centres to the best of your ability and to best practice - quoting fair course fees and keeping to standards that you and your staff are proud to say you are part of, and remember ... at the end of the day, if it's still millions the rest of us are after ... there is still the lotto!
