Abstract:

It is often questioned whether education is a route out of poverty. Increasingly, however, education in terms of re-skilling and up-skilling is becoming very important in order to provide people with the skills needed to attain the opportunities that are available. Nonetheless, marginalised job seekers experience numerous barriers to learning and as a result it is difficult for them to receive an education or upskill in order to seek employment.

Considered as an example of best practice, the FIT (Fastrack to IT) Initiative has had a positive impact on numerous marginalised people’s lives in Ireland, having helped them somewhat in breaking the barriers to learning that exist. This paper presents an analysis of the FIT initiative, which has enhanced ICT innovation and has done so in order to enable marginalised job seekers (1) progress and overcome barriers to learning. Based on an association between industry, community and education providers, through the FIT Initiative adults receive encouragement and help by gaining an education which is unique to this initiative. FIT offers numerous supports to adult learners which not only provide them with an education, but help them in terms of job seeking strategies and motivational skills. It therefore provides learners with both technical and soft skills. This paper presents the results of recent qualitative research conducted on the FIT initiative. It shows how marginalised people have progressed on the completion of FIT courses and discusses the impact of the Initiative as it responds to current Irish strategies to combat poverty and social exclusion.

(1) Marginalised jobseekers defined as: individuals on the live register, young early school-leavers (under 18), individuals living in the family home who do not qualify for Unemployment Benefit payments, individuals living in households where income is above the means test threshold of Unemployment Assistance, women working in the home for long periods wishing to return to employment, lone-parents, individuals on disability payments, migrant job seekers and other individuals that find themselves distant from the labour market.

Keywords:

social exclusion, ict, education, barriers to learning, employment.