Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Co. refusing to fund further ed.

Options
  • 07-08-2010 2:13am
    #1
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭


    My company fund further education for employees. In 2005 I applied for funding for a masters. My application was declined and the feedback that I received was that I wasn't with the company for sufficient duration. In 2008 I applied again. My application was successful - although only approved on a year by year basis. The following year, they approved year 2. I have just gone though the process of applying for funding for year 3. They have declined on the basis that the company don't approve courses to masters level for shop floor employees.
    I have checked the eligibility criteria set out and at no stage does it suggest this. It does indicate that the course should be relevant to the individuals development plan (yet it has been approved in previous years and even the current application was approved by my line manager and his manager).

    I guess I feel aggrieved as I feel the system is inequitable - others being approved - including those just commencing courses - while i'm not for no good reason. What grounds do I have in attempting to get this reversed?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    tenchi-fan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,339 ✭✭✭tenchi-fan


    You;ll probably find the contract is pretty vague regarding approval of courses/ In particular, the company will have no problems showing that the masters is not relevant to your job.

    If your role is not replaceable I suggest you work the cost of the masters into your conditions of remaining with the company. Otherwise you really don't have a leg to stand on.

    I'm not an employment expert but I have seen enough of what companies can get away with in these recessionary times!


  • Options
    #3
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    Originally - back in '05 my app was declined not on the basis of lack of relevance but on the basis of insufficient time served with the company to justify the expense.
    If another individual at the same level has been funded for a similar course, is this not an inequitable situation?
    Is it not poor form to fund someone for half of a course and then just drop them midway through?


  • Options
    #4
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,506 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Well, yes it is, but a lot of companies are struggling at the moment and have had to make cutbacks. FE would be considered a privilage, not a right, and you have had 2 years, could you take out a credit union loan and fund the last year yourself? (A three year Masters? Granted its part time as you are working, but how many years will it be?)

    If you figure its not worth it to you, then it probably isn't worth it to them either.

    At a personal level I am sympathetic to your problem, it must be very disappointing after all your work, but if they have to make cutbacks to keep you in a job, then the cutbacks have to happen.


  • Options
    #5
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    makeorbrake wrote: »
    Is it not poor form to fund someone for half of a course and then just drop them midway through?

    But you knew the fundng was on a year by year basis so this was always a possibility...

    Maybe you could talk to them and share the funding 50/50 or some such arrangment...

    If its a probelm with overall funding they shouldn't come out with the crappy story of shop floor folks not getting funding for Masters when they have already funded two years... It's this kind of weak managment that causes confusion and resentment, employees deserve the truth, even if they don't like it they respect you for being honest...

    See what you can get but it's in no way a right for it to be continued..

    I've stopped funding over disciplinary issues and only released further funding after 12 months of appreciatable performance..


  • Options
    #6
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    looksee wrote: »
    Well, yes it is, but a lot of companies are struggling at the moment and have had to make cutbacks. FE would be considered a privilege, not a right
    Sure - no problem with any of that. I guess the issue I do have is where cuts are not made across the board. ie. if someone else with similar circumstances gets funding whilst I don't.
    looksee wrote: »
    (A three year Masters? Granted its part time as you are working, but how many years will it be?)
    Yes - 3 years - as it's part time. I'm halfway through year 2 right now.
    looksee wrote: »
    If you figure its not worth it to you, then it probably isn't worth it to them either.
    Having spent so much time on it, I will have to find the money to finish it - but as i'm sure you realise, that stuff doesn't grow on trees...
    bbam wrote:
    But you knew the fundng was on a year by year basis so this was always a possibility...
    Yes - no problem with that - thats the policy across the board for everyone.
    bbam wrote:
    I've stopped funding over disciplinary issues and only released further funding after 12 months of appreciatable performance..
    thats part of the policy - and I have no problem with that either (nor is it an issue for me).
    bbam wrote:
    If its a probelm with overall funding they shouldn't come out with the crappy story of shop floor folks not getting funding for Masters when they have already funded two years...
    This is not stated anywhere in the eligibility criteria. Furthermore, they have lead me to believe that the level of course pursued was not an issue.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement