What's the difference in working for a VEC and working for the Department?

paddy.81

I am applying for a VEC job but have been paid by the Department for the past few years. Can anybody tell me what the differences are? Thanks.

TheDriver

nothing except in VEC, your money comes from the DEpt through the VEC, whereas in Dept, you get the cash directly.

In theory your employer is not the BOM but the VEC

spurious

The VECs are not religious owned, so in theory, you would be safer from Section 37 in a VEC school. Less nonsense about religious things in general.

In the cities, the religious owned schools are fond of sending children with special needs to the VECs where 'their needs will be better met'. This means there is often more than a fair share of children with difficulties (social and intellectual) in VEC schools.

Payment-wise there is not any discernible difference.

TheDriver

True, the tech in towns tends to have all the troublesome kids (sorry but thats the truth) whereas some VECs are the sole providers in the area so everyone goes there.

bdoo

One of the other differences with a VEC is that you are employed for a scheme ( City or County VEC area) and can be transferred to any school in the scheme.

This is not the issue it was before redeployment came around. But with amalgamation the area covered by a VEC will be larger and transfer within it could be a big deal. In the redeployment scheme there is a max distance.

If you are in a VEC scheme, all of your consecutive years of service in it can count for a CID regardless of the school as the employer is the same.

The subject you teach and the way you teach it remain the same. Some of my secondary colleagues seem to think that we are falling over huge bundles of money lying around the place in VEC schools.

The VEC schools are non denominational also which makes me wonder what the fascination with educate together is, anyone would think it was a new thing.

delta_bravo

Are VEC schools not Multi-denominational as opposed to non-denominational? I went to a VEC (County Dublin) school which had a chaplain, lenten masses and I think we even once had an evensong.

Miss Lockhart

I work in a VEC school that is under a "deed of trust" to a diocese. They have to have representatives on the BOM. We have Catholic instruction in religion class. We have a chaplain. We have a mass for every school event. We have had prayers over the intercom.

Educate Together is a completely different ethos altogether.

That said, I would agree totally with Spurious that overall religion is less important in VEC schools - certainly for staff.

bdoo

delta_bravo wrote: »

Are VEC schools not Multi-denominational as opposed to non-denominational? I went to a VEC (County Dublin) school which had a chaplain, lenten masses and I think we even once had an evensong.

Yeah sorry. We have religion as a subject but no instruction in any religion. At our graduation we have the local catholic and church of Ireland priest person.

implausible

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

I work in a VEC school that is under a "deed of trust" to a diocese. They have to have representatives on the BOM.

That's interesting, was the school formed from an amalgamation by any chance?

The paydates can be different. In my present and past job (both VECs), I get paid on the 15th (this is technically a mid-month advance) and last day of the month.

Service in various schools within a scheme counting towards a CID is a definite advantage of being in the VEC system.

Miss Lockhart

implausible wrote: »

That's interesting, was the school formed from an amalgamation by any chance?

I'm not sure. It's nearly 30 years old and is located in a suburban area that is probably not much older than that. I am certain there were no other second level schools here before this one - it would have been the first school in the area and the population would have increased dramatically since then.

ETA: If you google "designated community college" you will see that there are dozens of these type of schools under VEC patronage. In certain VECs (including the largest ones) the majority of schools are "designated" and operating under a deed of trust from a diocese.

doc_17

TheDriver wrote: »

nothing except in VEC, your money comes from the DEpt through the VEC, whereas in Dept, you get the cash directly.

In theory your employer is not the BOM but the VEC

Is the VEC not the employer?

muirthemne

Also.......you get paid monthly in most VECs as opposed to fortnightly by the Dept.!!!

doc_17

Think all VECs pay 24 times per year now. It'd be a very rare one that doesnt

whiteandlight

doc_17 wrote: »

Think all VECs pay 24 times per year now. It'd be a very rare one that doesnt

Kildare vec pay monthly

Seanchai

Kyaaavan, naturally enough, also hold on to your hard-earned money for a month.

theresalorna

paddy.81 wrote: »

I am applying for a VEC job but have been paid by the Department for the past few years. Can anybody tell me what the differences are? Thanks.

TheDriver wrote: »

nothing except in VEC, your money comes from the DEpt through the VEC, whereas in Dept, you get the cash directly.

In theory your employer is not the BOM but the VEC

I worked as a SNA in a non VEC secondary school and when I joined the VECschool my pay was decreased even though I worked the same hours. It seems to me that VEC's get the money from DES and they pay their own rates.

implausible

theresalorna wrote: »

I worked as a SNA in a non VEC secondary school and when I joined the VECschool my pay was decreased even though I worked the same hours. It seems to me that VEC's get the money from DES and they pay their own rates.

This is not true. There is a set salary scale for teachers and I'm pretty sure for SNAs now (will find the link).

There are a number of reasons why your pay may have decreased - recent cuts, different hours or maybe the VEC don't have you on the correct scale (did you submit evidence of your previous experience and qualifications?)

Edit: Here's the link to the payscales

gaeilgebeo

theresalorna wrote: »

I worked as a SNA in a non VEC secondary school and when I joined the VECschool my pay was decreased even though I worked the same hours. It seems to me that VEC's get the money from DES and they pay their own rates.

That would be illegal.

TheDriver

exactly, there were some other factors there e.g. hours worked or terms of employment. In fact VECs are very straight when it comes to hours etc