husband on jsb 6 months wants to complete his leaving cert?

[kim]

husband is on jobseekers benefit after losing his job last November 2011. He left school nearly 20 yrs ago without doing his leaving cert and after sending out 100s of CVs in the last 6 months to no avail he is now thinking about doing his leaving in the local further education centre in September to try improve job prospects, wife works full time, will be be entitled to back to education allowance?

 

[gipimann]

From welfare.ie website:

For second level courses you must have been getting a qualifying social welfare payment (see above) for at least 3 months (78 days of unemployment*) immediately before you start the course.

Jobseeker's Benefit is one of the qualifying payments, so provided the person is on JB immediately prior to starting a course, he should qualify.

More information on Back to Education here:
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/SecondLevelOption.aspx

 

[SarahMc]

Is it a VTOS course, in which case he will get a VTOS payment, not the BTEA.

I would caution that many adult early school leavers instinctively want to return to do the Leaving Cert, whereas a Major FETAC Award at Level 5 or 6 in the area they wish to work in would probably be more suitable and attractive to potential employers IMO.