What is Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (V.T.O.S.)?
Courses which run under VTOS provide vocational education that helps you become job ready.
VTOS courses can help you to develop your skills and prepare you for employment, self-employment or further and higher education. These courses are free if you:
• You are aged 21 years or over and you are getting:
• Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance or signing for credits for at least 6 months (156 days) or
• One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit* or Invalidity Pension for at least 6 months (156 days) or
• Blind Pension, Deserted Wife’s Allowance/Benefit, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Non-Contributory Pension or Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance for at least 6 months (conditions may apply in the case of these payments) or
• Being a dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of an eligible person
• Being a person who received statutory redundancy but who has not been in receipt of a qualifying payment for the required period.
What about accreditation?
Courses are certified by the National Framework of Qualification and they have QQI accreditaion.
Most of the VTOS courses are QQI 5 but it is also possible to offer QQI 4 and QQI 3 options for those who have been away from study for some time. This is subject to demand.
How many hours per week and for long are the courses?
The courses are full-time, about 22 hours a week and can last up to 2 years.
What type of courses can you do?
• Pre-Nursing and Healthcare Assistant Support