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Supports for the former employees of Talk Talk

When the news initially broke of TalkTalk’s decision to close its operations in Waterford and make its workforce of nearly 600 redundant the Southern & Eastern (S&E) Regional Assembly expressed their concern for the workers and their fear for the consequences of this decision on an already beleaguered region. Cllr. Tomás Breathnach, Cathaoirleach of the Regional Assembly committed to working across all organisations to seek solutions and supports for the former employees of TalkTalk.

The Regional Assembly determined to keep the needs of the former employees to the fore, invited Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) to attend a meeting of the Assembly on Friday 11^th November to be updated on the European Globalisation Fund and to hear how it will help the workers. The Assembly wishes to lend its solidarity to the workers and their families and keep themselves informed on progress of support packages provided and to ensure that their plight is not allowed to slip off the agenda.

Mr. Tony McFeely, Acting President, WIT and Ms. Martina Harte, Head of Department of Student Life and Learning attended the meeting to update the members on both the globalisation fund progress and on the Institute’s ongoing objective to achieve University status.

Gaps in skills shortages were identified to ensure that the type of training packages provided will lead to concrete job opportunities in the short to medium term. Open evenings for the employees to establish their needs were hosted by WIT, Ms. Harte told the meeting. The lessons learned from previous interventions from the globalisation fund i.e. Waterford Crystal or Dell, Limerick,  will help shape the suite of measures and training options to be provided under the package for the TalkTalk workers. To safeguard training retention rates ‘the training options on offer must address skills gaps and must appeal to the former employees availing of them’ said Ms. Harte. From a national perspective it appears that the EGF guidelines require that measures taken under the fund are complementary rather than additional and alignment with existing national schemes and systems ensures better outcomes for the ex workers. Questions were raised by Cllr. Joe Brennan, South Tipperary Co. Co. and Cllr. John Ryan, Wicklow Co. Co. as to the numbers of former employees who are currently availing of training under the fund and if specific needs or skill gaps of the South East region were identified to help customise the response were echoed by other members present. Cllr. Ryan also enquired if training in entrepreneurship is available in WIT. In response Ms. Harte noted that entrepreneurship features in the research profile of the School of Business and that the Institute’s modular system can also accommodate this approach, if required.

Briefly in relation to the establishment of a Technological University in the South East, Mr. McFeely told the meeting that the ‘process is on-going and they are currently in discussion with Carlow Institute of Technology in pursuit of this objective’.

Supports for former employees of TalkTalk