FÁS (now SOLAS) – Apprentice Induction System
Technologies: IIS, ASP.NET, SQL Server
Customer Profile
FÁS was Ireland's national training and employment authority, running the national apprenticeship system, training and employment programmes and a nationwide network of offices and training centres. Its further education and training functions, including apprenticeships, now sit with SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority.
Business Situation
FÁS were redeveloping and re-engineering their existing Apprentice IT system as a major in-house project. This was a large and complex process with a high impact on IT resources, so FÁS decided to outsource the “Apprentice Induction Presentation” module of the application development.
Engine Solutions responded to the tender and were awarded the contract after presenting to FÁS.
Solution
The system allows authorised users to create induction presentations or “briefing sessions”. Details of the session date, venue, time and capacity are entered, and apprentices are scheduled to a session from a pool of appropriate apprentices for their region.
Scheduled apprentices receive a letter notifying them of the briefing session and asking them to confirm their attendance by phone. When an apprentice rings to confirm, the user finds the apprentice and their briefing session in the system and records whether they will attend.
On the day of the briefing session, users generate and print a list of all apprentices scheduled for it, whether or not they have confirmed. Attendance is marked on the sheet at the session and entered into the system afterwards.
Users can also transfer apprentices between regional pools to make scheduling more convenient.
Results
Apprenticeship Services gained a centralised online scheduling system for induction courses which integrates with the main Apprenticeship Services system. It greatly increased productivity and allowed Apprenticeship Services to meet their strategic target of scheduling every apprentice to an induction course within a calendar month.
Testimonial
"At all times I have found Engine to be an organisation with the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, from a customer service perspective I have found them to be without equal. Engine has consistently delivered every project and project component on time and within budget, with an unquestioned commitment to the quality of what they produce. I would recommend Engine Solutions without hesitation to any other organisation as our experience has always been very positive and worthwhile."
Ray Kelly | Manager Apprenticeship Services
FÁS
www.solas.ie