Young men in overalls bending over workbenches; young men in overalls and hard hats rebuilding stone walls. That is the standard image most people have of the work of FAS, the national training agency.
But in a part of Co Offaly that image is very far from reality. FAS has been involved in an innovative project with Enterprise West Offaly, a group set up to foster job creation.
In the town of Banagher, FAS is funding, and is deeply involved in, the running of a 26-week business start-up project in which 20 people are taking part.
The project co-ordinator, Ms Mary Killeen, claims the course has been a tremendous success, giving people who want to start their own business a great start.
"The course is aimed at people who are unemployed and would like to get into business on their own, and we teach them everything from marketing to taxation, accounting and insurance," she said.
"Their business ideas are held up to scrutiny, and we carry out feasibility studies to see if there is a market for what they want to get into and help develop a business plan.
"We have serious problems in this part of the country because it is very rural and we are very far from any third-level institutions.
"We have to get over this by bringing training and skills to people on the ground, and this would not have been possible without the aid of FAS."
She said the gender of the 20 people who were taking the course broke down evenly. The business ideas they were trying to put in place were as diverse as the people themselves.
"The ideas varied from crafts to opening shops, provision of health and beauty care to supplying a niche market in Irish chip shops.
"The benefits of this course will show themselves in time, but another course, which is also held here in Crank House, has already shown great benefit."
She said this was the homecare management course. It offered training in first aid, cookery, budgeting, computers, personal development, parenting skills and preparing for employment.
The success of the course could be measured by the fact that many of the 14 women who took part had made new friends and grown in confidence.