Is Jobsbridge a success or failure?

connacht100

As far as I know jobsbridge was launched in May 2011 so a lot of those initial internships should be coming to an end soon. Has anyone been offered a full time job with their internship employer as a result of doing a jobsbridge placement? Or is it a waste of time?

Delancey

When one considers that one of the ' cornerstones ' of the scheme was that it must not displace real and paying jobs out of the economy then the conclusion must be that it has failed - blatant opportunism by some employers has destroyed any vestige of this scheme being anything other than a ' swizz ' to keep unemployment figures artificially low.

unreggd

Oh yes, its a blatant scam. they constantly say 'Live register is down X amount' when really they're just gettin paid somewhere else, usually more

However, if you're not working, you can use them to your advantage

If you ever get one! I still havent heard back from any

Annoying

kilburn

My 2 cents worth, i started an internship in October in Finance when i had been applying for jobs for nearly 2 years, could not get a job as I had no practical experience.

The firm that took me as an intern said their main aim was conversion and 6 mths later I have got a job with a major multinational in their finance department, so moral of the story it does work in certain sectors.

Bagenal

kilburn wrote: »

My 2 cents worth, i started an internship in October in Finance when i had been applying for jobs for nearly 2 years, could not get a job as I had no practical experience.

The firm that took me as an intern said their main aim was conversion and 6 mths later I have got a job with a major multinational in their finance department, so moral of the story it does work in certain sectors.

Congratulations Kilburn, best wishes on your future career, it is nice to see something positive come out of the Job bridge scheme.

AlcatrazLogan

I've applied for a few internships through Jobsbridge over the last few months but I've only had two interviews. The impression I got from the interviews is that they're looking for experienced people which struck me as odd. I thought the idea behind the scheme was individuals lacking experience a foot in the door.

Am I wrong in thinking that?

L.Jenkins

Would be interested to see statistics in terms of Jobs and Applicants. Who offered jobs, what experience was offered and how many were retained there after or found a full time position. And lastly, who abused the system to cut expense, i.e Tesco.

Kaner2004

I'd like to see stats on how many companies let staff go in the last couple few years and then went on to take people on on job bridge for free. I know of at least 3 myself.
I'd also like to see how much people who are getting kept on after job bridge are being paid compared to people already qualified to do that job who are sitting on the dole.

L.Jenkins

Well if the programme is to end this year, it would be nice to see a report. Another would be to see statistics relating to the umeployed and what qualifications they have.

ekans

did the fas wpp1 (quite similiar to jobsbridge if i'm right), came from a mainly IT background, wanted to get into accountancy, did 9 months in accountancy practice for wpp1 as trainee accountant, was offered a full time job upon completion. i have come on leaps and bounds professionally in this last year, i have a role with massive responsibility and i am still pinching myself that it all worked out so well. thats just my story though, i realise the scheme may not be for everybody

Delancey

ItsThatManAgain wrote: »

Would be interested to see statistics in terms of Jobs and Applicants. Who offered jobs, what experience was offered and how many were retained there after or found a full time position. And lastly, who abused the system to cut expense, i.e Tesco.

Agreed , it would be great to see such stats - we never will though , the Government and FAS will tell us all it has been a brilliant success.....

L.Jenkins

Delancey wrote: »

...the Government and FAS will tell us all it has been a brilliant success.....

Of course, as the sale of KY has soared in certain instances.

kilburn

kilburn wrote: »

My 2 cents worth, i started an internship in October in Finance when i had been applying for jobs for nearly 2 years, could not get a job as I had no practical experience.

The firm that took me as an intern said their main aim was conversion and 6 mths later I have got a job with a major multinational in their finance department, so moral of the story it does work in certain sectors.

But really what was to stop them from taking someone on under probation for 6 months instead?

L.Jenkins

Deleted User wrote: »

But really what was to stop them from taking someone on under probation for 6 months instead?

€50 per week versus Basic wage. Companies no matter where they stand on treating employees will always look for the cheapest option, hence Job Bridge.

greendom

ItsThatManAgain wrote: »

€50 per week versus Basic wage. Companies no matter where they stand on treating employees will always look for the cheapest option, hence Job Bridge.

And the company doesn't even have to pay the €50 - the state does that - or should I say the state's pension fund.

it seems to me that there are some genuine examples of companies giving people opportunities to gain experience. i imagine though that in many cases, the company gets more from the deal than the intern.

anndub

Find a job fast with Fas!

Enter keyword: Quality, Type: all. 48 results. Nice!

Enter keyword: Quality, Type: Jobs. 14 results. Hmmmm

So 34 companies being charitable in giving someone a chance to gain experience but only 14 who require a staff member?

As someone who regularly looked at the site before jobsbridge came on line, when the same criteria as above were typed in you would always get a return of around 20-30 jobs. As far as I can see jobsbridge has actually reduced employment opportunities.

road_high

anndub wrote: »

Find a job fast with Fas!

Enter keyword: Quality, Type: all. 48 results. Nice!

Enter keyword: Quality, Type: Jobs. 14 results. Hmmmm

So 34 companies being charitable in giving someone a chance to gain experience but only 14 who require a staff member?

As someone who regularly looked at the site before jobsbridge came on line, when the same criteria as above were typed in you would always get a return of around 20-30 jobs. As far as I can see jobsbridge has actually reduced employment opportunities.

Absolutely. It's a no brainer for the comapnies as Jobridge is so loose and easy. Hire somebody and pay them a wage vs for free. It's bound to happen that real jobs be pushed aside. It's a true mark of how stupid this government really is.

greendom

Perhaps the Government should have made much stricter criteria for employers, whereby they had to take the intern on at the end of the period of the internship. If they didn't then they would have to pay back to the government the equivalent of the minimum wage for the period the intern was employed.

The scheme wouldn't have been quite so "successful" but it would have been much more genuine

road_high

greendom wrote: »

Perhaps the Government should have made much stricter criteria for employers, whereby they had to take the intern on at the end of the period of the internship. If they didn't then they would have to pay back to the government the equivalent of the minimum wage for the period the intern was employed.

The scheme wouldn't have been quite so "successful" but it would have been much more genuine

Definitely. The benefits are far too weighted towards the employer with no strings or commitment attached either to the intern or the taxpayer who are paying the "wage". It's absolute madness what is going on with this scheme.

P.S I have no problem with potential support for fledgling/struggling businesses to employ staff but profitable multinationals are taking advantage of this scheme and this should not be tolerated or allowed at all.

Kleenex

It definitely favours the employer 100% . I am struggling to get a job in my chosen field.

There are a few jobs on Job Bridge in my field but I would basically have to work 40 hours a week and earn just €238 (€188 + €50) - not to mention the extra costs of travel, lunch and say a new shirt/trousers/shoes for the job.

The fact I would work for free for the company for 9 months and potentially get no job out of it, maybe extra experience even though I have experience I find hard to stomach.

I can see the benefits of it if I was trying a completely new job in a new sector whereby I had no experience but I do have experience.

The company should also throw €100 or so to the internship employee imo.

unreggd

Kleenex wrote: »

I can see the benefits of it if I was trying a completely new job in a new sector whereby I had no experience but I do have experience.

Thats my biggest peeve! The general point of an internship is that you get trained on the job. But they all ask for stupid requirements. Third Level degree + x years experience

I havent heard back from any of them at all yet. And I applied to a fair few in my local area, that I'm 100% qualified for

So annoying


Has anyone here actually gotten on one?

AlcatrazLogan

I've had two interviews from five applications I sent out but neither had gone anywhere.

I'm having the same problems, everyone is looking for experience but I don't have any hence why I've been pursuing internships.

omerin

These Job Bridge threads sicken me. Smacks of Celtic Tiger and entitlement. Companys are giving the unemployed a chance to gain valuable experience in a working environment. There are chancers whose adds should never have been uploaded on to the site, better vetting should take place. However legit ones should make the person more professional and give them skills in Word, Excel, communication, life skills, etc that saves them taking a course. If you are doing nothing than take the hit, financially speaking and give Job Bridge a go even if it means taking the bus to work. Look at it as an investment in YOUR future.

Outkast_IRE

The other half works for a Medical device company, they took on jobsbridge people as specialised packers and labelers and for putting together kits.
It sounds standard but anyone who works in these type of companies know mistakes are a big problem and there cound be 20+ pieces in one of these kits and if one is missing its a huge problem. Your name is signed to everything you do , so any issue can be traced right back.

Anyway over the last year they have had 6 jobsbridge people in and have kept on 3 of them .
Thats fair enough in my opinion as the work is paid above mimimum wage and looks good if applying to other medical device companies for work .

_Kaiser_

I fundamentally disagree with these "internship" roles myself.

Everyone knows it's an excuse for a company to get cheap/free labor with no strings attached at the end of it. For the "lucky" intern it means doing a full-time job for practically nothing (or maybe even costing money when you factor in travel/commute/parking + lunches + decent clothes etc).

You do an honest day's work, you should get paid accordingly (at the going market rate I might add!) - end of!

omerin

Kaiser you are completley missing the point. Very high unemployment numbers verus very low opportunities will mean that job seekers must look for any competitive advantage they can get. The labour market isn't the one of the 80's or 90's and is more dynamic. Step away from your Taylorism and trade union beliefs, its an employers market. The people who put in the effort will be rewarded eventually. You've gotta speculate to accumulate.

AnnyHallsal

omerin wrote: »

Kaiser you are completley missing the point. Very high unemployment numbers verus very low opportunities will mean that job seekers must look for any competitive advantage they can get. The labour market isn't the one of the 80's or 90's and is more dynamic. Step away from your Taylorism and trade union beliefs, its an employers market. The people who put in the effort will be rewarded eventually. You've gotta speculate to accumulate.

The situation in Ireland and the UK is becoming untenable. Graduates in the latter in particular are now emerging laden with five figure debts and expected to work at least another year gratis. It favours the rich who can fund children accepting 'prestigious' but unpaid apprenticeship roles in fields that are hard to break into. It's the end of social mobility and a blow to meritocracy. Government regulation is critical and of course solely lacking under a government enslaved to big business (Cameron's). Celebrating that system in spite of its glaring flaws is reckless - the greatest beneficiaries are those who need it least.

Kleenex

omerin wrote: »

These Job Bridge threads sicken me. Smacks of Celtic Tiger and entitlement. Companys are giving the unemployed a chance to gain valuable experience in a working environment. There are chancers whose adds should never have been uploaded on to the site, better vetting should take place. However legit ones should make the person more professional and give them skills in Word, Excel, communication, life skills, etc that saves them taking a course. If you are doing nothing than take the hit, financially speaking and give Job Bridge a go even if it means taking the bus to work. Look at it as an investment in YOUR future.

:rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes:

I have experience in a working environment, I have an honours degree from college, I have excellent Microsoft Office skills and I still can't seem to get a job in my sector.

I have no interest in Science or Engineering etc so I'm not going to go off and do an internship for 9 months in something I have no interest in.

Why should I go off and work 40 hours a week for €50 in an internship in a sector where I am already qualified enough to do the roles.

What is the point in me doing an internship for something with which I already have a degree and am arguably over qualified for the internship position?

As I said before the company's should be paying €100 per week to the internees also - would make it a lot more attractive to internees and stop some of the pi$$ taking from the company's out there.

Must be great having a job, well I can tell you its a pain in the @rse constantly sending off CV's etc and getting nothing back.

This country is a mess and is getting worse instead of better.

_Kaiser_

omerin wrote: »

Kaiser you are completley missing the point. Very high unemployment numbers verus very low opportunities will mean that job seekers must look for any competitive advantage they can get. The labour market isn't the one of the 80's or 90's and is more dynamic. Step away from your Taylorism and trade union beliefs, its an employers market. The people who put in the effort will be rewarded eventually. You've gotta speculate to accumulate.

Taylorism.. trade union beliefs? :rolleyes: Probably should've added that I've worked for the public and private sectors AND been unemployed - all in the last 3 years!

Anny raises a very good point - this "opportunity" discriminates against anyone who can't afford to work for free (and the associated expenses as I outlined earlier). Not everyone has a rich mammy and daddy they can live off while they do this.

It may be an employer's market but this scheme is merely intended to take advantage of those who've lost jobs - hence all these "internships" requiring qualifications and years of experience. It also devalues someone who IS getting a wage for the same job.

omerin

Thread is heading in the typical direction. People are getting €50 extra. Is it better to spend your days on your backside or contributing to your own development and avoiding a gaping hole in your CV?
Kleenex no one should look at areas that doesn't interest them and there is no obligation to use the service so I don't see your point.
If this scheme is such a racket why aren't a lot more companys signing up to it and why isn't Joe inundated with calls from people who have lost jobs as a result?
Nobody has a god given right to a job, you have to fight for it.

AnnyHallsal

omerin wrote: »

Nobody has a god given right to a job, you have to fight for it.

And nobody should have the right to free labour. It's detrimental to the economy, especially when so laxly regulated. Having seen it up close, the ineptness and inefficiency of what will soon cease to be FAS is sickening.