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.

Mrs OBumble

omerin wrote: »

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.

"more professional", in some professional role, I totally support.

But Word, Excel, life-skills, communication ... this sort of stuff should be taught in secondary school, ffs.

omerin wrote: »

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

I guess that depends on your theology. But Ireland is still, nominally anyway, a Catholic country, and Catholic social teaching says some interesting things about workers rights, and indeed the rights of all citizens to be have the opportunity to make a contribution and to be justly paid for their work.


However I suggest we keep this thread on topic of whether JB is a success or failure, rather than branching out into too much philosophy.

anndub

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

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 .

If they needed three staff, why didn't they hire three staff? They got the equivalent of 36 months or nearly 6000 hours of free labour.

I've worked in this field and assembling products into boxes is not skilled labour. A leaving cert qualification is all that is required. There is no need for an "internship" to learn how to pack a box correctly.

road_high

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.

Why 'cos people aspire/expect a fair wage for a fair days work? Some sense of entitlement we all have, sickening isn't it :eek:

unreggd

omerin wrote: »

Companys are giving the unemployed a chance to gain valuable experience in a working environment.

No. They're not.

Thats the whole issue. The way Job Bridge works for employers, is that they get a free staff member, and future tax incentives, in return for training the intern

But what is most likely happening is that the companies are advertising the job as 'No experience needed' , yet most want at least a Degree, so they're hiring people they wont really need to train that much at all

And thats the majority. In the last few weeks I've applied for internships in my local area, but I heard nothing back at all. Called, message was taken, but still no reply.

omerin wrote: »

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?

The expenses of interning will cancel out, or most likely surpass that €50, so theres no financial benefit, working more, for less money

As mentioned, the company should have to pay the staff member €100 or so. Thats feckall money for them to be paying a full time staff member, and it would help fend off the scammers taking advantage of the scheme [such an apt word for it...]

knotknowbody

I for one think the scheme is a good idea and have had a good experience of it, it is perhaps badly regulated.

My situation, I obtained an I.T degree many years ago, upon obtaining that qualification family life took over and as my family location was rural away from places where I.T jobs were available I worked in non I.T roles for many years. Even after the family situation no longer restricted me I continued in these roles as it was an income and I found it difficult to get even an interview without experience. Fast forward a few years and I found myself out of work and with no real prospects as the field I had been working in was dead for years to come and my I.T qualification was almost a decade old with no experience to add to it. I started to apply for I.T related intern-ships on the Job-bridge site and managed to get an interview, I am now almost through the intern-ship and am likely to be taken on properly, even if I don't get a job with the company I have gained valuable experience from it.

As a result of my experience I think it is a good idea but needs greater regulation of the type of jobs advertised and greater levels of involvement by the jobs agencies in candidate selection to ensure that the intern-ship will actually benefit the candidate, I know I have gotten lots out of mine but, I also know a person who was way over qualified and experienced for the one they done but took it in the hope of getting a job at the end, which they didn't. This is kinda pointless as the candidate gains almost nothing in terms of employability, this scenario could be prevented if job-bridge screened the candidate and the internship to ensure a match.

I was lucky my employer was reputable, treated me very well and covered expenses I encountered, they were also in a quite specialised field so the learning curve for me or even an experienced person was going to be steep. I think if the internship scheme was not available to them they would have been unable to afford the expense of an extra employee, which would have been a dead-weight effectively for the first few months, however now I am very likely to be in full time employment as the workload I have picked up in the last few months has allowed another staff member get more involved in marketing and bring in lots of business which he would not have had time to do otherwise.

All in all everybody benefited in this situation, I have new skills which make me more employable and was financially better off to the tune of €50 a week, not a lot but a lot when your tight for money, my employer obviously benefited by having free labour, the state lost to the tune of €50 a week so far but in a few weeks will have an extra person in employment and one extra taxpayer which was the point of the scheme, so while some people are being exploited and some employers are being unscrupulous there are also some success stories out of the scheme.

kilburn

Some of you people are just away with the fairies and obviously do not understand the principle of an internship.

But if you would rather sit on your backside than get experience best of luck to you in the future cos you will still be sitting on it in 2 years time with that attitude.

It is easier to get a job when you have a job everybody knows that, plus doing an internship and gaining practical experience shows a great deal about your character and attitude.

Delancey

kilburn wrote: »

Some of you people are just away with the fairies and obviously do not understand the principle of an internship.

But if you would rather sit on your backside than get experience best of luck to you in the future cos you will still be sitting on it in 2 years time with that attitude.

It is easier to get a job when you have a job everybody knows that, plus doing an internship and gaining practical experience shows a great deal about your character and attitude.

I think the gripe that most people have with job bridge is with the obvious abuses of the scheme - supposed to give people experience ? Great idea but why then ask for people with 2 years experience ?
Job Bridge internships are preventing real paying jobs from being created , job advertised with a proper salary one week uis advertised a week later as an internship.
The theory behind the scheme is great but the application/execution has been a disaster.

experiMental

Delancey wrote: »

I think the gripe that most people have with job bridge is with the obvious abuses of the scheme - supposed to give people experience ? Great idea but why then ask for people with 2 years experience ?
Job Bridge internships are preventing real paying jobs from being created , job advertised with a proper salary one week uis advertised a week later as an internship.
The theory behind the scheme is great but the application/execution has been a disaster.

I know how you feel - finding a full-time permanent job is like finding a needle in a haystack. Real paying jobs are prevented from being created because many companies just can't get the customers who will pay up a greater premium for their service, simple as that. Not every company leader can afford an MBA degree and not every MBA degree is good enough to improve business leadership skills.

It's ridiculously hard to create jobs with decent wages in Ireland, because the wages here are some of the highest in the world and people elsewhere are willing to work for less. Job bridge may only partially solve the problem.

The government must do more than set up Job Bridge schemes. It has to restructure some areas of the business, such as middlemen, supply chains, etc - things that increase prices of goods and make them less affordable for people.

unreggd

kilburn wrote: »

Some of you people are just away with the fairies and obviously do not understand the principle of an internship.

But if you would rather sit on your backside than get experience best of luck to you in the future cos you will still be sitting on it in 2 years time with that attitude.

It is easier to get a job when you have a job everybody knows that, plus doing an internship and gaining practical experience shows a great deal about your character and attitude.

You're the one away with the fairies

Most people here WANT to intern. But as mentioned it needs to be regulated more, so people actually get out of it what is intended from an internship

Bagenal

My view on a few points from previous posts:-
It's ridiculously hard to create jobs with decent wages in Ireland, because the wages here are some of the highest in the world and people elsewhere are willing to work for less.
I would work for a lower wage if the cost of living was lower. I work to earn money to cover my expenses and make a few quid profit (savings). I work to live not live to work.

Some people have given positive reports of the Job Bridge internship scheme and I am delighted to hear that but as previously said there are a lot of abuses of the scheme such as one advert from a company in my local area looking for someone to do an internship which was nothing more than a general labourer requiring no more than some basic cop on. Others I have seen required fully experienced people when the idea of the scheme is to give people experience.
The problem, imo, is FAS, some of the employment advisers haven't a clue in the wide earthly world. Just because FAS was renamed and integrated with the social welfare doesn't make it a better organisation, same people employed to carry on as before. From my experience the training element of FAS was very good but the local office/employment advisers were pure and utter twits and I have experience of them from the days before FAS was formed from Manpower and ANCO.

Plumpynuter

My local Supermarket is looking for about 6 interns. (I am talking on the stacking shelves and arranging plants outside the door)

Typical FAS crap. They have not got a clue.

The only benefit I can see to this scheme is that if you can identify an employer that you would like to work for and approach them with an intern proposal to get a foot in the door and show them what you can do.

Experience in itself is not going to find you a job at the mo. I have a masters and 18 years experience and still cant get a worthwhile job in Ireland. I cant move abroad for personal reasons. Employers are taking advantage with the wages they are offering.

x43r0

Plumpynuter wrote: »

Employers are taking advantage with the wages they are offering.

This is exactly the reason I moved abroad. Could have taken a job in Ireland but the wages on offer were insulting

It's a shame because they'll keep doing it because there'll always be people who will take whats on offer

daisyscience

My experience - When I went back to college after years of working on minimum wage as an unskilled labourer, there were some jobs available in my area of study. Now the only jobs available in this area are internships which means that when I finish studying I can look forward to 6 months on the dole so that I can take up an internship after 7 years studying and over 15 years work experience already. Yay! I actually sent in my cv/enquired for free internships and I couldn't give it away for free.

My other choice is to stay on in the retail sector getting crappy wages and just let my heavily subsidised education go to waste, but a least I will have a job and I can start to pay back some of the debts accumulated during my studies and consider building a life for myself, maybe having a family before my body gets too old to have kids.


It definitely seems to be a cheap option for employers from what I've seen so far and I know of places abusing the scheme.

Oh and Ive seen jobs in my area in Australia starting at €70,000 p.a. no experience needed outside the qualification.

Kaner2004

daisyscience wrote: »

My experience - When I went back to college after years of working on minimum wage as an unskilled labourer, there were some jobs available in my area of study. Now the only jobs available in this area are internships which means that when I finish studying I can look forward to 6 months on the dole so that I can take up an internship after 7 years studying and over 15 years work experience already. Yay! I actually sent in my cv/enquired for free internships and I couldn't give it away for free.

My other choice is to stay on in the retail sector getting crappy wages and just let my heavily subsidised education go to waste, but a least I will have a job and I can start to pay back some of the debts accumulated during my studies and consider building a life for myself, maybe having a family before my body gets too old to have kids.

It definitely seems to be a cheap option for employers from what I've seen so far and I know of places abusing the scheme.

Oh and Ive seen jobs in my area in Australia starting at €70,000 p.a. no experience needed outside the qualification.

Theres a hint for you
Terrible the way now people have to decide between staying in the country of their birth and work for nothing. Or emigrate and get a proper job.
I have a lot of respect for those who actually do something about it and emigrate for a better life. I have no respect for people who stay and then complain or say "some people have to stay for family reasons" etc. Try telling that to all the people who had to emigrate over the last few hundred years. Nothing could make them stay.

daisyscience

Kaner2004 wrote: »

I have a lot of respect for those who actually do something about it and emigrate for a better life. I have no respect for people who stay and then complain or say "some people have to stay for family reasons" etc. Try telling that to all the people who had to emigrate over the last few hundred years. Nothing could make them stay.

We all have choices, nobody has to stay but I choose not to leave. I have worked abroad and came back as the way I see it is I value my home, being close to my family and friends over money I could earn and experiences amongst strangers. We are lucky that we have choices. Like I said, I understand why it is tempting and it's just a waste that a lot of people (myself included) will be over qualified and working in unrelated, underpaid areas when we have such a fantastic education system.

My point was that this scheme (and it's not the only half arsed scheme out there) doesn't do enough and it is letting this country and the people living here who hope for a better future down. I understand why people leave but I prefer to stay here - each to their own. Don't forget that not everybody is free or financially able to do so either, whatever your experiences might be.

This all brings up the point of why provide such a heavily subsidised education system if the jobs aren't there? but that's a different conversation.

Kaner2004

If the dole wasnt so high, then people would actually have to make life altering decisions about improving their prospects, instead of sitting at home in Ireland complaining about how hard life is.

When you help people too much, they lose the ability to help themselves.

bikerhen

I am new here so hi to all. I have really enjoyed reading all the opinions of FAS Internships both good and bad. I never thought I would be one of those people who had a bad internship experience. I have worked over 25 years in different jobs - was made redundant three years ago. I am now 51 and honestly feel that I will never work outside the home again. There seems to be a lot of 'who you know' and not 'what you know'.
I can honestly say I must have applied for over 50 jobs and all I got was an internview for a debt collection agency. I am afraid I would not be able to chase hard up people for money owed so did not attent that.
Spent 9 months doing a fulltime secretarial course with FAS, passed all exams etc but sadly no job came of it. So decided to look at the internship programme, there are quit a few but wanted to do one that would suit me. I managed to get an admin one in a hotel and agreed to work every second weekend which to me was fair enough, also some days during the week. I worked really hard, did what ever was asked. Then someone else did the roster and they had me working every Saturday. I thought this really unfair. Basically this host organisation was using me to suit their busy times - which I believe is not the way an internship is supposed to work. As you can guess I left. I have sent in a complaint to Jobbridge - still waiting to hear from them. I am really disappointed that this did not work out. I think I will look for one with a charitable organisation where I think I will be appreciated.
There seems to be more bad reviews of internships than good ones and I think it is just a ploy to mess with the true numbers of unemployed people.

Delancey

Fair play for not doing Debt Collection , hassling folks for money they don't have is a pretty crap way of making a living in my opinion.

Alas your story of the Hotel is all too common , the theory behind the scheme is OK but its mercilessly abused by a lot of employers and sweet Fxxk all is done about it.

Mrs OBumble

Bikerhen, fair play as said. With your expereince I dont' think you're the sort of person who JobBridge should be fore.

But it worries me that at 51 you doubt you'll work agian - you do realise that you probably have 25% of your working life ahead of you?

Have you considered doing some voluntary work? Some organisations hire staff from among their volunteers, so it may be a way to get a foot in the door.

Kaner2004

I was waiting for the bus this morning outside the Fas office.
The last time I looked at the ads they were all for paying jobs. Today I saw NO PAYING JOBS at all in the window of FAS.