Jobbridge organised so employer doesn't have to train,pay or hire intern(See contract

sweettooth14

I am a graduate doing an internship in a company who spends the working day doing data entry in a supposed technical role. When I asked my boss about training to develop my skills he said he did not have to provide training and told me to read the standard Jobbridge contract. This was given to me the morning I started on my internship along with lots of other paperwork and is vague.

This is the same contract that cleaning interns, management interns, legal and accountancy interns sign. The employer is under no obligation to provide any training. I have enclosed the Jobbridge Standard Agreement in the link below that every intern signs. It never mentions training once. I mentioned the lack of training to the woman from Jobbridge that does ‘checks’ on the internship and she said internships are about work experience not on the job training or developing skills. So, I spend my days doing data entry for free. The website www.jobbridge.ie never mentions ‘on the job’ training ‘. Even if interns tell this to Jobbridge, Jobbridge tell you that you can leave if you want to. They don’t want to know. The following is a link to the Jobbridge Standard Agreement

[Mod Snip] Don't pimp your blog here.

Also, interns seem to make up a large amount of the workforce in many departments. In my department we have 3 interns and 3 staff members. Also, none of the interns seem to have been hired by the company- though one intern did manage to get a couple of days paid work while they were waiting for the next intern to start. FAS and the Department of Labour are just turning a blind eye. The scheme is set up so as the employer does not have to pay, develop your skills or hire the intern.

What should I and other interns in this situation do?

link not working

Freddy Smelly

sweettooth14 wrote: »

I am a graduate doing an internship in a company who spends the working day doing data entry in a supposed technical role. When I asked my boss about training to develop my skills he said he did not have to provide training and told me to read the Jobbridge contract.

This is the same contract that cleaning interns, management interns, legal and accountancy interns sign. The employer is under no obligation to provide any training. I have enclosed the Jobbridge Standard Agreement in the link below that every intern signs. It never mentions training once. I mentioned the lack of training to the woman from Jobbridge that does ‘checks’ on the internship and she said internships are about work experience not on the job training or developing skills. So, I spend my days doing data entry for free. The website www.jobbridge.ie never mentions ‘on the job’ training ‘. Even if interns tell this to Jobbridge, Jobbridge tell you that you can leave if you want to. They don’t want to know. For Jobbridge Contract all interns sign see link:

[mod snip] Don't pimp your blog here.

Also, interns seem to make up a large amount of the workforce in many departments. In my department we have 3 interns and 3 staff members. Also, none of the interns seem to have been hired by the company- though one intern did manage to get a couple of days paid work while they were waiting for the next intern to start. FAS and the Department of Labour are just turning a blind eye. The scheme is set up so as the employer does not have to pay, develop your skills or hire the intern.

create a blacklist of companies that dont hire interns so

deisedevil

Deleted User wrote: »

link not working

Yes it is.

Tigger

sweettooth14 wrote: »

I am a graduate doing an internship in a company who spends the working day doing data entry in a supposed technical role. When I asked my boss about training to develop my skills he said he did not have to provide training and told me to read the Jobbridge contract.

This is the same contract that cleaning interns, management interns, legal and accountancy interns sign. The employer is under no obligation to provide any training. I have enclosed the Jobbridge Standard Agreement in the link below that every intern signs. It never mentions training once. I mentioned the lack of training to the woman from Jobbridge that does ‘checks’ on the internship and she said internships are about work experience not on the job training or developing skills. So, I spend my days doing data entry for free. The website www.jobbridge.ie never mentions ‘on the job’ training ‘. Even if interns tell this to Jobbridge, Jobbridge tell you that you can leave if you want to. They don’t want to know. For Jobbridge Contract all interns sign see link:

[mod snip] Don't pimp your blog here.

Also, interns seem to make up a large amount of the workforce in many departments. In my department we have 3 interns and 3 staff members. Also, none of the interns seem to have been hired by the company- though one intern did manage to get a couple of days paid work while they were waiting for the next intern to start. FAS and the Department of Labour are just turning a blind eye. The scheme is set up so as the employer does not have to pay, develop your skills or hire the intern.

2 points
1 is teaching you to read a contract before agreeing not training?
2 go to bed you have work in the morning, that data won't enter itself.

Dempsey

internships are about work experience not training up people

HondaSami

Tigger wrote: »

2 points
1 is teaching you to read a contract before agreeing not training?
2 go to bed you have work in the morning, that data won't enter itself.

No need to be so snappy.

April O Neill

Dempsey wrote: »

internships are about work experience not training up people

A good internship should involve some kind of training, otherwise what have you "experienced"? And actually, you are supposed to receive some training in an internship. Well, any one that isn't part of this godawful scheme.

As well as this, internships are usually far shorter than 9 months. If one is 9 months, it would be pretty terrible to come out of it with no new skills.

NuckingFacker

Dempsey wrote: »

internships are about work experience not training up people

Err no. American internships are. Irish ones are about getting free labour. Then again, as the saying goes, if you work for free, you'll never be idle..

srsly78

Did the ad for the intership say "...will gain practical experience in data entry?"

All the jobbridge ads say "will gain practical experience with X" because the web application form forces the employer to do this. What did your one say?

Dempsey

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Err no. American internships are. Irish ones are about getting free labour. Then again, as the saying goes, if you work for free, you'll never be idle..

American companies dont send interns on training courses

NuckingFacker

The OP is gaining good practical experience- The world is full of concienceless cnuts who will happily exploit the hard work of others. That lesson alone is worth gold. I feel sorry for the majority of well-intentioned people who got lumbered into this god-awful, demeaning scheme. It's called "work" for a reason, because you get paid. Otherwise they'd call it "play".

Pilotdude5

These internships are pure exploitation. Get free labour for a few months, lay them off, get the next sucker to sign up.

It's only going to get worse too. In a few years you will not only work for free but you will pay for the privilege.

NuckingFacker

Dempsey wrote: »

American companies dont send interns on training courses

No-one said anything about "courses". Training is not just courses, it's about real and meaningful work experience, not just unpaid labour to fill a thankless task that a company should really be paying someone to do. This being Ireland, does anyone think all employers will be all saintly regarding this "scheme" or will an element of massive cute-ery be involved?

NuckingFacker

Deleted User wrote: »

link not working

Maybe it should be forced to sign up for Jobsbridge so?

MrStuffins

Just wanted to say, there are a lot of companies exploiting this (it's there to be exploited).

However, not all companies are. I did a 9 month internship with a small company. In that time, I worked closely with my manager, trained in the job to a high level, got to travel around Europe going to conferences and meeting clients and was treated as well as any employee would be.

Not only that, but they hired me on a Full Time permanent contract thereafter. Today was the first day of my actual employment.

If you look for the good ones, they are out there.

Dempsey

Pilotdude5 wrote: »

These internships are pure exploitation. Get free labour for a few months, lay them off, get the next sucker to sign up.

It's only going to get worse too. In a few years you will not only work for free but you will pay for the privilege.

Check out the performance analyst internship at reading fc, exploitation at its finest

General General

Isn't an internship where you use your access to find out sh!t about the company & its business, stuff that you then use to set up on your own or sell to a competitor as skills?

No?

0066ad

MrStuffins wrote: »

Just wanted to say, there are a lot of companies exploiting this (it's there to be exploited).

However, not all companies are. I did a 9 month internship with a small company. In that time, I worked closely with my manager, trained in the job to a high level, got to travel around Europe going to conferences and meeting clients and was treated as well as any employee would be.

Not only that, but they hired me on a Full Time permanent contract thereafter. Today was the first day of my actual employment.

If you look for the good ones, they are out there.

Congratulations on the new job that is how it should done, but when you
have companies looking for phd's and a minimum of 3 years experience that
is taking the piss, and on the other side of the scale 9 months to learn how
to clean a car or stack shelves.

shruikan2553

I think theres a thread about the jobs that are taking the piss like a mace looking for a cashier. Thankfully the internships im looking for tend to offer pay, although Im not having much luck

EuskalHerria

I thought the idea of the jobbridge scheme was to offer humour to the unemployed during times of austerity and recession. It was my only explanation for the term Food Technician (Sandwich Maker).

MrStuffins

0066ad wrote: »

Congratulations on the new job that is how it should done, but when you
have companies looking for phd's and a minimum of 3 years experience that
is taking the piss, and on the other side of the scale 9 months to learn how
to clean a car or stack shelves.

Not so much taking the piss but it's a case that it's a flooded market now. 10 years ago everyone could get a job. Now people who have Masters degrees are coming out of college and can't get a thing because there are thousands of people with Masters degrees out of work and they have the experience that you don't have.

It's a tough situation alright, and one in where something like Jobbridge CAN be a blessing. Yes, I worked for f*ck all for 9 months, but if it wasn't for Jobbridge i'd probably still be unemployed now despite spending 5 years in college.

It's when the like of Tesco come along and try to hire their Xmas staff for free, they can go and f*ck off!

starviewadams

Supervalu near me is looking for 3 'interns' on the JB scheme in complicated roles like cleaner,shop assistant and deli hand.Will take the prospective ''intern'' 9 months to get the hang of these,after which they'll be shipped back to the SW office to try and sign on again and the next lot of suckers will be railroaded in.

Won't be shopping there again,disgraceful.

biko

"Interns can **** my ****"


-Bill Clinton

ninebeanrows

starviewadams wrote: »

Supervalu near me is looking for 3 'interns' on the JB scheme in complicated roles like cleaner,shop assistant and deli hand.Will take the prospective ''intern'' 9 months to get the hang of these,after which they'll be shipped back to the SW office to try and sign on again and the next lot of suckers will be railroaded in.

Won't be shopping there again,disgraceful.

That's a disgrace.

Some of the skilled positions are actually alright though, know a few engineers who are getting good experience. One has led to a job and the other is yet to find out his fate.

If you can find one in a specific field you are really interested in it can be a great opportunity to impress and get in, but for people just looking to get any work experience etc.. it can appear exploitative at times.

Tigger

HondaSami wrote: »

No need to be so snappy.

how am i snappy? i read stuff before i agree to it, its an important skill
he has data to enter in the morning and getting fired from an unpaaid job would be a bit sad really.

Senna

Its optional and if I were in the situation I'd be using my own judgement. After a few days if it looks like its going nowhere, I'd be out the door.

I was thinking about taking one person on in this scheme in a marketing role at my work, its a position along with a full-time marketing person. I'm reluctant as it could be a very busy role (and would probably be good experience), but at the end of the internship I just don't think there will be the possibility to hire them.

starviewadams

Not really optional,I know a lad who finished a year long TUS community work type scheme volunteering with a local charity,and when he returned to the SW office to sign back on he was basically told if he didn't take up a Jobridge position he'd lose his benefits.

It's how the govt massages the unemployment figures,as those participating on these schemes are off the live register and the politicians can celebrate a reduction in the numbers of those signing on.

Some of the 'employers' on the site even hide the identity of their business, which shouldn't be allowed.

scoey

MrStuffins wrote: »

Not so much taking the piss but it's a case that it's a flooded market now. 10 years ago everyone could get a job. Now people who have Masters degrees are coming out of college and can't get a thing because there are thousands of people with Masters degrees out of work and they have the experience that you don't have.

It's a tough situation alright, and one in where something like Jobbridge CAN be a blessing. Yes, I worked for f*ck all for 9 months, but if it wasn't for Jobbridge i'd probably still be unemployed now despite spending 5 years in college.

It's when the like of Tesco come along and try to hire their Xmas staff for free, they can go and f*ck off!

If the place where you work took you on, then clearly that is because they needed another worker to do whatever it is you do and not out of the kindness of their hearts. Therefore, if the jobbridge scheme didn't exist would it not be logical to assume that they would have hired someone originally to fill that role as a proper paid employee?

MrStuffins

scoey wrote: »

If the place where you work took you on, then clearly that is because they needed another worker to do whatever it is you do and not out of the kindness of their hearts. Therefore, if the jobbridge scheme didn't exist would it not be logical to assume that they would have hired someone originally to fill that role as a proper paid employee?

Well it's not a simple as that. As I said, this company was a VERY small company. There were only 4-5 employees when I got there. They probably didn't have the money to hire someone with experience at the time.

But they weren't hiring someone to do donkey work. They wanted someone with raw skills to come in, be trained (for the entire 9 months I was trained in rather than just being a dogsbody) and in 9 months time be someone who is capable of doing what they needed done for a wage.

The company has grown now and i've actually been given a lot of responsibility in my role.

Also, because the company was small, they could only have one Jobbridge person at a time. And the one who preceded me is employed full time now and actually has a member of staff under her.

The point here is, there are a lot of companies out there looking for cheap labour. But you might find one who are not!

the groutch

as much as it is taking advantage of people in some cases, it is keeping some small businesses afloat who can barely afford to pay their current staff, let alone afford to hire anyone else.

GalwayGuy2

as much as it is taking advantage of people in some cases, it is keeping some small businesses afloat who can barely afford to pay their current staff, let alone afford to hire anyone else.

Tbh, if that business can't survive, then it should be allowed to fall. Exploitation is exploitation.

BizzyC

Dont know what the issue is here.
An internship is a promise of nothing, never has been.

You agree to work in a role to build your experience in that area, that's the benefit.

Is the problem here that the work you're carrying out is different to what you signed up for?
If you went into a data entry role unaware of what that actually meant and are now find it boring, then it's your own fault for not researching what you were agreeing to.

longhalloween

In fairness you should have been more selective when choosing your internship.

Once you heard that it was all data entry ya should have quit. By doing the job you're just encouraging the employer to take on more free labour to do sh*t work.

VinLieger

Hardly breaking news that job bridge sucks monkey balls, sorry to break it to you OP but your pretty late to the story and the irish times wont be giving you and your blog a column

anncoates

BizzyC wrote: »

Dont know what the issue is here.

Blatantly allowing profitable companies to "hire" people for a pittance when thousands of people are looking for real work and effectively dumping the majority of the wage cost on the tax payer, perhaps?

April O Neill

MrStuffins wrote: »

Just wanted to say, there are a lot of companies exploiting this (it's there to be exploited).

However, not all companies are. I did a 9 month internship with a small company. In that time, I worked closely with my manager, trained in the job to a high level, got to travel around Europe going to conferences and meeting clients and was treated as well as any employee would be.

Not only that, but they hired me on a Full Time permanent contract thereafter. Today was the first day of my actual employment.

If you look for the good ones, they are out there.

That's great. Nice one.

FTA69

An internship to make sandwiches or load washing machines onto lorries in Dixons? Absolutely ridiculous like.

If anything these schemes prevent jobs from being created because why would you hire somebody full time when you have an endless conveyor belt of people who will do it for free? The fact that the state is subsidising highly-profitable companies is nothing shy of a joke.

April O Neill

BizzyC wrote: »

Dont know what the issue is here.
An internship is a promise of nothing, never has been.

You agree to work in a role to build your experience in that area, that's the benefit.

Is the problem here that the work you're carrying out is different to what you signed up for?
If you went into a data entry role unaware of what that actually meant and are now find it boring, then it's your own fault for not researching what you were agreeing to.

That's fine, but internships generally aren't 9 month's long. Though of course you can leave if you find a job.

DeltaWhite

Pilotdude5 wrote: »

These internships are pure exploitation. Get free labour for a few months, lay them off, get the next sucker to sign up.

It's only going to get worse too. In a few years you will not only work for free but you will pay for the privilege.

Have to agree with you 100%
We have a girl in our place who was just dumped here and she got no training, no help and no guidance. The management then turn around and say "aw she's just sh*t at her job" and they treated her awful the whole time shes here, the poor girl is only young and it's her first time in an office so she didnt know what to expect and also is too afraid to speak up for herself unfortunately. I caught her crying her eyes out in the toilets last week over the Managements behaviour towards her and it was horrible to see She's finished next week and has told me she is going to be truthful in the evaluation FAS gave her to fill out. So hopefully these muppets cant do it to the next person that is dumped here

It's a great idea this jobridge thing - if it works! People will take advantage and exploit because they can get away with it!

AlejandroKa

It should be completely scrapped because employers, instead of advertising for a paid job, are just taking on a JobsBridge intern. People looking for work experience can get it without JobsBridge and will still get JSA, just not the €50 extra per week. JobsBridge should be boycotted by interns.

And also, certain jobs should be banned from offering 'internships'; anything that pays under €15 for example.

seven_eleven

Jobsbridge is an absolute scam.

Good thread on the Waterford forum about it http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056647129

kylith

It's depressing. Every time I go on the Fás website jobseeking section it's all 'the intern will', 'the intern', 'internship'. I don't need a fecking internship, I've been in admin for years, I need a fúcking job!

Irishcrx

Depends on the company really , we have lots and lots of applicants looking to get work expierience and internships in my job because it's a sought after company , well respected in it's field and they want to get the expierience of working here , as well as maybe making an impression for a future job or career.

They work hard when they are here but are treated very well.

Ray Palmer

AlejandroKa wrote: »

It should be completely scrapped because employers, instead of advertising for a paid job, are just taking on a JobsBridge intern. People looking for work experience can get it without JobsBridge and will still get JSA, just not the €50 extra per week. JobsBridge should be boycotted by interns.

And also, certain jobs should be banned from offering 'internships'; anything that pays under €15 for example.

How do you know this?

There are specific criteria to make sure the intern isn't taking a job they were advertising.

It is like any system it doesn't work 100% for everybody. It is actually a perception problem if people expect it to work for everyone. It was never expected to and shouldn't have ever expected to. If it has a 20% success rate that will be a good result.

FTA69

Ray Palmer wrote: »

How do you know this?

There are specific criteria to make sure the intern isn't taking a job they were advertising.

It is like any system it doesn't work 100% for everybody. It is actually a perception problem if people expect it to work for everyone. It was never expected to and shouldn't have ever expected to. If it has a 20% success rate that will be a good result.

That's a moot point because a company won't advertise a "job" if they can get an intern to do it for free, someone easily repaceable six months down the line. What "specific criteria" are preventing the hundreds of profitable businesses advertising for "interns" for menial jobs that would otherwise pay the minimum wage?

yosser hughes

Tigger wrote: »

2 points
1 is teaching you to read a contract before agreeing not training?
2 go to bed you have work in the morning, that data won't enter itself.

:D I burst out laughing at that.:D

Ray Palmer

FTA69 wrote: »

That's a moot point because a company won't advertise a "job" if they can get an intern to do it for free, someone easily repaceable six months down the line. What "specific criteria" are preventing the hundreds of profitable businesses advertising for "interns" for menial jobs that would otherwise pay the minimum wage?

Except the companies can't keep doing that either so how do you "know" this is happening? I am pretty sure you just think this is what companies are doing.

I read up on the process for a place I was in and it has quite a few restrictions. Heard lots of misinformation on the process. Some companies won't do it because they don't want to be seen as exploitative yet they would be ideal training for many. The actual negative talk about it makes it less effective as a result

Freddy Smelly

i did one of those schemes cos the dole office told me i had to or get a cut in payment, and the company where i did it had 5 interns none of which got offered a job at the end.

i have a job elsewhere now but my biggest gripe with jobbridge is the tax payer (who is already stretched to the limit) is forced to pay more to these people for doing a menial task job with no training when the companies themselves should be hiring staff to do these jobs.

jobsbridge is a huge waste of tax payer's money

Vojera

AlejandroKa wrote: »

People looking for work experience can get it without JobsBridge and will still get JSA, just not the €50 extra per week.

I was under the impression that anyone on JSA taking up work experience off their own bat (not through Job Bridge) was classed as "not available for work" and lost their payment. Is that not true?

Eod100

@ OP:
I wrote out a big long response but it got deleted. Short version: think your boss is wrong. Lots of mention of developing skills on the Jb website and in the Standard Agreement. Maybe arrange a meeting with boss, mentor and the other interns to voice your concerns.

About the number of interns, are you all doing similar jobs? If so think that's against the rules as there's supposed to be a 6 month cooling off period after one internship ends between taking on another intern in the same area.. Companies can take on more than 1 intern at a time if they're working in different areas and providing they abide by the quotas.