Job Bridge joke

allibastor

Just a quick one to you all, Where do you find out the guidlines for what a job bridge job should contain. Found this one in my own back garden of portloaise.
What a joke.

http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=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

Lunafizzle

:O Shocking!

Jimmy Garlic

Slave bridge. Contributing to unemployment in Ireland. Dodgy employers will sack someone so they can take on a slave.

allibastor

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

Slave bridge. Contributing to unemployment in Ireland. Dodgy employers will sack someone so they can take on a slave.

How does one make a complaint againt the job, or even who in thier right mind approved it.

Jimmy Garlic

allibastor wrote: »

How does one make a complaint againt the job, or even who in thier right mind approved it.

I know of one place that cleared out half it's staff for bogus reasons so it could take on people from slave bridge. It is a massive scam.

You could add these to the list:
Shop Assistant
Kitchen Assistant
Hairdresser

That's just some on FAS WEbsite. An utter insulting joke!

Subutai

Deleted User wrote: »

You could add these to the list:
Shop Assistant
Kitchen Assistant
Hairdresser

That's just some on FAS WEbsite. An utter insulting joke!

I've also seen "deli assistant", "receptionist" and "Sales Assistent" (in a local shop, i.e. store clerk).

Rainbow_Bright

I figure it's a scheme to lower the apparent figures of those in the dole queue and increase the figures of those who are 'working'. It's all about the figures and paperwork .

It's also making it more difficult for those genuinely seeking full time employment to find a job as the job bridge / internship schemes are taking up many of the positions that would previously have been real jobs.

clau22

Job Bridge get me outta here!!!!

Someone please help a damsel in distress!! I am in my 'Internship' the last 4 months and I absolutely HATE it!!! I am on the countdown to November (if I can stick it out that long!!).
If I leave in the morning would that affect my Social Welfare payments?
Is doung personal errands for my boss acceptable? Picking up her prescriptions, lodging cheques for her mortgage, even filling out her driving license form???!!!
The job was advertised as Office Administrator which I'm about 5% doing!!
Any help/tips/advice etc.
A very destressed, deflated intern!! :-( :-O

Crazyteacher

You don't have to stay, you have every right to quit. Contact your social welfare for info on getting out.

MikeD22

I've a feeling this job bridge is the next big government scheme to be blown wide open and expose the scammers

zenno

@ clau22

Report your problem to FAS and the social welfare and demand an investigation if you're rights have been violated or also, if they are forcing you to do things that are not originally in your job description.

Mollywolly

MikeD22 wrote: »

I've a feeling this job bridge is the next big government scheme to be blown wide open and expose the scammers

Let's hope so. Too many employers are abusing the scheme and I'm surprised there hasn't been an investigation already.

clau22

Thanks guys!
I had started an internship at the end of January and stuck it for a week, again wasn't what job had been advertised for, hardly anyone spoke to me, and I'd an hours commute, so wasn't paying my petrol. Within a week I applied for my current internship. The week I wsx at my previous internship wasn't made official - so they got a free week out of me! The social knew of this, so if I leave this they will think I'm not willing to work and this internship is only a 10 min drive!

zenno

Mollywolly wrote: »

Let's hope so. Too many employers are abusing the scheme and I'm surprised there hasn't been an investigation already.

There has already been an investigation and more pending... http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/employment/department-investigates-over-200-complaints-into-conduct-of-jobbridge-firms-1.1351863

ShelTomato

Sorry I don't know what the rules are for posting up links but there's a whole website dedicated to this it's called scambridge.ie, it's very helpful, a lot of stories similar to yours clau22, it's a disgrace that so many companies get away with it! It seems like FAS don't even bother to ensure that the interns are being trained adequately, or offer any support to them if they want to complain.

Mollywolly

zenno wrote: »

There has already been an investigation and more pending... http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/employment/department-investigates-over-200-complaints-into-conduct-of-jobbridge-firms-1.1351863

Thanks for that. Must have missed that one

Jimmy Garlic

Rainbow_Bright wrote: »

job bridge / internship schemes are taking up many of the positions that would previously have been real jobs.

It is also destroying real jobs. People are getting sacked so lowlife employers can take on someone and exploit them via slave bridge. Most of them have no intention of keeping the people they take on via slave bridge, that would mean they have to pay them a wage.

clau22

@ShelTomato
Yes, I have been on the Scam Bridge site and have added a few stories, yes very similar to my story.
The Social are quick to send out letters re Fas courses etc I even got a letter aboyt whilst in this internship, what a disgrace yet they can't send someone out to assess the organisation host and the intern.
It's so degrading and soul destroying the whole darn thung!!! >:(

SCOOP 64

I think if the unemployed keep taking up jobbridge schemes then no way is the government going to end it, you are off the live register for 9 months but still getting you full dole, the unemployment figures look better.

cloudatlas

Although I think the genesis of an idea for something like jobbridge is good ultimately I feel that the scheme is a failure.

I've noticed a few things in my career area. Big organisations who didn't hire interns in the good times are now using jobbridge. On some job descriptions the tasks are non essential back room jobs . The worker is tying up a few loose ends that the permanent staff members don't want to do. This is a disgrace.

If the job bridge pay matches your original pay grade then surely there is no advantage and they should give you a proper position. If your jobbridge pay is significantly lower in cases like I.T. jobs then it is equally scandalous and exploitative. If you are receiving low pay for a low skilled job and you don't receive a position afterwards that to me is particularly unjust.

Jobbridge employers do not have to train you, they don't have to employ you afterwards and they can wait a short period of time to get another skivvy.

bijou

allibastor wrote: »

Just a quick one to you all, Where do you find out the guidlines for what a job bridge job should contain. Found this one in my own back garden of portloaise.
What a joke.

http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=B+fomdowzS8kaDnSlUDk1zaMUPiFEeNrNWjviinu490thmC2C0u+DOXNVpV/tQkNqn75tEi5fuxRNIhbXUbJF/PoRFNnzP6LeV/U+AJTFb7e7MevKV/pDPq5r8xaaBWpzJg5lFbnOBriAPyOw/1uc+gB4KUHv+UR9Y4YcpW1EF4tgC9v1GEPRLr/WzyqjZbH3B92hHoFvS/Rrw3Kr7+ZpUgealmY4XMo6/B9qyB+V2iKVRws6VSFvpFcmFsnopiLbe2BS/IAH80ZI6uZkaIpursiLaj1V8TrKLeQZbJy+Aq48ZztRKDU0vAbMdjlmQ0ROKPL4/Af4siMCywzcuoQRh9rlXvgXg3OXAiJxOq29GEwvwoc/ikIol4uMII0o+7bY86Iyph17+1OkbepilH0H0sWreAJl+FFvkUSyQO+zOtr4kSHbU1sbXn6pFWSI4uxQDJoWGomk4lTcXdHSuFqS5uKgMcC1ac0RXkWT8heqcrXwRbMGgQVKlUOIcqwiZoH

Out of interest, what "job" was it for?? The link doesn't work now.

clau22

The whole idea of Job Bridge is to be mentored, so someone should be training you and providing the necessary skills and support. I know not all internships can provide jobs after the internship has ended, but they are at least supposed to refer you to another organisation to secure a permanent job

ShelTomato

bijou wrote: »

Out of interest, what "job" was it for?? The link doesn't work now.

Think it was working behind a bar

Woofstuff

bijou wrote: »

Out of interest, what "job" was it for?? The link doesn't work now.

ShelTomato wrote: »

Think it was working behind a bar

It was basically a bar managers job, stock taking, orders, making sure the bar makes a profit ... this is the kind of thing I remember seeing on the Job Spec.

Woofstuff

Its such a scam.

I am due to Graduate at Christmas,

I would rather up sticks and go Work in the UK and get paid for my problem rather than let companies take advantage of me with this Scam.

allibastor

I really do thaink that for minimum wage unskilled jobs the DSP and Job Bridge should not be allowed to take in candidates or have employers post responses for it.

For the crack I applied for the job which i started the post about. was told that it will invlove work on wednesday to sunday from about 21:00 until clsoing time, but that over time might be needed to cope with unusual business hours.

Though, A polo shirt will be provided for my uniform, so not all bad.

starlit

clau22 wrote: »

The whole idea of Job Bridge is to be mentored, so someone should be training you and providing the necessary skills and support. I know not all internships can provide jobs after the internship has ended, but they are at least supposed to refer you to another organisation to secure a permanent job

I've never known them to refer you on to another organisation I think is it not up to the candidate to decide who they want to apply for next?

Mrs OBumble

clau22 wrote: »

Is doung personal errands for my boss acceptable? Picking up her prescriptions, lodging cheques for her mortgage, even filling out her driving license form???!!!

The job was advertised as Office Administrator which I'm about 5% doing!!

Those tasks all sound like typical Office Administrator takss to me, especially in a small company where there may be few boundaries between the owners private and corporate life.

What did you expect to be doing?

More importantly, have you been applying for other jobs? Getting real job is the best way to leave an intership.

clau22 wrote: »

The whole idea of Job Bridge is to be mentored, so someone should be training you and providing the necessary skills and support. I know not all internships can provide jobs after the internship has ended, but they are at least supposed to refer you to another organisation to secure a permanent job

Not quite.

There is supposed to be mentoring.

But not training (the idea of the scheme is that it's for people who are already trained, but not expereinces).

And not referrals. They may act as a referee, and the idea is that by being in the workplace you make contacts and find out about job sources. But they don't have to formally refer you.



I'm with ye all that there are many scams. But there are some non-scams too, and it's worth remembering that. I know a few people who did get a career start with the scheme.

clau22

Ok Mrs OBumble the internship is designed for recent graduates and also people who are long-term unemployed. On the job description they do state formal/informal training. You are supposedly assigned to a mentor in whatever department. If my boss isn't there all the time and there is hardly any work to do, shouldn't they opt out of jobbridge? Sure why would you when you've someone in doing menial tasks?!!
Well I didn't sign up to go around doing personal errands when the job I applied for stipulated administration - so I assumed office work!
And yes I am looking for work not that easy either when you're in there 5 days a week

ABajaninCork

clau22 wrote: »

Job Bridge get me outta here!!!!

Someone please help a damsel in distress!! I am in my 'Internship' the last 4 months and I absolutely HATE it!!! I am on the countdown to November (if I can stick it out that long!!).
If I leave in the morning would that affect my Social Welfare payments?
Is doung personal errands for my boss acceptable? Picking up her prescriptions, lodging cheques for her mortgage, even filling out her driving license form???!!!
The job was advertised as Office Administrator which I'm about 5% doing!!
Any help/tips/advice etc.
A very destressed, deflated intern!! :-( :-O

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Those tasks all sound like typical Office Administrator takss to me, especially in a small company where there may be few boundaries between the owners private and corporate life.

What did you expect to be doing?

More importantly, have you been applying for other jobs? Getting real job is the best way to leave an intership.

Sorry, but I can't agree with this. This is unprofessional behaviour by the owner IMO. Why on earth would you allow strangers to see details of your personal finances? How did s/he apply for driving licences and pay their mortgage BEFORE the intern came along? Has the owner never heard of internet and phone banking?? Seriously??? Work and personal boundaries should be kept separate. It doesn't matter what size the business is. Sounds to me as though the intern is being taken advantage of.

What kind of mentoring was offered clau22?

clau22

Thank you! Yes, it is a total violation, it is not acceptable behaviour! Well it's just myself and the boss, who is meant to be my mentor but when she's hardly ever there who is to mentor me?

doolox

I do not think that applying for a licence, banking a cheque etc are transferable skills that one can put down on a CV in order to secure a job with some other company and would be inclined to believe that no real job skills are being accrued by this and many JobBridge schemes.

Junior, entry level jobs such as shop assistant hair dressing stacking shelves etc should not form part of the job bridge scheme. It should not take 9 months at very reduced state sponsored wages to learn how to cook and serve in a fast-food joint.

I remember horror stories of parents of school leaving children being demanded high fees from shops and hospitals for training shop assistants and nurses way back in the hungry 40's and 50's in the economic wasteland of Ireland. Its why BOTH my parents went to England to get their jobs and worklife moving, my mother from the start in nursing and my father after putting up with nonsense from various employers in Ireland. Their parents could not afford to cough up fees for apprentceships or traineeships which were normal at the time. Patronage and pull were also normal at that time and they were unwilling or unable to go this route.

Both parents ended up with transferable, valuable and much in demand skills and personal traits built up over several valuable years in England. While the English do not suffer fools gladly and are exacting in setting and expecting standards in their work they do not try to "use" people unduly or change the rules or feel threatened by disputes.
My feeling is that any dissension or dispute to an Irish employer can lead to instant dismissal. In other more equally balanced countries a certain amount of give and take applies. Rules are usually transparently applied in other jurisdictions esp regarding tax and labour rules. Here a lot of subterfuge, under the counter deals and tax dodging goes on and you will not be employed in many sectors unless you "play the game" and bend the rules.

Many employers want their employees to claim and still work for them off the books for low wages. Many others dissappear when pay time comes around and still others dodge PRSI etc.

I'd get out if I could for a few years and get valuable skills and education abroad.

ABajaninCork

Then I'd report her. Tell them you're being used as a gofer rather than the Office Admin you're supposed to be. Hell, most PA'a and EA's I know wouldn't do that for their bosses!!

ABajaninCork

clau22 wrote: »

Thank you! Yes, it is a total violation, it is not acceptable behaviour! Well it's just myself and the boss, who is meant to be my mentor but when she's hardly ever there who is to mentor me?

Whilst I wouldn't go so far as to call this a total violation, I would agree the boss is taking advantage of the free labour. I totally agree with Doolox's comments. They tried the same Jobbridge crap in the UK too. Tesco's and McDonald's decided to try to take advantage of the scheme to get in cheap labour; shelf stackers and the like. There were protests outside the stores. Very quickly, the Government had to pull the scheme as several other major employers - Sainsbury's and Boots amongst them decided not to take part for fear of the protests coming to their stores.

The same thing should happen here, but I'm afraid we live in a climate of fear. Some employers know this, and ruthlessly take advantage of people's desperation to work.

Having said all that, there ARE some success stories I've read of on here. But they are very few and far between.

fletch1988

I seen one for industrial carpet cleaner no lie!!!

it said you will learn all aspects of the profession over 9 months..

thought it was a wind up

clau22

Thank you for your help and advice! I have been told on more than one occasion that I could get a job after the 9 months or lately I've been told I could be offered a part time job. Does anyone know if you are offered a job do you have to accept it? I'm sure the Social Welfare would be quick to respond if you declined the job!!

ShelTomato

clau22 wrote: »

Thank you for your help and advice! I have been told on more than one occasion that I could get a job after the 9 months or lately I've been told I could be offered a part time job. Does anyone know if you are offered a job do you have to accept it? I'm sure the Social Welfare would be quick to respond if you declined the job!!

Yes they can dock or even stop your dole apparently if you turn down paying work. Thing is, if the company doesn't offer you a job after the internship ends they don't need to tell the SW why they didn't hire you. Go figure :P

clau22

Now why doesn't that surprise me?!?! It really is a bad system >:(

padma

Damn!!!! I thought this was a joke ABOUT jobbridge.

Anyway agree with the sentiment of exploitation.

clau22

Yes, it's a BIG joke!! And definitely exploitation involved

MochaChillo

Job bridge is the biggest joke ever!! is a scheme for employers to take advantage of it and then after the nine months, you wont be kept on!! complete waste of time!!

I been participating it for a month now in an accountancy firm !! there isnt even a proper mouse for me to do my daily tasks. The employer knows about it but yet he is not willing to buy a new mouse for me to use so i had to bring in my own one!!!

he also asked me clean the kitchen sink as well as the toilet sink..... ...im here to learn about accountancy book keeping etc not here to learn how to clean!! I am sure if there is a vaccum cleaner here he will ask me to hoover!! :mad:

I was asked to make my hours up because I took a few days off for going to several interviews!! but I still have another 8 months to go!! He was kinda hinting saying that I shouldnt take anymore days off now until I have my hours made up!! Now I have to work an hour extra everyday to make up the extra day off that I took last month!! Employers are scared that they are being taken advantage of but i think they are the people who is taking advantage of this scheme!!

I heard from the full time employee here that the employer has been hiring interns after interns and he hasnt kept any one of them on after the nine months !! why would he pay someone to do the same tasks when he can get one for free....!!

Job bridge says they do 'monitor' this scheme making sure that the employers are not taking advantage of the scheme!! Totally NOT!!

I think Job bridge should monitor it and at least check on how are the interns getting on regularly so the employers cant take advantage over this scheme!!!

Judge O Buachalla

Does it really matter once you have a 9 month internship on your CV?

ABajaninCork

Then I would do the following:

REFUSE to clean the kitchen and bogs. ( I trust you did)

AND report this p1ss-taking scumbag!!! He is NOT allowed to dock hours because you went to a job interview. If he doesn't know that, then Welfare should make him aware quick smart...

MochaChillo

i know that if u are absent from work due to being sick for more than 10 days ( 2 Weeks) the employer will automatically end the internship!! is one of the rules written in the agreement!!

MochaChillo

of course it does matter Judge O Buachalla, you dont want to be putting down cleaning the kitchen sinks and toilet sinks were your responsibilties during the nine months

he didnt really train me into how to do the clients accounts etc. Kept telling me to give it a try the only way u can learn is to figure out how to do it urself!! thank god the full time employee was really nice and willing to sacrifice her own time to train me in otherwise i will be lost, not knowing what to do!!


and at the end of the day dont know will he give you a good reference!!

1630

MochaChillo wrote: »

of course it does matter Judge O Buachalla, you dont want to be putting down cleaning the kitchen sinks and toilet sinks were your responsibilties during the nine months

he didnt really train me into how to do the clients accounts etc. Kept telling me to give it a try the only way u can learn is to figure out how to do it urself!! thank god the full time employee was really nice and willing to sacrifice her own time to train me in otherwise i will be lost, not knowing what to do!!


and at the end of the day dont know will he give you a good reference!!

Leave that place now

Crazyteacher

That's disgusting. Don't ever do that again to yourself, how degrading. Report it immediately.

Cheerful Spring

Work placement schemes have been deemed illegal in the UK. Under EU law you can't force someone to do compulsory work. The Irish government is clearly breaking EU rules and laws forcing people to do work for their dole. It only takes a a court case to change it, but nobody has gone up against the Government yet. Why?

fly_agaric

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

Work placement schemes have been deemed illegal in the UK. Under EU law you can't force someone to do compulsory work. The Irish government is clearly breaking EU rules and laws forcing people to do work for their dole. It only takes a a court case to change it, but nobody has gone up against the Government yet. Why?

Unsure if I agree but here are 2 questions that occur:
Where would the jobsbridger get the money for a challenge like that?
What "quango" here would dare bite the hand that feeds and support such a challenge in the current environment? [edit: the public sector & quangos etc could well be papering over cracks with jobsbridge also as they cannot hire...]

imo Jobsbidge is going to be hard to get rid of; compliant & dirt cheap labour is a powerful habit to break for businesses and ibec, isme etc will scream blue murder about the sky falling if the govt. try to end it (some extreme examples of how economies can come to depend on cheap labour: the old south in the US, the Belgian Congo etc, a hard thing to do without once you get used to it)

ILikeFriday

It's exploited at both ends of the scale. You see people being asked to do "internships" in unskilled jobs that anyone could pick up in a week, but I've also seen "internships" for fully qualified solicitors. This would be a person who has already served a two year apprenticeship. Apparently they need the extra experience of a few months jobbridge internship and are not worth the minimum wage for their weeks work.