A choice between a JobBridge internship or Springboard course? (Need advice)

Hokuto

Hi everyone,
I don't know if this the right forum for it but I'll give it a try.I'm in a bit of a pickle and I need some advice.I would love to hear your opinions on this matter. It's making me anxious and I cannot sleep well.

Bit of my background. I have a biomedical science degree and I have worked as an intern in a hospital (JobBridge). However I did not enjoy the job at all because it was too much paperwork and not much hands-on work. I've decided to change careers because it didn't bring me much job satisfaction. Plus I was doing it because I was pressured by my parents (studying for the degree). I'm currently under JSA.

I went to an interview for a Job Bridge internship in Ranelagh (Office administrator) last Thursday. I got offered the internship the very same day and I will be working with a medical recruitment company. My duties would be filing, working with computers and I would have the opportunity to learn about how to manage with accounts. I will be starting work in two weeks.

However I got accepted in a Springboard coarse last month. It was for medical device manufacturing course that's due to start in December for 6 months. However I started having doubts about the course because I knew that I would not enjoy working in a medical/ science related area anymore. I only applied for it so I would have something to do whilst I'm looking for full time work. My heart's not in it.

I need some advice and opinions about this matter. I wanted to work instead of study so I can get the momentum going and build a network, even though it's an internship in a completely different area.

If you were asking, I really wanted to do the office administration internship because the office is nearer to where I live and within easy reach of the Luas.I would love to work and to meet new people and to learn new skills that would be useful for me in finding fulltime paid work.

Also, the interviewer told me that there's a huge possibility for them to have me kept as a staff after my internship (contract) as they are a growing company.

So, there you go. I just need help, opinions, advice on this matter. Thanks for your time in reading my thread.

Skill Magill

I've done both and it was my experience through job bridge that led to employment. I found that springboard courses just led to more courses, and not to obtaining a job. I talked to people who had previously finished a springboard course just going onto another one the next year as there were no jobs in that field or the qualification wasn't good enough.

Hokuto

Thanks Skill Magill for the prompt reply. My instinct told me to go for the JobBrige internship instead of the Springboard course, even though it was a low-skilled (?) job. My skills were getting stale and I was looking forward to learn new ones and to build a network. I've heard of people going from one Springboard coarse to another and this rather worried me. What if there's no job prospects at the end of the line?

RacoonQueen

AFAIK you can do both at once if hours don't clash.

Hokuto

The thing is I can't. My internship is 5 days a week 9 to 5. (Course is 3 days a week 9-5).

Greenmachine

I would choose the course hands down. Why should you provide free labour to an employer.