Is Jobpath still a thing?

The DayDream

I was under the impression this scheme was wound down, due to it being very expensive and not getting results, and most importantly the fact the unemployment rate has dropped recently.

But today when I was perusing job ads on Indeed I saw one for an employment advisor for 'People 1st' the crowd who run Jobpath in my area.

They want people who can speak Ukrainian and Russian to apply. I could give my opinion about how laughable it is that they think they can both get someone to do that in this fairly rural location (who also has a full license and car and is willing to travel to different locations in the county) and that they're going to be able to get people who don't speak English into jobs around here, but what I'm really confused about is why there's not been any announcements about this scheme coming back.

The government have kept this very quiet. Maybe I'm wrong and it was never stopped but the minister for social protection appeared to have confirmed that no new referalls were being made since 2022 in the dail when asked

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2023-03-28/21/

Intreo were handling all the cases and from what I've heard it was the same exact thing as Jobpath, just done by Intreo officers, so why did they bring it back and when was it decided?

I haven't seen any ads for this company in the past year or so, and they definitely didn't have any Russian or Ukrainian speakers before so is this a relaunch now to try and get the refugees off the dole (which is a bit OTT - aren't they going through enough, most of them are single parents living in one room with their kids in a hotel)

GSBellew

There is a massive issue in getting people willing to work and I am not talking for minimum wage, any employer or rep I talk to has the same story.

We are at a point that the people who want to work are already working, there are people pretending that they want to work but make excuses to avoid jobs that do not suit them because they like their free time and people who are just plain unemployable.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058315038/is-jobpath-still-a-thing

Numerous Threads on this.

No it's no longer a Thing, has been replaced with Pathways to Work, which is essentially similar but a lot more proactive. Those on Jobseekers Payments referred very quickly.

TooTired123

The factories, small shops and hospitality venues in the medium sized market town where I live are quickly filling up with staff who are people from Ukraine/Russia. English is not difficult to learn when you want to work.

The DayDream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121145718#Comment_121145718

Are they new threads, I spoke to someone today who is on Pathways to Work and he was told when he finishes that, he is going to be referred to Jobpath. By someone in Intreo.

Why would there be job ads for People 1st on indeed posted in the last week? They're a private company, they ran Jobpath in my area. They don't do Pathways to Work.

The DayDream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121145633#Comment_121145633

I'm not interested in your opinion of jobseekers and their motivations or anything like that. I'm asking is this massively expensive program being quietly brought back, that's all. I'm well aware boards is full of people who demonize anyone on the dole and would cheer on any such programs even when they cost 331 million and don't have any record of doing what they're meant to do.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121147382#Comment_121147382

So just to be clear, Jobs path ended to new referrals over a year ago and was phased out and replaced with Pathways to to work which has been in existence for at least a year.

Essentially they are the same thing but DSP more directly involved, previously they contracted out job activation measures completely. Larger Intero centres with bigger staffing, deal directly with Jobseekers, where as smaller Centres use Seetac.

It's irrelevant how old the threads are, Jobs path is ended.

I have no idea why your referring to indeed, they have nothing whatsoever to do with Pathways to work other than referring Jobseekers to their website.

WIZWEB

Pathways to Work is basically a cynical renaming of JobPath. SEETEC etc still have their grubby hands in it. Worth a Google for reviews and various investigations in UK. Other also private for profit commission based contracts have been awarded to their partners LAES. Very poor outcomes for the hundreds of millions of Exchequer funds wasted on these.

The DayDream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121148982#Comment_121148982

I thought it was pretty clear why I was referring to indeed - because there is an ad for an employment advisor for People 1st in my county. They ran Jobpath in my Area, they are the private company you are talking about. That would indicate they are possibly coming back - it also states they want someone who can speak Ukrainian or Russian. Why else would that be?

I rang the DSP today and the person I got on the phone had no clear answer for me and in fact said he believed Jobpath was still a thing. When I told him that it had been announced as being wound down with no new referalls he told me I must be getting it mixed up with Jobbridge (I wasn't, I did Jobbridge back in 2013 or 14 I know the difference)

Just like I'm not mixing up pathways to work with Jobpath either. I'm saying there are possibly rumblings of it returning despite us supposedly being at full employment.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121191941#Comment_121191941

This gibberish doesn't change the fact Jobspath is finished, ended, no longer exists, replaced with Pathways To work which is in essence the same thing but on steroids.

Straight Talker

Jobpath may be gone but Seetec live on. I've been referred for a second stint with these people. Despite the rebranding i wonder is it still the same thing with regards to them getting commission when you find employment?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121824094#Comment_121824094

Jobspath no longer a thing, they are calling the new initiative Pathways to work, essentially Jobspath on Steroids & a profound waste of time. The commission structure different I believe, essentially a one off fee, Seetac getting referrals in areas we're Intero center is small or doesn't have the staff, larger ones dealing with those referred, Directly

Straight Talker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121825292#Comment_121825292

The official wording they used on the letter is that we are referring you to our Intreo partner for support. The term pathways to work was not used at all surprisingly enough. There have been complaints from as recently as one month ago on Reddit, about people being harassed by Seetec even after finding employment! It's a shame that the Local Employment Services (LES) were shut down. I found the staff there to be more helpful and genuine than the staff at Seetec but it is what it is!

donegal_man

Seetec definitely still active in Donegal. They have a large office on Letterkenny main street. Only about 100 metres from the local Intreo centre.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121825384#Comment_121825384

There are lots of Threads on here regarding complaints about Turas Nua & Seetac & the former Jobs path estimated to have cost over €200 million in fees alone and less than 10% of participants getting full time work for more than 12 months, it was also roundly Critised in the Dáil & in many ministerial Questions from TD's

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121825392#Comment_121825392

They are the Primary Partner of DSP in managing Pathways to work.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121825384#Comment_121825384

Local area employment services are still being used as is turas nua

Cherry Blossom

I gave someone a lift today to a job fair run by people first. They had an assigned time they had to go but it was still absolutely mobbed. Since I was there anyway I thought I’d have a wander around. I was stopped at the door and told it was strictly for people first clients only. If there was a job going they didn’t want it going to some randomer who was giving someone a lift there. Clients had to sign in to prove they came. My friend said there were only about 7 tables there. One was an insurance company, one hotel and he thought most of the others were building contractors. It was a fairly poor effort. I imagine a lot of companies didn’t want to be associated with them.

brokenbad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121145633#Comment_121145633

If the gap between minimum wage and jobseekers benefit was bigger, then maybe it would incentivise long term unemployed to seek work. When they add up their social welfare allowances and entitlements, it quickly becomes clear that it's going to cost them money to go to work rather than sit on their arse all day long....