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My unemployed story

Ajsoprano

I see a lot of dole bashing and if I get let go Id work in McDonald’s type posts. A lot of “they are always in the bookies” threads. So this is how the government of today has sorted out the “dole scrounger”.

I was a plumber in my early 30s making more money than doctors and accountants. All the overtime I wanted. Then things got bad and I was getting a few weeks on a few weeks off a few weeks up north then pretty much nothing.
Employers started only offering into the hand work where you had to get social welfare to make up your wage. I refused to avail of this.
I remember them changing how long your stamps lasted you until they started to harass you.
One day I was called to a meeting with a woman in the welfare office I brought my son in a buggy I thought it was just to drop in forms and the like. She moaned at me for bringing children to a meeting them tore shreds off me when I tried explain work was tight. She sent me to a private company under the jobbridge umbrella because I wasn’t getting the finger out.
First I had to do a course called steps which was a psychology type motivation course which I enjoyed and gave me a bit of confidence back.

I applied for all sorts of jobs but was told I was over qualified or I’d be back plumbing as soon as they trained me.
I went to intreo (New fas) and asked about the gas course for working on boilers. I was told I was the private companies now and intreo couldn’t deal with me.
The private company found me a placement in a car park in Dublin with an Astro and a dancing class beside a really rough flat complex. All these parents used the dancing school. There was no markings in the car park , my job was to be a yellow line. When a car parked where there was an imaginary yellow line on that day I had to tell them to move. I got non stop abuse nearly every day for a year. I also had to turn on and off the lights for the Astro in winter. I’m not one that worries too much about my mental health but looking back now I dreaded going to it and struggled sleeping on work nights. I asked for a safe pass and was told they were sorting one.
I complained about it and was told they have another opening for me in an even worse part of Dublin cleaning a green space and putting out chairs for meetings in a community centre. As far as I remember there was 3 months left on my placement and they wanted me to start this new one all over again so I stuck out the car park.
As soon as the car park job finished I emailed about the safe pass but they didn’t reply anymore.
I got s letter a week later to go to skillsteam another jobbridge type private company.
I had two meetings with them where they told me they’d only pay for my safe pass if I had a letter saying I had a job if I have a safe pass. The gas course was laughed out the door again. In meetings they kept pushing that they had retail jobs but I think this was a threat I don’t think they really had them.
Building of hotels picked up and I got a job. I got my own safe pass that Saturday and started on the Monday. I got a number of phone calls from skillsteam trying to find out my new job details so they could claim a few quid of taxpayers money for getting me off the register I never gave them to them but I’m sure they have ways around that.

I’m back working and paying between 1-200 euro a week tax no thanks to these kick the unemployed schemes.

There are people in my area that have never worked a day in their life that these schemes don’t bother. Who they will bother is you if you lose your job or your kids if they come out of school jobless.

Private companies shouldn’t be anywhere near the social welfare system and it sickens me that my tax goes to private companies to kick jobless people when they are down, humiliate them by standing them in a car park in front of friends and neighbours and parents from my kids activities.

Most people end up out of work at some stage in their life.

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koumi

can I ask where you were employed MaryAnne, you don't have to be specific but was it public sector or private, are you still working for same company who hired you through JoBridge?

Ajsoprano

Hector Bellend wrote: »

I have two degrees, several professional qualifications and am pursuing my third degree. I only have a part time job.

Pain in the hole

Keep pushing through it. It’ll sort itself out eventually.

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

You had to work a year for free to get your job and you think that’s such s good thing that you spend all your time on the Internet defending these schemes?
Did they brainwash you there?

No. I did a business degree which was way outside my experience. I got a €50 top up on my welfare payment for nine months. I proved myself worthy and capable of doing the job to a high standard. I’ve been there full time since. I like to think that by paying my taxes that I’m repaying the confidence shown me.
Everyone deserves a chance. I appreciate the one I was given.

koumi

Deleted User wrote: »

No. I did a business degree which was way outside my experience. I got a €50 top up on my welfare payment for nine months. I proved myself worthy and capable of doing the job to a high standard. I’ve been there full time since. I like to think that by paying my taxes that I’m repaying the confidence shown me.
Everyone deserves a chance. I appreciate the one I was given.

So you were in the private sector?

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No. I did a business degree which was way outside my experience. I got a €50 top up on my welfare payment for nine months. I proved myself worthy and capable of doing the job to a high standard. I’ve been there full time since. I like to think that by paying my taxes that I’m repaying the confidence shown me.
Everyone deserves a chance. I appreciate the one I was given.

You did a degree. Your first job was an internship for a year. You still started on first year qualified money when they took you on after a year.
Because you are willing to do this like a government drone everybody has to do it.
The employer wins. Go you helping private corporations erode the quality of life of the average chap coming out of college.
Now get back out there and champion that scheme.

koumi

you're obviously unworthy Ajsoprano, and probably just not good enough, didn't work hard enough or maybe you just have some kind of disability. There's no possible way there could be any other reason why it didn't work out for you. I mean, it worked out for MaryAnne so, obvs it's not JoBridges fault.

[Deleted User]

koumi wrote: »

can I ask where you were employed MaryAnne, you don't have to be specific but was it public sector or private, are you still working for same company who hired you through JoBridge?

Private sector. Yes, same company that I did my JobBridge internship with. They regularly take people on work experience. I was very lucky to be taken on when I was. I found the business studies tough going. Best of all, my kids are so proud of me. I wasn’t the oldest in our year either. I found the difference in ages stimulating. Our group ranged in ages from 18 to 62.

[Deleted User]

There is no jobbridge it's been discontinued has it not?

koumi

Deleted User wrote: »

Private sector. Yes, same company that I did my JobBridge internship with. They regularly take people on work experience. I was very lucky to be taken on when I was. I found the business studies tough going. Best of all, my kids are so proud of me. I wasn’t the oldest in our year either. I found the difference in ages stimulating. Our group ranged in ages from 18 to 62.

The public sector was a different story, there were no qualifications or certification or degrees or available for people to attain. In fact most of them were trotted in and out, if they managed to last the 9 months. Due to the moratorium there were no jobs available, unless you went through an agency but the catch was, they wouldn't hire interns as they were already getting them for free. Different strokes for different folks.

How did you obtain a degree in 9 months? Did your employer pay for it too?

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

You did a degree. Your first job was an internship for a year. You still started on first year qualified money when they took you on after a year.
Because you are willing to do this like a government drone everybody has to do it.
The employer wins. Go you helping private corporations erode the quality of life of the average chap coming out of college.
Now get back out there and champion that scheme.

I look at it as I’m the winner. I was an operative in a factory that went bust. I either went long term unemployed or re-educate myself. I started out going on a CE Scheme. I did a couple of part time courses, which gave me the confidence to apply for a business degree as a (very) mature student. I had no business experience whatsoever. I saw an internship advertised in an area I found interesting. My quality of life has increase dramatically. I’m much more confident and earning much more than I ever expected.
So forgive me for improving myself and singing the praises of those who helped me get where I am today.

Avatar MIA

Ajsoprano wrote: »

Go you helping private corporations erode the quality of life of the average chap coming out of college.

Yeah, how dare you be a success Mary Anne!

In case you've not noticed it OP, it's an employee's market out there.

[Deleted User]

koumi wrote: »

The public sector was a different story, there were no qualifications or certification or degrees or available for people to attain. In fact most of them were trotted in and out, if they managed to last the 9 months. Due to the moratorium there were no jobs available, unless you went through an agency but the catch was, they wouldn't hire interns as they were already getting them for free. Different strokes for different folks.

How did you obtain a degree in 9 months? Did your employer pay for it too?

The internship was 9 months. Not the degree. That took 3 years!!!

dxhound2005

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Jobbridge, for all it's flaws, is a brilliant idea compared to the current nonsense though. At least it gave work experience, although it was abused by some employers. Jobpath is a complete disaster though. They're getting paid vast sums of money to get people to go to an office every now and then to sign stuff. There's absolutely no reason it couldn't be done by intreo staff.

As you've said too, the long term unemployed will stay unemployed because there's no benefit to the jobpath companies in taking them on. I got put on jobpath just over a month after finishing my last job, while people who have been unemployed for years are left alone. Anyone who thinks it's reducing long term unemployment is kidding themselves. It's nothing but a waste of money to appease the dole bashers, and by the looks of any thread that starts about it on here, it's working.

What would have happened to you if you refused to go on Jobpath? Nothing I presume, since all those long term unemployed people are able to continue for years untouched. It is a scheme designed mainly for those over 12 months on the dole.

[Deleted User]

mariaalice wrote: »

There is no jobbridge it's been discontinued has it not?

Work experience is still a requirement of many degree courses. We like to call them by the American term of Interns.

koumi

Deleted User wrote: »

The internship was 9 months. Not the degree. That took 3 years!!!

Tough slog, well done.

[Deleted User]

koumi wrote: »

Tough slog, well done.

Thanks. It was tough, but so worth it.

dhaughton99

koumi wrote: »

JobBridge was a pretty nasty experiment, especially for those who ended up propping up the public sector, which is what I believed it was designed for and got little but abuse in return for their effort and even more when they attempted to highlight the nature of it. It was a special kind of abuse. Thankfully it was binned however for anyone who hasn't experienced it I doubt there will be much they can relate to so best leave it in a safe place and march onward. (I'm also aware of the absolute mental and psychological affects of schemes like Turas Nua which I suspect will also go the way of JobBridge in due time) Don't take the lack of understanding to heart.

I finished up on Jobbridge in July working in a college as an IT admin for 900 pupils and staff, 200+ PCs and all the equipment. Done a fantastic job and got great hands on. No job offer from it, they just went a got a TUS worker to replace me. Knocked my confidence for months and really still not over it. 2 weeks after I was gone, I get letter to interview with for the TUS scheme, a week after that, I'm pushed onto Jobpath. Zero faith in Jobpath. Ticking boxes.

Hitman3000

My partner found herself unemployed, went on a jobsbridge placement for 9 months totally different business to what she had experience of. Discovered her calling working full time and looks forward to going to work. Her attitude is it's great being paid to do what you love. It worked for some and didn't for others. Simple.

[Deleted User]

Hitman3000 wrote: »

My partner found herself unemployed, went on a jobsbridge placement for 9 months totally different business to what she had experience of. Discovered her calling working full time and looks forward to going to work. Her attitude is it's great being paid to do what you love. It worked for some and didn't for others. Simple.

Totally agree. The problem with JobBridge towards the end was the types of “Internships” they were offering. Car valeting and supermarket jobs come to mind. What people don’t realise is that candidates had to apply for these positions. If they didn’t want these positions, then they didn’t apply.

Hitman3000

Deleted User wrote:

Totally agree. The problem with JobBridge towards the end was the types of â€œInternshipsâ€ they were offering. Car valeting and supermarket jobs come to mind. What people donâ€™t realise is that candidates had to apply for these positions. If they didnâ€™t want these positions, then they didnâ€™t apply.

There was some positions that should never have been allowed on the scheme likewise certain employers should have been barred aswell. I think in all honestly whilst the scheme had alot of cons the pros out weighed them. Just my opinion and how it changed the prospects of my partner and people like her who wanted to work above all else.

[Deleted User]

dhaughton99 wrote: »

I finished up on Jobbridge in July working in a college as an IT admin for 900 pupils and staff, 200+ PCs and all the equipment. Done a fantastic job and got great hands on. No job offer from it, they just went a got a TUS worker to replace me. Knocked my confidence for months and really still not over it. 2 weeks after I was gone, I get letter to interview with for the TUS scheme, a week after that, I'm pushed onto Jobpath. Zero faith in Jobpath. Ticking boxes.

I know you are upset about this but why did you think they would give you a job in the first place did they actually have a job available. I am genuinely don't understand why people would not be happy to receive help in getting a job.

Ajsoprano

mariaalice wrote: »

I know you are upset about this but why did you think they would give you a job in the first place did they actually have a job available. I am genuinely don't understand why people would not be happy to receive help in getting a job.

If after we go to college to learn a job we still need a year in the job to learn it we have a problem with the education system or the employer.
What we have done with these schemes is normalized a free working year for any decent job.

dd972

Surely there's opening for skilled tradespeople in the U.K, even if it meant a Ryanair fight back and forth every few weeks.

Ajsoprano

dd972 wrote: »

Surely there's opening for skilled tradespeople in the U.K, even if it meant a Ryanair fight back and forth every few weeks.

I have a job thanks

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

If after we go to college to learn a job we still need a year in the job to learn it we have a problem with the education system or the employer.
What we have done with these schemes is normalized a free working year for any decent job.

Who is working free for a year and in what sector?

No matter how well educated one is, they don’t walk into a new job and automatically know everything about it. That will only come with experience.

Ajsoprano

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Who is working free for a year and in what sector?

No matter how well educated one is, they don’t walk into a new job and automatically know everything about it. That will only come with experience.

That is a problem with the education system. Of course they won’t have 20 years of knowledge but every job has entry level stuff people fresh out of school can do. We usually get first years to drill holes as a main job or cut brackets and slowly teach them stuff bit by bit. They get paid 200 a week or something like that. After a year they are on a liveable wage and taking more and more responsibility. I know when most people think plumber they think of some fella fixing toilets but there is way more to the trade than that.
If you needed experience and these jobs were so happy to help you gain experience why not bring in apprentice type jobs for them rather than 4 years in college followed mostly by a year of doing the crap nobody else wants to do for free?
Seems to me that Fine Gael think the whole college system is not fit for purpose or they want people to work for nothing for a company who can let them go and hire another chap who will work for nothing and let them go and hire another chap that will work for nothing.
The wage lowering party.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Avatar MIA

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

People think nothing about PAYING thousands of euro to a university for a degree, but the thought of working for experience appalls them. Go figure.

[Deleted User]

Ajsoprano wrote: »

That is a problem with the education system. Of course they won’t have 20 years of knowledge but every job has entry level stuff people fresh out of school can do. We usually get first years to drill holes as a main job or cut brackets and slowly teach them stuff bit by bit. They get paid 200 a week or something like that. After a year they are on a liveable wage and taking more and more responsibility. I know when most people think plumber they think of some fella fixing toilets but there is way more to the trade than that.
If you needed experience and these jobs were so happy to help you gain experience why not bring in apprentice type jobs for them rather than 4 years in college followed mostly by a year of doing the crap nobody else wants to do for free?
Seems to me that Fine Gael think the whole college system is not fit for purpose or they want people to work for nothing for a company who can let them go and hire another chap who will work for nothing and let them go and hire another chap that will work for nothing.
The wage lowering party.

I don’t get your idea of people working for nothing. This hasn’t happened nor is it happening the way you describe.
When I did my JobBridge internship, I got an extra €50 on my welfare payment. The company then had to assign a mentor to oversee my work and answer any queries.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.