Got Called To Go On Jobpath

Straight Talker wrote: »

Well the information session is over with.To be fair the guy speaking on behalf of Seetec, seemed friendly enough.Although a few things stuck out for me.He went on about how apparently successful seetec have been, since the government hired them with regards to finding employment and tackling unemployment.But in reality the jobpath program has only had a success rate of 18%.

There was subtle intimidation that the PPP plan had to be signed.He kept going on about when you sign the PPP plan, when you agree the PPP plan etc and it said on the power point display, that signing the PPP plan was mandatory.However there was a case where someone who agreed to attend all meetings, but refused to sign the PPP plan had their payment stopped by the department.

But they took things further legally, and it was eventually found out that the department, should not have been sanctioning people who agreed to take part in the jobpath scheme, but refused to sign the PPP plan.This person had their payment reinstated, with all payments that were wrongly denied refunded.Now i have to meet my pa tomorrow afternoon.I'll do everything that is asked of me, short of signing the PPP plan.I'll say to my PA that while i will engage in all activities agreed in the PPP plan, i will not sign it.

The aftermath of me saying that is an awkward moment, that i am not looking forward to.But i'll just tell him/her that while i want to engage with the program, i don't feel comfortable with signing the PPP plan.I'd imagine the PA won't be happy, seeing that their signing up commission will be denied.But so be it.I think it has been proven time and time again that the jobseeker is not Seetecs/Turas Nuas number 1 responsibility.How long does it take btw to complete their 60 questions assessment?Apparently some of the questions asked in it, are very demeaning.

When I was with them last spring I told them I was unable to sign the PPP electronically as I was computer illiterate but they forged my name on it.When I got a job on my own but as I have always done for the last 40 years they somehow found out where it was (I presume from SW or revenue) as I never told them I was going to work.They rang my employer twice but he refused to give out any info about his staff. They are a very shady bunch of operators..Some of the 60 questions are quite personal like can you manage your money, do you have friends does your family support you and do you have a bank account..Just refuse to answer those type of questions.

My husband was on jobpath. He then started a course through our local etb, while still on jobpath, but they couldn’t do anything as essentially the etb was paying him a training allowance. He did his 1 year course and started a full time position staight after his exams in the company he did his work experience with.
Jobpath are constantly texting him & leaving him voice mails asking is he still working for this company. I don’t know how they know where he is working, but even when he blocks the number they start using a different number. They are a joke!!

My PA was lovely to start off with too, that will change.

I went down for my final meeting with Seetec this morning. Do I now have to go to SW to sign on again or something? Never got any paper work from them. A handshake and goodbye.

My partner just finished a year with seetec but then she got a letter to attend a "Moving on Gateway" from them? Anyone have an idea what that is?

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Is that not a Tus like scheme? I see that the Gateway scheme is closed to participants at the moment accounting to CI.

Yesterday, I was talking to an old man who lives in the estate next to mine. He’s a lad who goes out and cuts the grass and trims the hedges in the communal areas of the estate off his own bat. He had two lads in their 20’s with him yesterday trimming the edges. Jokingly, I asked if he got himself apprentices and he told we that Tus sent them to him to give him a hand. No idea how or why. The lads looked embarrassed as hell.

It's on a seetec letter head so I don't know really what it is.

End of programme review:

“If you have not moved into work by the end of your 52 weeks on JobPath you will have a review meeting with your Employment Adviser. You will receive a final version of your Personal Progression Plan which will include a Moving-On Plan with links to further support and a reference letter stating any work experience, employment, education or training you have undertaken

You will receive a further 6 months access to our online training modules”

Straight Talker wrote: »

So i had the initial meeting with the PA.To be fair she came across as nice and friendly.She actually seemed genuinely taken aback, when i said is it true, that you only want to give people, any old job to get the commission?She said that she get's a basic wage, but the PA's don't receive any commission.

What was arranged is that i will come in for a few interview preparation classes, for the next three weeks.She wants me to attend some sort of one off hopes and aspirations talk as well.I said will these courses last all day, but she said i won't be in the centre for any longer than an hour, for any course i attend there.

I questioned her about the contacting of my employers if i get a job, but she said that in that scenario any calls will be directed towards me.That no contact will be made with the employer.But i guess they would say that.The 60 question assessment was nowhere near as bad as i feared either.In fact some of the questions i was fearing, didn't even show up.However i didn't like the open plan setting of the interview.I would prefer no to be talking about personal stuff, with half the room within earshot.

I didn't sign the PPP, but i didn't reject her outright either.She just said to let her know by Friday morning, and if i wish to sign, then come in and do just that.If she came aross as horrible, i would have stuck to my guns.But she sort of won me over, and she seems really confident that i'll have a job in no time.To be honest i was happy enough with everything.I was happy enough with the arrangements made in my PPP, and my PA came across really well.I don't know, i was so determined not to sign.But with regards to the initial meeting, and what was agreed, all is good as far as im concerned.

They come across very friendly initially or at least try to but there's always a motive behind it. Dont trust it, theyre trying to catch you out. Even if there is nothing to 'catch out'.
If you dont sign the PPP your social welfare will be cut, she will report it and accuse you of not engaging with the programme.

When I started with Seetec I was just about to begin a 2 week temporary teaching job. I had informed social welfare, my payments were suspended for the weeks I worked, all was above board.
I then told the employment advisor as I had to change our next appointment till after the 2 weeks, her attitude changed towards me completely, she became very antagonistic, made me feel like a criminal, questioned me relentlessly about how much I would be getting paid. Questioned me like I was lying to her, pulled faces when I didnt answer how she wanted me to or when I asked questions. It was very uncomfortable.

I went into our first meeting with optimism feeling hopeful they could help me with cv's, interviews etc as I was a new graduate struggling to secure employment. I left that same meeting with the understanding that her intentions were not in my best interests and she was not there to help me at all. They are there to attempt to catch people out and condescend to people on the dole.

She 'helped' me with a cv but the cv was not appropriate for a teaching position, it was tailored towards business/retail and although I altered it she had me remove a large chunk of what id written.
I ended up contacting a professional interview coach myself a few weeks later who helped me put together an adequate cv and gave me great tips for interviews.
The employment advisor sent me links to jobs I wasn't qualified for or have no experience in. She hadnt a clue and was a complete waste of my time. Not that I particularly minded going in an hour once a week, it was her general attitude and the mistrust I developed towards her and the center that effected my willingness to want to participate, even the receptionist had a bad attitude. I could have happily put up with this if they had at least made themselves useful but the advisor was no help at all, infact im cringing to think I applied to schools using the cv she did out for me. When I sent the cv to the interview coach she told me not to submit it to any schools. Seetec could have literally cost me a job.

I have since started another temporary position (im a teacher so sub allot) - I told the employment adviser as id to cancel our next appointment, she replied looking for all my employers details, I havnt replied and don't intend too. The advisers are commissioned when you get a job, even if you get that job by yourself.
Once you find employment they will email you looking for employer information so they can 'close your file'. If you don't respond they will receive the information through revenue, contact the employer to ask about you and receive a nice bonus for themselves.

eoo1 wrote: »

I doubt Revenue are supplying sensitive taxpayer information to a private company such as Seetec. Seetec may ask the DSP for information, but the DSP don’t request employer information when a claim is closed, and I doubt the DSP would provide that info either, regardless of a Seetec client signing a contract or not. If you have solid information to contradict that I would be interested to know?

There is no obligation on a Seetec client to give consent for an employer or future employers details to Seetec. The short period I was on Jobpath in early 2016 I never gave them these details and insisted contact be only made through email when I wasn’t present in the Jobpath centre. If you give them consent they will contact employers and spam your CV out to companies, which is not good. So I would say just don’t give consent if you believe you can gain employment yourself.

I gained employment five weeks into my time at Jobpath. I sourced, interviewed, and got the role without any help from Seetec. They spammed my email with employer requests which I did not answer. It was when they rang myself that I put an end to that nonsense. I emailed the DSP, and cc Seetec and my Local TD, and that ended communication.

I would say just humor them with the CV. They have to be seen to be doing something. Apart from one year during the recession and two years of college I was working from the age of 14 to now (41) so I have a decent work history and CV. They tried to dumb mine down. I just nodded and smiled and used my own CV rather than what they suggested.

Jobpath is pretty pointless imo, schemes such as TUS and CE are of far more value in my view, they can give an individual some purpose and the ability to learn some skills that may help them gain sustained employment, not forgetting the mention the benefits to local communities.

I was with them up until last April..Got a job myself and never told TN or social welfare.. Two weeks into my job my employer comes to me and told me TN had phoned twice looking for me..He told them he couldn't give info out about his employees and they would have to contact me directly.. But as I have no phone or email address this was not possible..So who could have given them the info on my job? The only ones who knew we're Revenue.. Other than that I have no idea how they found out.

brojj wrote: »

Has anybody refused to sign PPP but still turn up to appointments, and if so were they sanctioned by DSP for not signing the PPP

Didn't sign it, told them at the first meeting I wouldn't be signing and he said it was fine as long as I turned up for the appointments. Was only 'with' them for a couple of months but heard nothing from the DSP about not signing and didn't have any money cut etc.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

that you made, so it is your signiture

brojj wrote: »

How frequent will they ask to come in to these meetings. I don't want them hassling me or future employers. It seems a big joke from what I am reading

It is a big joke. There's no benefit in it unless youre computer illiterate and have no access to the internet to apply for jobs.
You go for one hour a week to sit by yourself searching for jobs and attend a quick meeting with the employment adviser once every two months.