Jobbridge Not What You Think

Billy1111 · 22-11-2011 12:25pm #1

I recently commenced an Internship under the Jobbridge Scheme. I have now realised that the position advertised is far removed from the works which I am currently undertaking. I am now reduced to what could only be described as administrative tasks. Definitely not the opportunity to gain quality work experience!
Bearing this in mind I am considering early completion of the internship. In considering this I rang the Department Of Social Protection to explain my thoughts and find out what I needed to do. I was informed by a member of staff that early completion May Affect My Social Welfare Payments. They consider it to be like leaving a job and payments may be cancelled by up to 9 weeks. No definites, all mays and ifs!
I was lead to believe from the Jobbridge Website that applying for the positions was voluntary and that early completion was acceptable on one week notice. Nowhere in the documents did it say that early completion may affect your social welfare payments[
I would be grateful to hear your comments.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Gmol · 22-11-2011 12:35pm

Sorry to hear about your experience, but realistically it was going to be incredibly difficult for a lot of companies to have jobs available that would be of real benefit to the people on this scheme. A lot of companies don't have the resources (or the inclination) to invest training on people on the scheme given the state of the economy, IMO a lot of companies will use it to get a lot of admin & secondary work done and keep their experienced staff doing their main work.

Regarding your own situation it might be of benefit to stay on even though the job is not what you expected as completing a couple of weeks on the scheme could look bad on the CV if you put it on there

Billy1111 · 22-11-2011 4:04pm

No offence now or anything, staying on so my CV looks ok is a very submissive approach. Thats what has happened to this country over the years. We basically get ridden by everone especially the government. If companies dont have jobs available that meet the criteria they should not advertise positions. Its bacically a system of exploitation which is endorsed by the powers that be. What I'm trying to do here is highlight the pitfalls I've encountered. This will allow others to make a somewhat informed decision regarding Jobbridge and taking up internships.

Lisa2011 · 22-11-2011 6:17pm

I am not surprised at what you experienced and I am sorry to hear what you went through. I did hear a woman on liveline a few months back saying that she applied for an internship and it was a finance role. She got the position only to find out it was packing boxes. Companies are providing false information to attract people and its wrong. But do the government care. Not at all. I would not be surprised if the whole country went down the drain.

floorpie · 22-11-2011 8:28pm

That sounds very annoying. On your question, i specifically asked my local employment office (or whatever it's called...it's nothing to do with the social welfare office anyway) if it was possible to leave internships and maintain payments, and they said 'yeah of course', as if i was asking a stupid question. So i suppose it might be a good idea to see if there're any similar organizations in your area to ask questions to (mine is http://www.bap.ie/ but i dunno where you are)

Sir Oxman · 22-11-2011 8:34pm

Bypass the company which is using you and report them to Jobbridge themselves.
Be insistent that this is not the experience as laid out in their advertisement and they should investigate and either improve the position and ensure the company is doing what they said they would.
This will smooth the way with the SW.

I am guessing from your posts above that you aren'ty a shrinking violet so do that.
There is meant to be an oversight by Jobbridge each month to make sure the position is giving what the worker needs...

Chcikens are coming home to roost with this exploitative joke of a scheme.
Anyone who is surprised when working for private companies for 50e a week extra is mandatory down the line is living in cuckooland IMO.

pog it · 25-11-2011 2:05pm

Billy1111 wrote: »

I recently commenced an Internship under the Jobbridge Scheme. I have now realised that the position advertised is far removed from the works which I am currently undertaking. I am now reduced to what could only be described as administrative tasks. Definitely not the opportunity to gain quality work experience!
Bearing this in mind I am considering early completion of the internship. In considering this I rang the Department Of Social Protection to explain my thoughts and find out what I needed to do. I was informed by a member of staff that early completion May Affect My Social Welfare Payments. They consider it to be like leaving a job and payments may be cancelled by up to 9 weeks. No definites, all mays and ifs!
I was lead to believe from the Jobbridge Website that applying for the positions was voluntary and that early completion was acceptable on one week notice. Nowhere in the documents did it say that early completion may affect your social welfare payments[
I would be grateful to hear your comments.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

There are some great opportunities on JobBridge though and sounds like you have been really unlucky. Can you see if you can switch over to another one perhaps? That might get round the problem and at the same time you can state your reasons to the SW.

Irish_Elect_Eng · 29-11-2011 8:31pm

How long have you been in this position ?

In some companies it takes time to get things moving.

She Devil · 30-11-2011 12:26pm

I hate everything about this scheme, it lost me a good job, and now that I don't have SW Payments I can't even apply for anything, because 70% of the positions on FAS are this scheme, so it looks like the poor get poorer and the rich get richer!

I get angry when I hear anything about it because it is all stories like this!

patwicklow · 30-11-2011 12:32pm

its pure slave labour if you ask me they also have them for bar managers
so really what there doing is putting other bar managers out of a job

tenchi-fan · 30-11-2011 1:59pm

So the penny finally dropped? That's all trainees and interns ever do for the first year!

You should make it your missing to spend at least one day a week doing proper work. Try ingratiating yourself with the boss or a workmate, and if asked "how are you getting on" keep upbeat, show a genuine interest and use the opportunity to ask for a few scraps in relevant work experience.

The first year I worked in accounting, yes, I learned a lot. However a disproportionate amount of my time was spent filing, shredding, setting up audit packs (i.e. photocopying and placing in a folder), submitting companies office returns, browsing the internet, etc, which I consider admin work or not work at all.

It's still better than sitting on your ass on the dole & under the jobbridge scheme you are not obliged to stay the full 6/12 months. If you find a real job you can leave without penalty.

AnnyHallsal · 30-11-2011 3:55pm

tenchi-fan wrote: »

So the penny finally dropped? That's all trainees and interns ever do for the first year!

You should make it your missing to spend at least one day a week doing proper work. Try ingratiating yourself with the boss or a workmate, and if asked "how are you getting on" keep upbeat, show a genuine interest and use the opportunity to ask for a few scraps in relevant work experience.

The first year I worked in accounting, yes, I learned a lot. However a disproportionate amount of my time was spent filing, shredding, setting up audit packs (i.e. photocopying and placing in a folder), submitting companies office returns, browsing the internet, etc, which I consider admin work or not work at all.

It's still better than sitting on your ass on the dole & under the jobbridge scheme you are not obliged to stay the full 6/12 months. If you find a real job you can leave without penalty.

Companies availing of Job Bridge should, at the very least, have to provide the kinds of experience they offer in the advert.

kadman · 30-11-2011 11:00pm

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Companies availing of Job Bridge should, at the very least, have to provide the kinds of experience they offer in the advert.

+100%.:)

kadman

She Devil · 01-12-2011 10:09am

tenchi-fan, then they shouldn't want to employ people with 10 years experience, it it is just a trainee position?! We are already trained, and will be doing a job to prove that!!!

I'm not too good for anything, and will work my ass off doing whatever a boss asks for me, never saying "it's not in my job description" but don't obviously use me just because you don't have to pay me and laugh about it! That is my problem and experience with this scheme!

Worztron · 06-12-2011 10:54am

I have a major problem with private companies getting cheap labour (do they only pay the worker/slave €50 and the DSP pays the rest?).

I'd be in favor of WPP and Jobbridge places with charities/community organisations (basically non profit groups).

kadman · 06-12-2011 2:19pm

Worztron wrote: »

I have a major problem with private companies getting cheap labour (do they only pay the worker/slave €50 and the DSP pays the rest?).

I'd be in favor of WPP and Jobbridge places with charities/community organisations (basically non profit groups).[/QUOTE]

Well that would be the TUS scheme then, as they are only for non profit organisations.

kadman

Jobbridge Not What You Think

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