The Jobbridge Scandal

18MonthsaSlave

www.rte.ie/news/2015/0118/673591-jobbridge/

Training courses for jobseekers were being delivered by instructors who themselves were on JobBridge internship and Tús trainee schemes, according to an internal report seen by RTÉ's This Week programme.

Some interns were providing training workshops "on their own", according to an audit of the Jobs Club scheme.

The scheme is run by the Tánaiste Joan Burton's Department of Social Protection.

The unpublished report found what it described as "inconsistencies and concerns" in the operation of the Jobs Clubs scheme.

The scheme provides help to welfare recipients trying to get back to work.

The report's authors said that the job descriptions provided to them for some of the interns indicated that their roles covered "the entire duties of a Job Club Leader and Assistant", which are the two senior grades of staff working at Jobs Clubs.

More than 25,000 people have attended workshops and training courses run at Jobs Clubs over the past three years.

The clubs are run by private contractors, but funded by the Department of Social Protection at an annual cost of around €6m.

To take part in a Jobs Club workshop, jobseekers are referred by an employment office. Participants receive €20 per week on top of their welfare payment.

Among the other findings, the auditors found evidence of a number of Jobs Clubs that were being operated by a private company whose performance review fell well below the minimum score.

Despite this, it was allowed to continue operating three Jobs Clubs.

The audit concluded that "a lack of oversight of Jobs Clubs may lead to contracts being renewed where the minimum standard is not met".

The auditors also found questionable data protection practices, with some JobBridge interns and Tús trainees working in the Jobs Club system having access to Job Club records.

They also found that there was no formal record of attendance for Jobs Club participants.

It also found that the question of what constituted an acceptable absence for which attendees could be paid was left to the discretion of local managers.

The auditors said there were inconsistencies across the Jobs Clubs over when staff sick pay was paid and also whether the State was picking up the tab for employer pension contributions.

They said there was confusion over these issues and there was evidence the State was reimbursing some of the private contractors for employer contributions to their staff pensions, even though it was a policy not to do so.

The Jobs Clubs come under the department's contracted public employment services (CPES).

The CPES is quoted in the report saying that it could not discriminate against the private companies who operated the Jobs Clubs by blocking their use of JobBridge interns or Tús trainees in this regard.

However, it does not address the issue of them working, as the auditors found, "one their own" while doing this work.

On the issue of data protection, it said that CPES is to make changes to the Job Clubs conditions in order to strengthen controls for data protection.

Also, in terms of the payment of the participant allowance, the CPES said that a participant attendance log is to be introduced.

This will come into effect as part of new Jobs Club guidelines introduced in the past few weeks.

Cantona's Collars

^^^^^^

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0118/673591-jobbridge/

Jobception.

darkpagandeath

Ha, Where did I hear there are some companies taking advantage of the system. Seems Quangos are the biggest ones. Well done hiding the unemployed figures...

Right Turn Clyde

doovdela wrote: »

I did that too when looking for a placement last year and companies didn't either seem interested or they rather stick with a proper jobbridge that they advertised.

It was was a tip, not a guarantee. Anyone looking for a job or an internship these days faces a lot of rejection, so people should diversify their approach.

Never even heard of a "jobs club", they sound suspect as hell. Sounds like some sort of CRC style setup to assist private companies to rob the taxpayer of millions.

darkpagandeath

Sergio Georgini wrote: »

Never even heard of a "jobs club", they sound suspect as hell. Sounds like some sort of CRC style setup to assist private companies to rob the taxpayer of millions.

Aye they have them in the UK it's pretty much a place you go everyday to look at newspapers or be taught how to make a CV or look online nothing you need training for...

Sergio Georgini

Sergio Georgini wrote: »

Never even heard of a "jobs club", they sound suspect as hell. Sounds like some sort of CRC style setup to assist private companies to rob the taxpayer of millions.

Isn't that what FAS used do? Ask you in for an interview, look through your CV and tell you they've no jobs and to apply for CE schemes.

coolemon

Assistant Policy Analyst - Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation

http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=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

Great way to create jobs alright. Unpaid jobs.

Mr. Incognito

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/instructors-on-jobseeker-schemes-were-jobbridge-interns-audit-1.2070351

In a statement issued to The Irish Times, the Department of Social Protection said JobBridge had been very successful in providing work experience for participants to break the cycle of unemployment.
Independent evaluation showed “three in five participants secure employment after completing their internships”, the statement said.
It also said JobBridge was subject to strict control measures to ensure the internship did not displace an existing position and appropriate training and development was provided, with suitable mentoring and support.
“In practice, internships are, and can be offered, across all job types from basic entry level roles through to roles with greater responsibilities”.
It said the department would examine and respond as appropriate to the internal audit report.

They are still making this three in five nonsense up.

Here is the report.
https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.welfare.ie%2Fen%2Fdownloads%2FJobBridge%2FIndecon-Report.pdf&ei=6DuIVOiHMIL2UrT9gdAL&usg=AFQjCNG3UVhwD9H8LZTq_7qMY7sDTxZKUg&sig2=epHBFuvmcTCCSd6k-boBFg&bvm=bv.81456516,d.d24


12,560 internships

1,376 kept the job after.

10.9 %

coolemon

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/instructors-on-jobseeker-schemes-were-jobbridge-interns-audit-1.2070351



They are still making this three in five nonsense up.

Here is the report.
https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.welfare.ie%2Fen%2Fdownloads%2FJobBridge%2FIndecon-Report.pdf&ei=6DuIVOiHMIL2UrT9gdAL&usg=AFQjCNG3UVhwD9H8LZTq_7qMY7sDTxZKUg&sig2=epHBFuvmcTCCSd6k-boBFg&bvm=bv.81456516,d.d24


12,560 internships

1,376 kept the job after.

10.9 %

Where did you get the 1,376 figure? I cant seem to find it in the pdf link.

shruikan2553

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/instructors-on-jobseeker-schemes-were-jobbridge-interns-audit-1.2070351



They are still making this three in five nonsense up.

Here is the report.
https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.welfare.ie%2Fen%2Fdownloads%2FJobBridge%2FIndecon-Report.pdf&ei=6DuIVOiHMIL2UrT9gdAL&usg=AFQjCNG3UVhwD9H8LZTq_7qMY7sDTxZKUg&sig2=epHBFuvmcTCCSd6k-boBFg&bvm=bv.81456516,d.d24


12,560 internships

1,376 kept the job after.

10.9 %

They consider everyone who gets a job within 6 months (I think its six) of finishing their internship a success. Would be interesting to see the numbers compared with people who do no schemes or do a course instead. I would expect closer to 60% of people to be either employed by the company or accepting a job in the same kind of work by the end of the 9 months.

Augmerson

Jesus christ

Tearin It Up

I went for an advertised position.

More people to interview. For what, to get someone with more experience. Could I not prove myself over the 9 months unpaid? Was that not enough.

Exploitation of the highest order.

Flukey

We all know companies have been taking interns rather than getting a qualified person that they would have to pay a wage to. The latest in taking people who are not qualified to teach and have a very basic knowledge of a particular subject, to then teach others who are not qualified, takes it to a different level. To teach anything, your level of knowledge has to be well beyond the level you are teaching at, not at the same level. If they are going to have unqualified, inexperienced people teaching, why not just put all the students in a room and do a sort of co-operation where everyone teaches the little bit they know to everyone else and have no teacher whatsoever? Next, the department of education will be replacing teachers with 5 year olds to teach junior infants.

Going Strong

A friend of mine was called in last Spring for an interview at his local FAS office. On hearing that he'd done a back to work course the year before, the interviewer tried to get him to become a trainer on a similar course. He was taken aback by this and asked shouldn't he have qualifications or what have you to be told "Ah, are you sure? It's easy enough to do." He said no thanks and took a place on an IT course instead.

Flukey

Going Strong wrote: »

A friend of mine was called in last Spring for an interview at his local FAS office. On hearing that he'd done a back to work course the year before, the interviewer tried to get him to become a trainer on a similar course. He was taken aback by this and asked shouldn't he have qualifications or what have you to be told "Ah, are you sure? It's easy enough to do." He said no thanks and took a place on an IT course instead.

I know of someone who went looking for a particular IT course, but were offered a completely different one and told by the FÁS person that all IT courses are the same. That's years ago. People offering courses should have a good knowledge of what they are offering and the differences between them.

Going Strong

I'm not saying that my friend would have got a placement as a trainer but the breezy attitude of the woman interviewing him would suggest that she saw nothing wrong with shoving just anyone into the role.

Flukey

Any way of getting him off her list and boosting the statistics, that is all they care about.

Mr. Incognito

coolemon wrote: »

Where did you get the 1,376 figure? I cant seem to find it in the pdf link.

Here is the breakdown

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=93386051&postcount=4169

coolemon

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Here is the breakdown

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=93386051&postcount=4169

Thank you Mr. Incognito.

As someone that does not qualify for Social Welfare payments I look on in envy of those that can get a JobBridge.

Recently qualified again in IT and all the graduate type roles are on Jobbridge. As I don't qualify for Social Welfare I was told that I am expected to do the 6-9 month internship at €50 a week or not do it at all.

Jobbridge has taken all the entry level roles available.

I just want to work

ibstar

I think I was one of the first people who started JB back when it just came out. I jumped on it as soon as I saw it, which is probably why I managed to score a nice place.
I was already on these SW yellow dockets they had for some time, since my contract was cut in hours twice in my previous position in retail, so I was allowed to apply. Don't remember 100%, but I think I was told to leave my job for certain amount of time, before the company could send me out the contract, to meet all the JB criteria.
I was on my last year of part time Bc. Business Degree, with my Ordinary Bc. papers on hand, so luckily I found a position and a company that looked after me well.
The only problem was that I was told that there is no position there for me at the end of the internship, but since the company is so big, I should network as much as possible, which I did.
I found a full-time paying graduate position in a different department in 8 months, before my internship end, sine I managed to network with a lot of managers and team leaders using my internship role.

This is just a small success story in the sea of grief.

Some things that bothered me were:

-Sometime after 2/3 months of work, I was already set targets, and had to write reports and go to meetings with the manager if I didn't meet them (not enough training imo).
-I had to work in more than one location, so 50 euro was nto enough to cover the travel.
-I was working FT hours while getting paid in theory by the SW about €4.5 p/h which is bellow minimum wage. Since I was getting paid x2.5 time that in retail, it made me very frustrated.
-After I left there was a girl who replaced me on the same position on JB. Although I like my current role now (moved 1 more time to a different department from graduate role), I found it strange that if there is no position after my internship, why is there need to keep taking on interns to do the role in that dept.

pharmaton

I got a small but very welcomed form of relief from my internship today in that I've managed to win the opportunity to stay in the department I'm currently working in for the remainder of my placement. I've been in five different departments in total and its been hugely stressful constantly moving around, never the chance to settle or gain any sense of stability or routine.
I see the next three months as the opportunity to recover and reclaim the confidence I've lost over the last six months and now that I have a set pace, might be able to eat and sleep a bit better. It's three months where I no longer have to focus on trying to adjust to another role and that's comes with a huge sense of relief. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can relax for the first time in ages. Might just be enough space in my head to start planning for a better brighter future now

MouseTail

pharmaton wrote: »

I got a small but very welcomed form of relief from my internship today in that I've managed to win the opportunity to stay in the department I'm currently working in for the remainder of my placement. I've been in five different departments in total and its been hugely stressful constantly moving around, never the chance to settle or gain any sense of stability or routine.
I see the next three months as the opportunity to recover and reclaim the confidence I've lost over the last six months and now that I have a set pace, might be able to eat and sleep a bit better. It's three months where I no longer have to focus on trying to adjust to another role and that's comes with a huge sense of relief. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can relax for the first time in ages. Might just be enough space in my head to start planning for a better brighter future now

That's interesting Pharmaton, a lot of large organisations design internships so the intern moves sections or departments, so both they and the host organisation can see where their interests and skills lie. They see it as positive and beneficial. I would be the link person in my department, and I will certainly bear your experience in mind. Hope the rest of your internship goes well, and leads to something .

SCOOP 64

pharmaton wrote: »

I got a small but very welcomed form of relief from my internship today in that I've managed to win the opportunity to stay in the department I'm currently working in for the remainder of my placement. I've been in five different departments in total and its been hugely stressful constantly moving around, never the chance to settle or gain any sense of stability or routine.
I see the next three months as the opportunity to recover and reclaim the confidence I've lost over the last six months and now that I have a set pace, might be able to eat and sleep a bit better. It's three months where I no longer have to focus on trying to adjust to another role and that's comes with a huge sense of relief. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can relax for the first time in ages. Might just be enough space in my head to start planning for a better brighter future now

i thought you were offered a full time job when i read first 2 lines.

Daenarys

pharmaton wrote: »

I got a small but very welcomed form of relief from my internship today in that I've managed to win the opportunity to stay in the department I'm currently working in for the remainder of my placement.

Pharmaton it's great that this gives you a real lift but at the same time it upsets me. It has a sense of us JobBridgers/Unemployed of being like Oliver, please sir can I have some more. Taking whatever scraps we can for happiness, dignity and a bit of stability for our mental health. It's how I feel today about the whole scheme.

You deserve a lot of credit for moving around and adapting to so many new departments in a short space of time, it's difficult enough starting a job. It takes guts and motivation to restart over and over again, introducing yourself, learning the different ways of doing things in each section etc. Fair play to you. I hope you like where you are for the remainder of the internship and I genuinely hope you get kept on.

pharmaton

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

i thought you were offered a full time job when i read first 2 lines.

went to reply earlier and thought na, fcuk it. It's the HSE so there are no jobs for job bridge. I knew this going in there so I had set my own goals, most of which were things I personally wanted to achieve. Think of it like running a marathon and you'll understand why I'm determined to finish. I won't lie, it has been brutal, I feel like I've been ripped apart at the seams and I will be glad to see the back of it but not until I've accomplished my own goals. If I can survive this I can pretty much survive the zombie apocalypse.

pharmaton

Daenarys wrote: »

Pharmaton it's great that this gives you a real lift but at the same time it upsets me. It has a sense of us JobBridgers/Unemployed of being like Oliver, please sir can I have some more. Taking whatever scraps we can for happiness, dignity and a bit of stability for our mental health. It's how I feel today about the whole scheme.

You deserve a lot of credit for moving around and adapting to so many new departments in a short space of time, it's difficult enough starting a job. It takes guts and motivation to restart over and over again, introducing yourself, learning the different ways of doing things in each section etc. Fair play to you. I hope you like where you are for the remainder of the internship and I genuinely hope you get kept on.

It's very difficult for me to want to work there anymore. It's very difficult sometimes to try and conjure the respect that I know I should have for my colleagues. I still have to go home to my child at the end of the day though so I'm not going to let it wear me down. I have to hold my head up and convince us both that it will all be worth it. If nothing else she knows how much I have tried.

Tearin It Up

pharmaton wrote: »

It's very difficult for me to want to work there anymore. It's very difficult sometimes to try and conjure the respect that I know I should have for my colleagues. I still have to go home to my child at the end of the day though so I'm not going to let it wear me down. I have to hold my head up and convince us both that it will all be worth it. If nothing else she knows how much I have tried. so fuck them.

You have my respect, its not easy to live on a miserable wage to get experience. Hang in there, you're almost done.

coolemon

These schemes are meant to build confidence by getting people out working.

But by their very nature they do the opposite. They devalue and grind people down.

Peoples time and labour are worth-less.