The Jobbridge Scandal

SeanSouth

I don't think the system is anywhere close to perfect but its definitely better than
doing nothing. You're right when you say that it does nothing for people who wish to switch jobs

zenno

It seems quite obvious to me that there are a few employers here of which completely support this Jobbridge scheme, and it would make sense in regards to their support, because they obviously use a few interns themselves for free labour, that save them a fortune without paying the intern.

Of course they are going to rigorously support it.

Mrs Garth Brooks

SeanSouth wrote: »

Its up to the intern to carefully choose the internship they are entering
1) They need to assess if the employer is genuinely interested in hiring the intern at the end of the period, if everything works out
2) They need to assess if the business is running well and if it will have the financial capacity to hire them
3) They need to make an assessment on whether the employer is a rogue looking for cheap labour or not

Really, I have to say, this is not that hard to figure out.

This is something i'll be doing in September. I've already approached employers where I can physically get to the job on time. But nothing going.

My plan is to get over to the uk but if this doesn't happen by August, think i'll move to get a jobbridge.

Does anyone know if they will allow you to do a jobbridge internship in the north?

ABajaninCork

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

This is something i'll be doing in September. I've already approached employers where I can physically get to the job on time. But nothing going.

My plan is to get over to the uk but if this doesn't happen by August, think i'll move to get a jobbridge.

Does anyone know if they will allow you to do a jobbridge internship in the north?

Of course not! The UK doesn't have Jobbridge...

Hello_MrFox

Do you think you could apply for an internship that is 9 months long if you would be only able to complete 8 months of it?

Xenji

shruikan2553 wrote: »

Seeing as only 1 in 3 people get a job after their internship I doubt this is how companies are looking at jobsbridge interns. As mentioned above, its called a probationary period, most companies have them.

1 in 3?.... it is 1 in 11 that get a job outside of the scheme and the same figure that get employment from their host organisation going by the official figures we have to go with from Indecon. I agree with all you are saying, but just over 8% of interns that have done the scheme have been kept on by their host organisation and another 8% are now off the live register and supposedly have gained employment from being on the scheme, the figures are ridiculous for a scheme that is nearly in its third year and only has a 17% percent success rate.

Soft Falling Rain

SeanSouth wrote: »

There is an awful lot of misunderstanding on this site and I can confirm that
a lot of people here are drawing the wrong conclusions.

If I hire an intern as an employer , I get six or nine months to have a good look at this intern and at the end of this period, I can decide if this person is working out or not.

What am I looking for :
1) I'm looking to see if the intern is capable of doing the job
2) I'm looking to see if the employee is reliable, shows up on time and without absences
3) I'm looking to see if the intern can get along with the team
4) I'm looking to see if the intern has a healthy positive can-do attitude
5) I'm looking to see if the candidate might have the potential to grow into a more senior role some where down the road
6) I'm looking for the intern to add something fresh to the team and add value overall
overall.

What if I tick all those boxes and am still let go at the end, what's your opinion on that? Don't say you've given the intern the tools he or she needs to get a job elsewhere, because in the grand scheme of things a 9 month internship means **** all to employers.

Panda_Turtle

SeanSouth wrote: »

What am I looking for :
1) I'm looking to see if the intern is capable of doing the job
2) I'm looking to see if the employee is reliable, shows up on time and without absences

Careful now - your mixing up intern and employee.

Grumpypants

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

What if I tick all those boxes and am still let go at the end, what's your opinion on that? Don't say you've given the intern the tools he or she needs to get a job elsewhere, because in the grand scheme of things a 9 month internship means **** all to employers.

It means far more than the guy sitting on the dole with 0 months experience.

The scheme is to gain experience not to test you out for the role, companies have probation periods for new hires for that.

topcatcbr

Grumpypants wrote: »

It means far more than the guy sitting on the dole with 0 months experience.

The scheme is to gain experience not to test you out for the role, companies have probation periods for new hires for that.

However the SW are making people who have experience do internships or have their dole cut. I also see a lot of internships advertised where experience is required. Total abuse by all sides.

I initially thought this might be a good scheme until I saw it for what it really is.

shruikan2553

Xenji wrote: »

1 in 3?.... it is 1 in 11 that get a job outside of the scheme and the same figure that get employment from their host organisation going by the official figures we have to go with from Indecon. I agree with all you are saying, but just over 8% of interns that have done the scheme have been kept on by their host organisation and another 8% are now off the live register and supposedly have gained employment from being on the scheme, the figures are ridiculous for a scheme that is nearly in its third year and only has a 17% percent success rate.

Ah right, I was just using the figures shown earlier and was being generous by counting those who got work elsewhere as part of the successful people. Im sure at least some of them were offered a place by their intern company. Still quite low for a "successful" scheme.

Soft Falling Rain

Grumpypants wrote: »

It means far more than the guy sitting on the dole with 0 months experience.

Only to you and the rest who like to moan about wasters.

I did one of these internships and I was let go by my host organisation. My cv is impressive but it means absolutely **** all to employers once they see the word intern.

So yeah, in a lot of ways, I would have been better off sitting on my hole.

Ann Landers

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

but it means absolutely **** all to employers once they see the word intern.

Yeah, I do wonder if there's a stigma attached to doing Jobbridge internships?

Soft Falling Rain

Ann Landers wrote: »

Yeah, I do wonder if there's a stigma attached to doing Jobbridge internships?

There's no stigma, but look at it this way, who are you going to hire: the guy who interned for 9 months or the guy with 2+ years of PAID experience?

arf91

arf91 wrote: »

I

Ok Darko, I'll tell you. I spend 5 months in a cafe I admire being mentored by someone I trust, it gives me a good chance at securing a cafe job when I move away for coll and it counts towards qualifying time for back to education allowance meaning not being kicked off the dole in the meantime which would mean not being able to go to college at all.

Its a win win situation. I mightnt get the position as it could be too late but I'm just pointing out its a genuine situation and for my *one* individual situation the scheme is a good thing. I haven't got a full time job the past few months and its unlikely ill get one for 5 months.. therefore no monies saved. At least if I got the internship its related to the course I'm hoping to do, in a sector I'm familiar with and want to get more experience in (waitressing isn't the only aspect, come ON) helps toward securing a part time job during coll, small amount of extra cash, something to keep me busy and guarantees not getting kicked off the dole and squandering the back to education allowance.

The thing about the internship scheme is it counts as qualifying time towards other payments people need.... Yes this can be seen as a flaw but the system refuses to look at individual cases for now and overall this benefits me now and in the long run. I'm stating my one situation, the fact that people have argued back with "your being abused" "your taking other peoples jobs" and "cafe isn't real work" aren't accurate really so it dont affect my point. Ten thousand flies can be wrong its called the bandwagon fallacy And writing off anyone who has good experiences with jobbridge as "useful idiots" isn't a balanced argument. Its downright nasty. To that I say what about my job and prospects??

This particular instance, it doesn't take advantage of anyone because the boss is still taking on his part time waitress, he knows about the scheme and has an established reputation to keep he's not about to take advantage trust me on that! The person who said Cafe work is something college students do? The kind of snobbery I can't stomach. It takes all sorts to make the world go round, we werent all raised to be doctors and lawyers. Besides I'm still young and about to be a coll student. But "Honestly it does not say much about you if you have to approach something like a Cafe for a internship" <--Really? You don't know me. The mentality of some people never ceases to amaze.

Anyways not answering anymore nitpickers the nonsense derailed the thread enough. I've made my point and can see I'm surrounded by people with the aim to shut up opposing opinion so ill take mine elsewhere for now. Not backed into a corner at all.. Just disagree with some of the dramatisation here and it clearly isn't welcome!

What role in a cafe requires anything close to 5 months of mentoring? Unless you're being trained in in a managerial role there's no reason that you or anyone else would want or require such a long period of training. Surely if the role is one that the cafe sees as important then they will be able to pay you for your time. I can see how the scheme can be beneficial to people looking to get work in certain areas but a cafe is not one that requires such an internship. There is no position in any cafe that requires more than a couple of days at most to train in

Holsten

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

There's no stigma, but look at it this way, who are you going to hire: the guy who interned for 9 months or the guy with 2+ years of PAID experience?

The guy who sat on his ass and collected dole for 9 months or the guy who tried to actually do something productive with his time for 9 months?

Job Bridge is like the best of a bad situation, of course it's not ideal but it is something. I've come across people who have gone on to good jobs after their stints as interns, there are even examples on this thread.

Once it's not abused it can work well.

topcatcbr

Holsten wrote: »

The guy who sat on his ass and collected dole for 9 months or the guy who tried to actually do something productive with his time for 9 months?

Job Bridge is like the best of a bad situation, of course it's not ideal but it is something. I've come across people who have gone on to good jobs after their stints as interns, there are even examples on this thread.

Once it's not abused it can work well.

Why is it either or.

I think there are far more productive ways to spend 9 months than on a jobsbridge.


In this scence it's a total failure.

Those who would sit on their arse for 9 months are not going to do a jobs bridge anyway.

The only one I can see any benifit in doing them are those just out of school/collage with absolute no work experience.

Unfortunately that's not what's happening.

Holsten

As I said it's making the most of a bad situation to be in.

What are these far more productive ways to spend the time you could have been doing an internship?

Please do not suggest volunteering.

Ann Landers

Holsten wrote: »

Please do not suggest volunteering.

Why not?

Holsten

Holsten wrote: »

The guy who sat on his ass and collected dole for 9 months or the guy who tried to actually do something productive with his time for 9 months?

Job Bridge is like the best of a bad situation, of course it's not ideal but it is something. I've come across people who have gone on to good jobs after their stints as interns, there are even examples on this thread.

Once it's not abused it can work well.

The problem is that it is being abused and many, if not most f the positions advertised through it should be jobs where a wage is paid. No matter how you try to dress it up, there is absolutely no reason that cafes, book stores, supermarkets, etc should be getting free labor. There are few if any positions in any of these businesses that require 9 months of training.

Saying that people have gone on to good jobs is all well and good but I was under the impression that the whole point of the scheme was to spend 9 months training in the host business and afterward there would be a job for the intern. This is obviously not happening given that lass than 20% of businesses keep the intern on. Why should the government be paying the subsidizing business through free labor. It makes absolutely no sense and long term implication of the scheme is that many entry level jobs simply won't exist outside of internships.

PopePalpatine

KyussBishop wrote: »

So, as a Libertarian, you are supporting state-subsidization of business, by the state paying interns to provide labour and resulting profits to the business, instead of the business providing them with a wage - interesting double standards.

Social welfare bad, corporate welfare good. :rolleyes:

Ann Landers

PopePalpatine wrote: »

Social welfare bad, corporate welfare good. :rolleyes:

Yup, interesting, isn't it?

topcatcbr

Holsten wrote: »

As I said it's making the most of a bad situation to be in.

What are these far more productive ways to spend the time you could have been doing an internship?

Please do not suggest volunteering.

Why not volunteer for a good cause.

Get a qualification in something

Travel and work.

Online courses.

Need I go on.

If you don't have enough imagination of what could be better use of your time then maybe an internship is a good choice for you.

Holsten

topcatcbr wrote: »

Why not volunteer for a good cause.

Get a qualification in something

Travel and work.

Online courses.

Need I go on.

If you don't have enough imagination of what could be better use of your time then maybe an internship is a good choice for you.

How the hell can volunteering be better for anyone than an internship where you'll get actual experience in something you could have a career in?

Sure go right ahead and feed puppies for 9 months and see how far that gets you.

You can do online courses and get qualifications WHILE also getting industry experience, industry contacts and a quality reference at the end.

Again I'm only for the positions that are actually helpful, not for the shelf stacking types.

Holsten

Holsten wrote: »

How the hell can volunteering be better for anyone than an internship where you'll get actual experience in something you could have a career in?

Sure go right ahead and feed puppies for 9 months and see how far that gets you.

You can do online courses and get qualifications WHILE also getting industry experience, industry contacts and a quality reference at the end.

Again I'm only for the positions that are actually helpful, not for the shelf stacking types.

I'd wager that volunteering in a worthwhile organization is far better than working for 9 months stacking shelves or wiping down tables

topcatcbr

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd wager that volunteering in a worthwhile organization is far better than working for 9 months stacking shelves or wiping down tables

+1

topcatcbr

"Holsten wrote: »

not for the shelf stacking types.

You should look at the jobs sites and see the types of internships being offered. I'm not kidding I have seen farm labourer on one.

Any of the ones worth doing are looking for people with experience.

An example is locally their is a secretary required at a solicitors office. Qualifications and experience required.

My understanding was that the internship was there to provide experience. Not however in this case. Blatent abuse and looking for free labour thus depriving someone of paid work.

Soft Falling Rain

Holsten wrote: »

The guy who sat on his ass and collected dole for 9 months or the guy who tried to actually do something productive with his time for 9 months?

Job Bridge is like the best of a bad situation, of course it's not ideal but it is something. I've come across people who have gone on to good jobs after their stints as interns, there are even examples on this thread.

Once it's not abused it can work well.

You didn't answer the question.

tomwaterford

SeanSouth wrote: »

An internship has always been about professional type careers

Any internship relating to farm labouring etc etc should just be ignored. Just forget about all that crap

I would agree in relation to professional type job internships (a type of apprenticeship like)....however it seems to mainly used to replace low-paid minimum wage jobs which require minimal training...how can anyone justify taking nine months to train someone to work in a chipper/stacking shelves??

guinnessdrinker

tomwaterford wrote: »

I would agree in relation to professional type job internships (a type of apprenticeship like)....however it seems to mainly used to replace low-paid minimum wage jobs which require minimal training...how can anyone justify taking nine months to train someone to work in a chipper/stacking shelves??

The Jobbridge Scheme is so popular with organisations around the country becuase it allows them to drive their costs down while increasing productivity.

This of course leads to an increase in profits.