JobBridge to Nowhere

A furniture store looking for a web design assistant. What can a...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 17:29:32 +0100

A furniture store looking for a web design assistant. What can a furniture store that doesn’t even appear to have a website teach about web design?

“St. Michael’s College is a Christian school community. We...

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:54:03 +0100

“St. Michael’s College is a Christian school community. We treasure educational and personal growth. With these, students will learn the importance of respect, tolerance, care, compassion and social justice.”

Library Assistant Internship, Tipperary Libraries

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:40:22 +0100

Tipperary Libraries have advertised for 2 interns to do what is basically the work of full time Library Assistants. Unfortunately the experience gained will almost certainly not result in a full time or even part time position since all Local Authorities are subject to the current government imposed recruitment freeze.

The recruitment freeze does explain why Tipperary Libraries might be looking to find new ways to recruit staff, since like many library bodies across the country they will have seen their staff numbers diminish with retirements and the non filling of temporary vacancies due to maternity leave, career breaks etc.

Not having to pay these new staff would obviously be a bonus! Between 2008 and 2011 the budget for Tipperary Libraries has dropped over half a million euro per year (see refs below). If someone started in 2010 as a ‘normal’ library assistant they could expect to earn €23, 188 in their first year. The reductions made in pay by the government mean that someone starting as a ‘normal’ library assistant in 2011 could expect €20,869 per year (source impact.ie). Under Jobbridge that figure will be reduced to between €7,800 and €12, 376 (depending on the age of the ‘intern’) for doing the same work under the same conditions.

To add insult to injury, as well as destroying any credibility that the positions might have in terms of being internships the advertisement on the FAS Jobbridge site list a requirements for Third Level Education – preferable ‘Library and Information Studies’. This is a professional qualification, offered in two places in Ireland – UCD and the Dublin Business School. UCD requires applicants to have at least 6 prior weeks of work experience in a library and the DBS course includes professional placement.

Here is the ad that ran on library.ie:

Tipperary Libraries are offering two library assistant internships under JobBridge, the national internship scheme.

The intern will gain practical experience in a busy branch library receiving on the job training with respect to Customer Service, Services, Library Management Systems and Reporting. The Intern will also gain skills and training in Library Headquarters with respect to Book Acquisitions, Book Processing and Library Systems Management. The Intern will receive full training in all the automated systems from acquisitions to circulation. Full cataloguing training will be provided and the intern can expect to gain extensive experience in this area. The intern will be trained in the use of software that provide us with an online presence through our website, blogs.

Skills Requirements

The intern will need good communication skills and good IT skills., The ability to work alone or as part of a team is essential. The intern will need to be flexible as we have 12 sites across Tipperary, opening up to 6 days per week. ( 70 hour fortnight,6 day one week, 4 day next week).

Ad on library.ie: http://www.library.ie/2011/10/12/library-assistant-internship-tipperary-libraries/

On Jobbridge: http://bit.ly/p8PyLN

Tipp Libraries Budgets:

2008 http://www.tipperarylibraries.ie/aboutus/finance.shtml

2011 http://www.librarycouncil.ie/publications_archive/documents/2011budgets.pdf (page 10)

Press and Marketing Administrator : Harvey Nichols Dundrum

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:02:45 +0100

Passion for fashion, food and beauty. Opportunity to gain valuable experience in five star environment.

All current vacancies at ESB are nternships

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:17:01 +0100

Not sure if this has been highlighted before - ESB is advertising 29 ‘current vacancies’ but all are internships on their ‘Careers’ website. https://www.candidatemanager.net/esb/

These are/should be REAL jobs that should be advertised, appointed and salaried. Considering increases in their charges, an MD who is one of the highest paid in semi-state companies and rising profits in their international operations this is a disgrace. ESB should not have qualified for internships at all. Please DO NOT use my name OR email address on your website. Thank you.

via Broadsheet

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:04:00 +0100

via Broadsheet

Unfortunately didn’t managed to snap a screenshot of this...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:43:44 +0100

Unfortunately didn’t managed to snap a screenshot of this one but until they updated page today, they were looking for staff with 5 years experience!

A Facebook group for boycotting JobBridge

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:47:00 +0100

A Facebook group for boycotting JobBridge

Company contact details

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:40:28 +0100

Three ads

All for the same store. However, the ads don’t name the store.

Why aren’t companies obligated to say who they are?

Car valeting. Company (from contact info): Irishtown Car Sales

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:24:27 +0100

Car valeting.

Company (from contact info): Irishtown Car Sales

Why are internships for web design allowed for companies that...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:20:16 +0100

Why are internships for web design allowed for companies that don’t design websites?

By this logic companies could offer an internship in Interior Design if they fancied their office painted.

Where is the mentorship? Where is the opportunity to work with designers, developers, content writers, project managers and clients on a variety of projects?

How is this not job displacement? Some designer or agency is missing out on this work, and subsidizing it to boot.

JobBridge has failed.

Company: The Airtight Shop (I am assuming from the name and seeing as they don’t have a website that they don’t make websites)

Anyone out there taking a #jobbridgeinternship? You don’t...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:23:26 +0100

Anyone out there taking a #jobbridgeinternship? You don’t get paid until 2 weeks after you start your internship “as per guidelines”. #fact

JobBridge: a scheme with a job to do

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:52:42 +0100

JobBridge: a scheme with a job to do

JobBridge – Unscrupulous ‘employers’ and management of scheme criticised – TD

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:52:17 +0100

JobBridge – Unscrupulous ‘employers’ and management of scheme criticised – TD

Tesco stands behind JobBridge advert

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:01:59 +0100

Tesco stands behind JobBridge advert

#jobbridge latest: Tesco looking for 145 “interns”...

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:55:46 +0100

#jobbridge latest: Tesco looking for 145 “interns” across 17 stores, for shelf-stacking over the Christmas period (6 months) What a scandal!

12 (twelve) shelf-stacking positions now available in...

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:38:03 +0100

12 (twelve) shelf-stacking positions now available in Tesco.

Every little helps I suppose.

Shop assistant in a Super Valu. “Informal training will be...

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:13:55 +0100

Shop assistant in a Super Valu.

“Informal training will be given” … not such super value.

JobBridge on Facebook

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:41:54 +0100

JobBridge on Facebook:

They are very heavy handed with the moderation, and delete negative comments.

HP have 24 internships on JobBridge, which is run by...

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:36:42 +0100

HP have 24 internships on JobBridge, which is run by...