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Minister for Social Protection at the launch of JobBridge last year. Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland
Jobs

Over half of JobBridge finishers are in paid employment

However a report also indicated one third of participants who finished placements early said they were dissatisfied with their internship.

SOME 52 PER CENT OF JOBBRIDGE participants are currently in paid employment after fully completing their internships, according to a report published by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton.

Burton said the figure was “one of the best outcomes in Europe for work placement programmes”.

“JobBridge was a pillar of the government’s Jobs Initiative,” she said. “It’s goal is to help people seeking emplyment to gain valuable work experience and enhance their prospects of getting a job.”
54.1 per cent of those who undertook their internships in the private sector have secured employment while 49.9 per cent of those who had their placement in the public sector have secured jobs.

The report also showed that the take-up of the scheme has been particularly strong in the SME sector with this sector accounting for 58 per cent of all placements to date.
51.6 per cent of non-graduate interns have secured employment after finishing their placement and 89.3 per cent of interns felt the scheme has given them new skills.

The proportion of interns who failed to complete their placements was high with 3,297 or 59 per cent of participants ending their internship before the scheduled timeframe. However the report said the main reason for early completion was that they secured employment.

One third of participants cited dissatisfaction with their placement as a reason for finishing their internship early.

The Social Protection Minister encouraged employers to consider bringing an intern into their workplace under JobBridge and said she will be examining refinements that could further enhance the scheme.

Read: Sharp rise in numbers taking part in back-to-work schemes>
Read: 2.2 million received weekly social welfare payment last year – report>

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