merrion street

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton today announced 1,000 extra places for JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme.

The Minister said that JobBridge had exceeded expectations since it went live on 1st July last year:

Such has been the level of demand for the scheme, I am delighted to be announcing proposals to increase the number of places available in JobBridge and to widen the eligibility criteria. The number of available places will be increased to 6,000 with immediate effect.  The eligibility criteria will also be extended to include those in receipt of One Parent Family Payment and Disability Allowance.  These changes will take effect from 28th May 2012.

The Minister added:

The scheme has made significant progress to date.  In just ten months since the scheme was launched 6,840 internships have started. The initial target provided for a maximum of 5,000 places at any point in time.  At 4th May 2012, 4,670 participants were on JobBridge placements and 1,876 posts were being advertised on the scheme’s website.

According to Martin Murphy, Managing Director of HP Ireland and Chair of the Steering Group on the National Internship Scheme, there has been strong take-up of the scheme from private sector employers with two thirds (67%) of interns placed with private companies.  One fifth of placements are in public sector bodies with the Community & Voluntary sector accounting for the remaining participants.

Preliminary data from the interns who ended their placements in recent months indicates that some 797 interns, on the immediate completion of their internship, have gone into employment with either their JobBridge Host Organisation or another company. It is important to note that this data does not take account of an intern who may have secured employment in the subsequent weeks or months after completing their internship.  A picture of the career paths of JobBridge interns will become clearer following the independent evaluation of the scheme which will be undertaken by Indecon International Economic Consultants.

Minister Burton concluded:

I have commissioned a full independent evaluation of the JobBridge Scheme.  However, the initial data suggests that it has been very successful in meeting the objectives we initially set and it is making a real contribution to helping unemployed people re-engage with the workplace.

Listen to the Minister's Q&A at the press conference today in two parts below...