Thirty-nine Galway-based companies have already expressed an interest in offering internships through the Government’s newly launched national scheme.
Launched last Friday, Job Bridge will provide work experience placements for interns for a six or nine month period through companies which sign up to the scheme.
Galway West TD Seán Kyne says Job Bridge represents a major commitment to improving the employment prospects for Galway’s jobseekers.
“I am very encouraged by the positive reception Galway-based companies have shown to Job Bridge and I would urge jobseekers in Galway to visit the specially designated website – www.jobbridge.ie – to find more information or to apply for suitable internships,” he says.
Three Galway companies have currently signed up, while 36 have completed the expression of interest form.
Sean Kyne expects that number to grow in the coming days and weeks as company applications are processed.
Nationally, some 500 companies have expressed an interest in the scheme and of these 300 will take on up to 1,000 interns between now and September.
“Job Bridge offers jobseekers the chance to gain new skills, enhance existing ones, apply knowledge gained in training or education to the workplace and also the opportunity to network and stay in touch with the labour market,” says Mr Kyne.
“Furthermore Job Bridge contains quite high levels of governance to protect interns and to ensure that the internship scheme is not used to displace existing staff.”
Internships will last for a period of six to nine months and participants will receive a supplement of €50 per week on top of jobseekers’ benefits.
The aim of the National Internship Scheme is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training, or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. The scheme will also give people an opportunity to gain experience to bridge the gap between study and the beginning of their working lives.
