Five years after it was first introduced, JobBridge will soon be no more.
As of this Friday, October 21, JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, will close to new applicants for good.
There had been speculation in recent months that the scheme, which has been in place since 2011, would be scrapped for good, and it was confirmed at a press conference by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar on Tuesday.
JobBridge aimed to provide valuable work experience for jobseekers who found it difficult to gain employment, with participants paid a sum of €50 per week on top of their social welfare entitlement over a period of six to nine months.
Figures from earlier this year revealed that approximately 48,000 interns have taken up positions with 18,000 participating employers since 2011.
According to the Irish Times, a report on the scheme by economic consultants Indecon, published on Tuesday, found that JobBridge had served its purpose and that it should be replaced with a new programme that pays at least the minimum wage and focusses on those unemployed for at least six months.
Although the JobBridge scheme proved controversial as many felt that interns were exploited by employers at a minimal cost, Varadkar said that it was a real success.
“The Indecon report shows that JobBridge has helped around two thirds of participants, some 38,000 unemployed people from all age groups, to re-enter the jobs market,” Varadkar is quoted as saying in The Irish Times.
“Although it was far from perfect, looked at in the round, it was a real success,” he added.
Participants who are currently on the JobBridge programme will be able to complete their internship, while a consultation process will soon begin on a programme to replace it.
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