21 thoughts on “The JobBridge Journalists”

  2. SK

    I’m actually not anti-JobBridge, and think some of the examples put on this site are stupid – and I think journalism is a perfect example of an industry where internships can be really beneficial – but four is ridiculous.

    How on earth will an organisation like MetroHerald find the time and energy to give proper training to four inexperienced journalists while getting out a paper and online content as well? Pupil-teacher ratios aren’t just for the classroom, y’know.

  4. Bluebeard

    Jobridge works well for any job if both the company and the intern deem it to be beneficial. Its really no-one else’s business. In my experience, most people do find it beneficial. And for those that don’t- Tá an doras always oscailte.

    3. johnthebaptist

      Job displacement and an undermining of terms and conditions in the employment market is nobody elses business? Jog on scabby.

    4. tinyorc

      The idea that a state-subsidized scheme is a private matter between a company and intern is beyond ludicrous.

      JobBridge devalues employment across the board by turning real jobs at both ends of the skill spectrum into internships. Unscrupulous employers get free labour, desperate people spend 18 months working for a dole bonus that barely covers the cost of getting to and from their workplace everyday. Short-term, this is great for employers and getting state-subsidized labour during hard times has probably prevented a few business closures.

      But long-term, business isn’t going to pick up unless we have a majority population with disposable income and the confidence to spend it. To get that, we need to get people into secure, decently-paying jobs. Without real investment in labour, businesses will continue to flounder, the government will continue to pour money into face-saving schemes like JobBridge, employers will continue to rely on subsidies, and the economy will continue to stagnate.

      Meanwhile, anyone with the means under the age of 30 fupps off out of the country as fast as humanly possible. All the state money invested in education over the last twenty years is now working hard for companies in the UK, Australia, Canada, etc. Skill drain makes Ireland less far less attractive to foreign investors, which means less opportunities for young workers, which means more skill drain. If young people don’t feel like their skills are valued in Ireland, why on earth would they stay?

      This has been Labour Economics 101.

  5. Lolcoat

    I’ve yet to see a more cynical and greedy use of the Job Bridge scheme. Sickening.
    MetroHerald outsourced all the sub-editing/production staff last month, laying off five full-time staff. Their current crop of (two) interns are about to finish – so hey, let’s replace them with four free job-bridge interns.

    Having one or two interns is fine – if there are enough editorial staff that the interns can learn from, or if there is some hope of a job at the end. But FOUR interns in a paper where there are currently only four or five editorial staff. It’s a complete joke.

  7. JunkFace

    They should rename it SlaveShip.

    4 slave journalists wanted!! Christ!

    Donald (billionaire) Trump is even using it cos he’s too tight to pay staff who work in his new Golf Pro Shop at Doonbeg. Businesses are taking the pi$$

  8. Sinabhfuil

    If a libel slips through when a JobBridge intern is on the bridge, should the libelled person sue the newspaper, its owners or the State?

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