Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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324. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on the effectiveness of the JobBridge scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5910/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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JobBridge was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse of our economy and particularly the sharp and dramatic increase in unemployment. Its main aim was to help unemployed jobseekers to break the vicious cycle of ‘no experience no job, but no job no experience’. Since then over 19,000 Host Organisations have offered work placement opportunities to over 48,000 participants.

The findings of the recent external evaluation of JobBridge by Indecon Economic Consultants show that the scheme has been very effective in improving the employment outcomes of jobseekers. It indicates that 79% of participants – about 38,000 people – have had some period of employment since completing their placement, with over 64% still in employment. Jobseekers who participated in JobBridge improved their employment outcomes by 32% when compared with non-participants. By any measure this is a significant uplift and shows that placements with a direct link to an employer deliver higher employment outcomes than other options.

Most importantly, the scheme is viewed positively by participants. A majority of over the 10,000 respondents to a survey rated the scheme positively on 18 out of 20 aspects. For example, 70% of participants felt that the placement provided them with a quality work experience and gave them new skills.

The complete Indecon evaluation can be found at: .

Over 1,500 jobseekers in Kerry have participated in JobBridge since 2011 2011. The findings of the Indecon evaluation would indicate that almost 1,200 of these would have gone on to find some paid employment.

While acknowledging that success, it is clear that we can do better. The Deputy will be aware that I intend to replace JobBridge with a new work experience programme that is better suited to the much-improved labour market and addresses criticisms of the scheme. JobBridge was closed to new applications from October 2016 to allow for a period of consultation with key stakeholders on design principles that I announced and to facilitate an orderly wind-down of the existing scheme. These consultations are well underway.

JobBridge is just one of the measures to help jobseekers to improve their employment prospects. Case officers based in my Department’s network of local Intreo Centres throughout the country are happy to advise jobseekers on the full range of supports available and the most appropriate pathway for them. Further information on all schemes, programmes and supports can be found on the Department’s website at www.welfare.ie.