Jobs Week could be your springboard to an exciting future

JOBS WEEK is a week of events to support jobseekers and employers throughout the country. Over 100 events are being held all across the country as part of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s Jobs Week which runs until this Friday, March 9.

These showcase the services and supports provided to employers and jobseekers through the Department’s Intreo service.

Throughout the week, Intreo Centres in many counties, including Cork, are offering jobseekers advice on how to improve their job search and CV preparation techniques or start a new business.

Intreo is a single point of contact for all employment and income supports. Designed to provide a more streamlined approach, Intreo offers practical, tailored employment services and supports for jobseekers and employers alike.

Intreo provides a range of services for jobseekers, who can learn more about the online and self service tools which are available to assist you in your job search

Stepping stones to work are provided through internships and employment initiatives. Intreo encourage jobseekers to explore the different types of initiatives that are in place to help you prepare to take the next step into employment, and help you update your skills, learn new skills and network in a workplace environment.

The Community Employment (CE) and Job Initiative Scheme (JI) are employment programmes primarily aimed at the long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged groups. CE offers participants an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.

In this way, local organisations help to develop their area by Sponsoring Programmes, typically in the areas of social services, healthcare, heritage, arts, culture, tourism, sport, environment and education.

Job Clubs offer practical advice and assistance in finding a job.

A range of training courses are also available through teh Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) which are free to unemployed persons. The first step is to contact your local Employment Services Office to register and apply for training

Meanwhile, Intreo’s Springboard programme offers a choice of 220 free, part-time courses in higher education from certificate, to degree, to post-graduate level.

Another initiative, Skillnets, is a state funded, enterprise-led support body dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of training and upskilling as key elements in sustaining Ireland’s national competitiveness.

Meanwhile, Momentum is yet another initiative which provides free education and training projects for up to 6,500 long-term unemployed jobseekers.

So, as we can see, there are numerous supports for jobseekers wishing to take the steps to new employment opportunities, and Jobs Week in Cork could be your springboard to an exciting future.