The national internship scheme JobBridge has come under fire for advertising a position for a primary school teacher.
The nine month position at a national school in Co Westmeath is open to qualified primary school teachers who will be required to work 30 hours a week. No experience is necessary.
In 2011, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation directed its members not to participate in JobBridge as it was deemed “exploitative of newly qualified teachers.”
According to the advertisement, the intern “will gain practical experience in teaching” and have a chance to develop skills in areas such as classroom management, self evaluation, and IT.
Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy, who launched the ScamBridge.ie website, has called on the INTO to take action.
“This is an attack on the wages, working conditions and employment opportunities of teachers and teaching graduates alike,” he said.
To take part in the JobBridge scheme, applicants have to be in receipt of social welfare for at least three months.
Successful applicants are offered either six- or nine-month internships, along with €50 per week on top of social welfare payments.
An independent review of the Government scheme published in May said that three out of five interns who entered JobBridge had secured paid employment, despite just over half of all respondents completing their placement.