Department of Social Protection

1. Department of Social Protection Employer Supports

2. The Department of Social Protection • Income support for people has always been the core business of the Department (DSP). The Department has also been given the remit to provide a Public Employment Service (PES) in line with our counterparts throughout Europe. • Now a more integrated responsibility including helping people avail of appropriate training to make them job ready. The Intreo model ensures access to all relevant services under the one roof. From day one we work with jobseekers to help them back into the workforce. • Employer engagement is critical to ensure our clients are given access to job opportunities and that we can reskill people where necessary to meet the requirements of local employers.

3. What we have to offer employers • Free advertising service for vacancies • Access to talent pool of live register clients (effectively biggest recruitment agency in the country) • Pro active skills matching service • Collaboration on joint initiatives to upskill people • Financial supports • Helping to address future need and skills gaps

4. Employment Schemes • JobsPlus – Financial assistance (up to €10,000 per new employee) • First Steps – work placement for young people under 25 who are furthest from labour market such as early school leavers. Up to 9 months in company remaining on social welfare payment. • Other schemes including WSS, Back To Education, Back To Work

5. EURES/EURES Cross Border • We also offer assistance to companies looking to recruit from overseas or Northern Ireland to fill skills shortages through our EURES & EURES cross border service. • If you have a vacancy that you can not fill locally or nationally we can pass this on to our EURES colleagues in N.Ireland and then within the wider EU to help advertise your vacancies. • The cross border service also provides advise on issues affecting cross border workers including social security and tax issues.

6. EURES/EURES Cross Border • Jobseekers aged 18 to 35 moving country to take up employment in a European jurisdiction should be aware that they can avail of the EURES Your First Job initiative. • If you were taking on staff from abroad including from either side of the border we can help the employee with costs of attending for interview and also a relocation grant if they move to Ireland to work. Further information can be found at: • http://www.eurescrossborder.eu • http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/EURES-Ireland.aspx

7. Example of European Recruitment • I met with HSE in Drogheda last year who were experiencing major difficulties in filling nursing vacancies due to shortage of nurses in Ireland • The EURES service has assisted them in recruiting nurses from Italy where there is a surplus. To date 20 nurses have been offered contracts with the HSE in Drogheda.

8. Example of Local Recruitment • Vesta Corporation a leading call centre solution provider Approached Employer team in April 2015 regarding up to 20 upcoming vacancies We contacted people on live register with relevant skills and carried out intensive screening and interviews to identify the right candidates. Joint programme with LMETB to provide specific additional training geared at Vesta requirements. 4 weeks classroom training followed by 2 weeks work placement in Vesta. Fantastic outcome with 14 participants offered full time employment with company and the others securing employment elsewhere. Following the success of this programme another local company called SalesSence International approached the Department last year requesting a similar service. Elizabeth from SalesSence is here today and will speak about the programme in a while.

9. Example of Local and cross border Recruitment • Errigal Contracts in Co.Monaghan are one of the largest dry wall lining companies in UK and Ireland. • Need an additional 200 to 300 staff over next three years. The Department initiated a joint initiative to set up a traineeship in conjunction with Skillnets and EURES to train local people. • Currently recruiting for our forth intake of students. • The Department is funding the trainees through the Back to Education scheme and EURES Ireland is funding them while on placement in UK. Skillnets fund the training provider and the company fund the materials, additional payments, flights, accomodationetc… All people completing training are offered full time contracts with Errigal The company is also working with our colleagues in the North to run an apprenticeship in dry wall lining.

10. Upcoming collaboration • We are in the process of setting up a bakery training course in collaboration with Skillnets and Dinkins Bakery in Co. Monaghan to help address a shortage of people with bakery and sugar craft skills. • We are also looking at a further collaboration with SalesSence.

11. Summary • There are lots of supports available to employers and we encourage them to meet with their local employer engagement officer • The Department is now very proactive in working with employers to address their recruitment and training requirements • Working together we can really change peoples lives and ensure that they get the opportunity to fully participate in society.

12. Contact us Employer Unit NE Division Stephen.hanna@welfare.ie Bernie.judge@welfare.ie Lorraine.omalley@welfare.ie