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Around 15,000 people with autism in Ireland could be suitable candidates for lots of jobs, particularly in the data analytics and tech sectors.Specialisterne Ireland is a specialist employment agency that helps people with autism to access employment, and helps employers recruit and retain people with autism.Autism is an invisible disability, and the challenges for someone with autism in the workplace are social and sensory.&lt;ad&gt;&quot;The sensory issues are the obvious ones like sound or bright lights,&quot; Peter Brabazon, CEO of Specialisterne Ireland explained. &quot;You can accommodate those, they&#39;re not big challenges. The main challenge is around their social understanding of a situation.&quot;A person with autism does not understand ambiguity, and instructions need to be clear. For example, if a colleague asks for a copy of a report, it is important that they are clear when they want the copy of the report. People with autism have a greater aptitude in STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and maths.Mr Brabazon would like to see people with autism get opportunities that play to their strengths. &quot;The world of data analytics is growing and we want to grow with it because people with autism work well in the sector.&quot;Specialisterne Ireland meets around 170 candidates a year, and has enabled around 200 people to access employment to date.The agency partners prospective employees with austim with companies. &quot;Our distinguishing feature is that we support those people in work on an ongoing basis, sometimes over five years later, because change, which happens a lot in tech companies, is often a challenge.&quot;At any one time, Specialisterne has 50 people on its books.&lt;ad&gt;Companies have been receptive to employing people with autism.&quot;A lot of organisations have diversity and inclusion programmes, and we help businesses understand autism, and we help them recruit the person, through an autism friendly recruitment process.&quot;Usually someone in a company takes the lead, because autism is very common, and they may have children who are autistic, or they might be autistic themselves and understand what we are trying to do,&quot; Mr Brabazon said.Specialisterne is the winner of the Diversity in the Workplace award from the Analytics Institute of Ireland.&lt;ad&gt;Source; RTE

People with autism could be suitable for data analytics & tech jobs 

Female pilots employed by Irish-registered airlines are being told to choose between having an abortion or losing work if they become pregnant, the Irish Air Line Pilots&#39; Association (IALPA) has claimed.IALPA president Captain Evan Cullen told an Oireachtas committee that it was &quot;a matter of fact&quot; that female pilots working as self-employed contractors with airlines registered in Ireland have had abortions to avoid losing out on future work.&quot;That is an absolute. They have a choice, you either terminate your employment under this type of employment or you terminate your pregnancy.&lt;ad&gt;&quot;You can&#39;t have both. So that is absolutely what goes on,&quot; Capt Cullen told the Oireachtas Employment Affairs committee.Asked at the committee if he knew of any specific cases of this having happened, Capt Cullen said: &quot;Female pilots have told me that they&#39;ve terminated pregnancies because they had no entitlement to maternity leave and therefore no guarantee of a job after they came back.&quot;Capt Cullen said that &quot;all Irish airlines&quot; are involved in hiring contract pilots but he did not name any company.He declined to expand on his remarks when contacted last night.&quot;I can only refer you to the transcript of the Oireachtas committee,&quot; he told the Irish Independent.The claims were described as &quot;horrifying&quot; by Solidarity TD Paul Murphy.Labour senator Ged Nash, a former junior employment minister, who had asked Capt Cullen about the matter during the Oireachtas hearing, described the revelation as a &quot;very sinister situation&quot; and said it shows the impact of so-called bogus self-employment on workers. &quot;Workers who are considered by their employer to be independent contractors while displaying all the characteristics of an employee are left without any entitlement to social protection or trade union representation in order to have their rights protected and vindicated,&quot; Mr Nash said.Asked to respond to Capt Cullen&#39;s remarks last night, Aer Lingus said the practices he described &quot;are not in any way representative of the practices carried out within our airline&quot;. A spokesperson added: &quot;When a female pilot becomes pregnant their medical clearance to fly is suspended under the requirements set out by the Irish Aviation Authority.&quot;&lt;ad&gt;It comes days after the emergence of the Majella Moynihan case.The former garda who became pregnant out of wedlock after joining the force in the 1980s claims she was shamed into giving up her baby son for adoption. Ms Moynihan, from Kanturk, Co Cork, was subjected to an internal Garda investigation and alleges she was threatened with dismissal.She has already received an apology from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, and her case was described as &quot;wrong on every level&quot; by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier this week.It has been claimed that the then Garda commissioner, the late Larry Wren, succumbed to pressure from the Archbishop of Dublin not to dismiss Ms Moynihan as it would have led to other female gardaí going to the UK for abortions.But Mr Wren&#39;s son-in-law Joe McConville yesterday denied that the former commissioner would have allowed the Catholic Church to dictate Garda policy.&quot;The allegation doesn&#39;t sit with his character,&quot; Mr McConville told RTÉ&#39;s &#39;Liveline&#39;.Source: Irish Independent

Female pilots told to choose between abortion and losing out on work

RTÉ will be filming a new series in the Summer and would love if you could be part of the show. They&#39;re recording 4 episodes this summer (July 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th) that will air on RTÉ One in the Autumn and they&#39;d love you to be a part of this unique experience.Presented by world renowned Mind Magician and illusionist, Keith Barry, this prime time series will combine celebrity guests with live music, magic, mayhem and mentalism. This is a chance to see one of Ireland’s greatest entertainers in action up close and personal!&lt;ad&gt;The recordings take place at RTÉ Studios Dublin 4You must be over 18......They&#39; re creating a little bit of Vegas sparkle in the heart of Dublin and would require you to dress accordingly! Applicants will be asked to fill out a form - see link below.&lt;ad&gt;As the number of audience applications generally exceeds availability of seats RTE cannot guarantee that you will receive an offer of seats.If you are successful in your application, they will be in touch with you to confirm your seats. Successful applicants will be contacted by email.All applications forms will be held for the duration of the production of the show ONLY, all ticket application records are securely disposed of. <h2>ENTERTAINER</h2>As the world’s leading TV hypnotist, mentalist and brain hacker, Keith Barry has been blazing a trail across the globe for many years. His mind-blowing skills have been showcased in over forty international television shows, including his most recent series, You’re Back in the Room. The first hypnotism format on TV in the UK for several years, this show garnered huge audiences and proved to be a big prime-time hit for ITV.As well as his own hugely successful US TV series, Deception with Keith Barry, Keith has appeared many times on some of the most prestigious US shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Jimmy Kimmel Show and The Conan O’Brien Show. He has also brain-hacked many celebrities including Woody Harrelson, Bono, Nicole Scherzinger, Morgan Freeman and many more.&lt;ad&gt;One of Keith’s recent projects saw him working as chief mentalist and hypnotist consultant for the blockbuster movie, Now You See Me. Shot in New Orleans and Paris, it starred Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Michael Caine and grossed over $360M at the box office. His huge success in working extensively with Woody Harrelson, who plays a mentalist, ensured he was hired as chief magic and mentalist consultant for the sequel, Now You See Me – The Second Act. He worked on this for almost a year, through its filming in London and Macau.Keith has written, produced and performed many of his own stage shows in the last fifteen years and has sold out venues in the US, Australia, Canada, Spain, South Africa, the UK and of course his native Ireland. He has also recently presented his keynote speech ‘Mind Magic’ at places such as The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, The Pendulum Summit and The Dublin Tech Summit. Keith’s TED Talk has been in the top twenty-five TED Talks since 2008 and it currently boasts over twenty-five million views.A true master of his craft, Keith has gained many awards over the years, including ‘Best Magician in Las Vegas 2009’, as voted for by The Las Vegas Review Journal. He also received the very prestigious ‘Merlin Award’ for Mentalist of the Year in 2009, joining the ranks of past recipients including Penn and Teller, Paul Daniels and David Copperfield.Keith’s corporate entertainment show is designed to astound and amaze the assembled audience and also have them laughing until their faces hurt. During the show he will implant thoughts, extract thoughts, and influence the behaviour of the unsuspecting audience. No-one is safe!Link to Apply for Tickets; <a href="https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=-QthZXrFbUKaAMwjCXM8Xl_RdxJTPA5DungKHHvn8opUME1TRU1DN00zSjc3TUdJV0JVVUtYQzVJVy4u">CLICK HERE</a>&lt;ad&gt;

The Keith Barry Experience - Audience Call Out

What a great opportunity!! Gaming Support Agent - Chat &amp; Email - Work from HomeRef: EN - GP001BTop-Notch Training Provided!Job descriptionNOTE: This position is perfect for fans of basketball, on the court or on console!In this position, you will get unique insights into some of the most influential companies currently operating in the gaming and gaming hardware industries. This job is not only about helping gamers who enjoy the same games as you do, it is also about understanding the whole gaming support system. The scope of this position is simple. You will be working on behalf of one of our clients to provide player &amp; customer support for a world famous basketball game: you will be contacted by gamers via chat and email in order to troubleshoot any problems they might have with their games and products. Needless to say, you will receive a top-notch training to be able to respond to any question you may get.&lt;ad&gt;Requirements<ul><li>You speak English at a C2 level. </li><li>You are available to work full-time and in a fixed schedule. </li><li>You have in-depth knowledge about gaming and you love anything related to video games. </li><li>You own a PS4, or an Xbox One.</li><li>You are a fan of basketball.</li><li>You are a fast learner, you take initiative and are awesome at troubleshooting. </li><li>Experience in a Customer Service environment or an international business setting is a plus! </li><li>You have a dedicated quiet work space, located within your own residence.</li></ul>PC requirements:<ul><li>An internet speed minimum of 1 Mb/s download and 0,5 Mb/s upload internationally. </li><li>A minimum of 4 GB RAM memory, with a 64-bit windows version or MacOS. </li><li>An i3 processor (2,4 Ghz or faster), or better/ similar, max. 3 years old. </li></ul>&lt;ad&gt;We offer:<ul><li>A position at a fast-growing company with ambitious A-level clients. </li><li>A casual, international environment where you’ll work with people from over 40 different nationalities. </li><li>Flexibility; working remotely means being able to work from anywhere in the world. </li><li>No time wasted commuting between home and work. </li><li>Top-notch tools, training, and colleagues.</li></ul>Click here to apply; <a href="https://5ca.recruitee.com/o/gaming-support-agent-en-gp001b">APPLY</a>

Gaming Support Agent - Chat & Email - Work from Home

<h2>Over 226,851 people have engaged with the government’s JobPath service in the last four years.</h2>OF THE 226,851 people referred to the government’s JobPath service, only 14,617 (6.44%) held down a job for over a year. The latest figures released show that in the four years that the scheme has been operational, the government has spent over €182 million on it.Of the 226,851, only 74,000 are now engaged with the scheme, according to the JobPath figures. They also show that under the government initiative, 51,548 people commenced work, but over 101,303 people who were referred to JobPath in the last four years got nothing from the scheme.JobPath is an employment activation service provided to people who have been on the live register for more than 12 months and are trying to secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment.The two private companies employed by the State, Turas Nua and Seetec, to operate the scheme have received €75.7 million and €73.3 million respectively to carry out its work.The two contractors are paid to work with both the jobseeker and employers to identify employment opportunities. They receive payments when someone who has taken part in the scheme gains proven employment.&lt;ad&gt;Period of employmentJobPath figures for the last four years show that of the 51,548 people who commenced work under the programme, the majority only stayed in a job for a period of 13 weeks (31,186).A total of 24,234 people sustained work for 26 weeks, while 18,808 sustained work for 39 weeks.Just 14,617 people sustained work for 52 weeks.&lt;ad&gt;Since the rollout of the scheme, questions have been raised about the payments the private companies get in relation to the number of jobseekers on the books. The latest figures show that 27,830 people were referred to JobPath more than once, with 27,476 referred twice. A total of 354 people were referred on the programme three timesSustainment payments are made to the companies over the course of a year in respect of each person who secures employment having engaged in the JobPath process.TheJournal.ie revealed last year that the private companies contracted by the State to run the scheme are entitled to €3,718 for every jobseeker that gains sustained employment for one year through the JobPath scheme. Those that refuse to engage with the scheme can have their social welfare reduced or cut off. &lt;ad&gt;“Earlier this year, Sinn Féin brought forward a Dáil motion which called for an end to JobPath referrals and an end to the mandatory nature of the scheme. This motion was passed by the Dáil, yet Minister Doherty chose to ignore the will of the Dáil and has to date, taken no action.“I am calling on Minister Doherty to open her eyes. JobPath has failed. It has to go,” Sinn Féin’s John Brady told TheJournal.ie.Despite the Dáil voting for referrals to JobPath to end, the government scheme is still up and running.&lt;ad&gt;Contract with private companiesSocial Protection Minister Regina Doherty said in a recent parliamentary question that the contract held by the two private companies commenced in 2015 and, under the terms of the contracts signed with the providers, will run for at least six years.“This includes a period of at least four years of client referrals to the end of 2019, and a run-off period of at least two years,” she said.Doherty added that the contract includes an option which could extend the term of referrals for two periods of up to 12 months each the end of 2019.The minister said: &quot;The process of procuring contracted public employment services for 2020 and beyond is in its early stages of development. My officials are working to design a procurement model that will balance the need for value for money for taxpayers with the importance of preserving high-quality employment advisory services.&quot;She added that as part of this process the ongoing requirements of the public employment service including the period for client referrals under JobPath are currently being considered.&lt;ad&gt;“To date no decisions have been taken in this regard. However, my Department is currently considering how best to continue to provide a high-quality public employment service that meets the needs of all jobseekers, while looking to provide employment services to those most distant from the labour market and to people who have not previously availed of these services,” she said.The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee heard yesterday that the department had defended the success of the scheme stating that 20% of the people that go through the programme to get employment.Correspondence to members of the committee also stated that the department plans to carry out another report on the scheme to highlight the savings that it has yielded in terms of having people working for a period of time, rather than being on social welfare. Independent TD Catherine Connolly said she disagreed with the department’s defence of the programme, stating that having a State agency, rather than private companies, involved in employment would be a more “wholesome approach.She also said reports on the scheme “assess a spectrum of criteria to fit the result that is wanted”. She added that JobPath is “not giving value for money”. Source; journal.ieTo find jobs click here; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

Majority of JobPath participants only stayed in job for 13 weeks

IDA Ireland secured 140 investments during the first half of 2019, with 13,500 jobs expected to be created as a result.That represents a 19% increase on the same period of last year, with a particularly strong performance recorded in the technology, financial services and life sciences sectors.&lt;ad&gt;The planned creation of 1,500 jobs by Salesforce in Dublin represents the biggest single investment secured during the period.IDA Ireland said there had also been a 32% increase in regional investment since its current five-year strategy began in 2015.During that period, 455 investments had been secured for regional areas.Regional investments during the first half of 2019 include the creation of 150 jobs in Castlebar, Co Mayo by Meissner and 150 jobs created by Rent The Runway in Galway.During the six-month period, Valeo also invested €44m and created an additional 50 jobs in Tuam, while GrandPad set up its European headquarters in Gorey with the creation of 75 jobs.JRI America added 100 roles at its technology centre in Tralee, while Allergan created 63 roles in Westport and J&amp;J Visioncare added 100 jobs in Limerick.IDA Ireland said that almost 27,000 jobs had been added outside of Dublin between 2015 and 2018.By the end of last year, IDA Ireland client companies employed 229,057 people across the country, representing 10% of the country&#39;s total workforce.However the agency also acknowledged the challenges facing the Irish economy in the coming months.That includes the impact of Brexit and a feared global economic slowdown, as well as moves to change the international tax rules around digital products and services.Alongside its mid-year results, IDA Ireland also announced that its CEO Martin Shanahan has renewed his contract with the organisation, which will see him continue in the role until 2024.Mr Shanahan said today that the market for foreign investment is evolving at a rapid pace and has never been as competitive.He added that &quot;none of IDA Ireland&#39;s projects are easily won&quot;. &quot;IDA Ireland has consistently said that unless Ireland stays competitive, we will not continue to see these investment numbers, it&#39;s as simple as that. Ireland cannot be complacent about its competitiveness,&quot; the IDA CEO said.&quot;There needs to be a continued relentless focus on competitiveness and IDA Ireland will continue to work with Government to ensure that those areas prioritised by investors are addressed,&quot; he added.Mr Shanahan also said that while the immediate outlook to year end 2019 looks positive, there are significant downside risks to FDI in the medium term.These include the potential softening of growth in the global economy, the impacts of Brexit within Europe, escalating international trade tensions and the country&#39;s own competitiveness. Source; RTE.ieJOBS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT THE COMPANIES MENTIONED ABOVE;Salesforce jobs - 159 open in Ireland: <a href="https://salesforce.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Career_Site">https://salesforce.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External_Career_Site</a>Rent the Runway - 8 vacancies open in Galway; <a href="https://boards.greenhouse.io/renttherunway">https://boards.greenhouse.io/renttherunway</a>Valeo - 5 vacancies open in Tuam; <a href="https://valeo.taleo.net/careersection/ex_ireland/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en&amp;location=94105120490&amp;location=94105120490&amp;radiusType=K&amp;searchExpanded=true&amp;radius=1&amp;portal=101430233">https://valeo.taleo.net/careersection/ex_ireland/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en&amp;location=94105120490&amp;location=94105120490&amp;radiusType=K&amp;searchExpanded=true&amp;radius=1&amp;portal=101430233</a>JRI America career page; <a href="http://www.jri-america.com/employment.html">http://www.jri-america.com/employment.html</a>Allergan careers page for Westport; <a href="https://agn.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/search/4319296">https://agn.referrals.selectminds.com/jobs/search/4319296</a> J&amp;J Visioncare careers; <a href="https://jobs.jnj.com/jobs?page=1&amp;keywords=Ireland&amp;location=">https://jobs.jnj.com/jobs?page=1&amp;keywords=Ireland&amp;location=</a>Other jobs on our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

IDA secured 140 investments since January, with 13,500 jobs expected

LinkedIn is adding 800 staff!The professionally-focused social network said it had already filled 300 of those positions, with a further 100 jobs - in areas including sales, finance and analytics - currently being advertised. It said the remainder of the positions at its Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dublin city centre would be filled by summer 2020. &quot;Our Irish office has become our second largest office in the world, after our global HQ, and our Irish members are some of the most active and engaged on our platform,&quot; said Sharon McCooey, head of LinkedIn Ireland. &quot;LinkedIn&#39;s ability to grow its team in Dublin at such an impressive rate in recent years is a great endorsement of the talented workforce in Ireland,&quot; commented IDA Ireland&#39;s CEO Martin Shanahan. &quot;This is yet another significant investment by the company in the country and clearly demonstrates LinkedIn&#39;s long-term commitment to Ireland,&quot; Mr Shanahan added. LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, also announced this morning that Irish membership on its platform has now surpassed 2 million.Social-networking giant LinkedIn is to add to its 1200-strong workforce in the capital.The social-networking giant already employs 1200 people in its base in Wilton Plaza.Dublin&#39;s Lord Mayor Paul McAuliffe says it is a huge boost: &quot;Well I&#39;m really delighted to see this investment in Dublin.&quot;I know Silicon Valley and Dublin City are twin cities and we&#39;ve put a lot of investment into trying to attract companies like LinkedIn to Dublin.&quot;I had a great meeting with the co-founder of LinkedIn Allen Blue on a previous visit and it&#39;s fantastic to see them invest in their Dublin site.&quot;Here&#39;s what Linkedin says; There’s 20 million jobs on LinkedIn. Find one meant for you. #InItTogether

Founded in 2003, LinkedIn connects the world&#39;s professionals to make them more productive and successful. With more than 610+ million members worldwide, including executives from every Fortune 500 company, LinkedIn is the world&#39;s largest professional network on the Internet. The company has a diversified business model with revenue coming from Talent Solutions, Marketing Solutions, and Premium Subscriptions products. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, LinkedIn has offices across the globe. About LinkedInLinkedIn was built to help professionals achieve more in their careers, and every day millions of people use our products to make connections, discover opportunities and gain insights. Our global reach means we get to make a direct impact on the world’s workforce in ways no other company can. We’re much more than a digital resume - we transform lives through innovative products and technology.In Europe, 99% of organisations are SMBs, they are the powerhouse of the European economy, responsible for at least 2/3 of the jobs in the region. To help realising the LinkedIn Vision of creating economic opportunity, we support SMB employers in hiring the best talent. This is the fastest growing segment at LinkedIn.Here&#39;s just a sample of the jobs currently on offer;Associate Relationship Manager, Talent Solutions - Staffing Basic Qualifications• 1+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role• Fluency in English Senior Relationship Manager (Staffing), UK &amp; Ireland LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Mid-MarketBasic Qualifications• 5+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role• Fluency in English Sales Operations Associate - LinkedIn Learning SolutionsBasic QualificationsBA/BS degree2+ years of experience in management and strategy consulting, sales operations or investment bankingInbound Associate Relationship Manager (Spain),LinkedIn Talent Solutions, SMBBasic Qualifications·       1+ years of sales experience in a quota-carrying role·       Fluency in Spanish and English Senior Manager, Customer Success - LinkedIn Talent SolutionsBasic Qualifications·       5+ years people management experience within customer management, customer success or sales.·       2+ years experience of managing managers Associate Relationship Manager, Talent Solutions (Dutch)Basic Qualifications·       2+ years of closing sales experience·       Fluency in written and verbal English and Dutch/Flemish Linkedin Careers; https://careers.linkedin.com/Student Careers at Linkedin; https://careers.linkedin.com/students

UPDATE 800 announced in Dublin this morning at Linkedin

<h2>What a great out of hours message! </h2>“Thanks for your call, our opening hours are Monday to Thursday 9 - 5, If you’re calling outside these hours, we’re probably busy with other things, like life, horse-riding, karate, or good ole-fashioned sleep. Please leave a message and we’ll get back to soon.” This is the kind of message you’ll hear if you try to contact Indy Cube in Wales. They’re just one of the many companies opting for a 4 day week &amp; employees retaining full salary! While they open from Monday to Thursday not all companies taking the 4 day working option do this, some still open Monday to Friday but just schedule their workforce over 4 days but keep them on their regular 5 day salary.So the idea is that you keep your pay, but work fewer hours; having a day off in the week to pursue your own interests or to spend time with the family, which will also save many on commute and childcare costs.  Companies such as Glasgow-based marketing firm Pursuit Marketing switched to a four-day week three years ago, giving every employee Fridays off without cutting pay. Lorraine Gray, their Marketing Operations Director said; &quot;When we raised it initially, our finance director looked at it as just a salary cost,&quot; But she says that since then, the gains have been obvious.Productivity has increased by about 30%, sickness leave is at an all-time low and there have been unexpected cost savings too: the company no longer needs to pay professional recruiters to hire staff, as so many people want to work for them. The 4 day week is a massive attraction.Another company Radioactive PR, in the UK opted to go for a 6 week trial initially and found that they achieved just as much and more than when they had the 5 day week. They say happy employees work harder – the 4 day week enables employees to have a better worklife balance and less stress and health issues.<h2>Could more business follow suit?</h2>Those who have called for the introduction of a four-day week include the Green Party in the UK and Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress. O’Grady argues that where businesses have increased their profits as a result of automation, that success should be shared with workers in the form of reduced hours: “It’s time to share the wealth from new technology, not allow those at the top to grab it for themselves,” she says. There is both opportunity and need, on health, happiness and business grounds. The four-day week doesn’t mean working 40 hours over four days; nor is it about shift patterns. Rather it is about working a 28- to 32-hour week but being paid for a 35- to 40-hour, traditional full-time job. In Edinburgh, workers at the tech firm Administrate are also on four days a week, although the office is open five – some people work Monday to Thursday, others Tuesday to Friday. They find that the practice is great for the retention of staff, “who wants to move back to working 5 days a week?”Administrate introduced the four-day week in 2015. “It was an experiment,” John Peebles, its chief executive, says. “We wanted to see: if we invest in our people, will the financial outcome be better than if we pinched every penny?”Overwhelmingly, the scientific evidence has said that working shorter hours makes us more productive. A marketing company in Glasgow, Pursuit Marketing, that switched 120 people to four days in late 2016 claims it has been instrumental in a 30% increase in productivity. Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand trust business that supervises nearly NZ$200bn in assets, switched its 240 employees to a four-day week and has reported a 20% increase in productivity. <h2>So what about Irish businesses?</h2>Recruitment firm the ICE Group has recently announced the move to a 4 day week, they say they want to reward hard-working staff by reducing the length of their week. They’re confident of the move saying that research shows that having a three day weekend creates a more focused and energised workforce. The company has over 50 employees and offices in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, Sligo and Sydney. Employees will work an additional hour in the four days that they are rostered and their holidays will not be affected by the new measures.Margaret Cox, Director of ICE Group, said that by adopting more flexible ways of working, the company will &quot;motivate, encourage and retain staff&quot;.Ms Cox said: &quot;We know that a happier and valued workforce will result in a positive working environment and company growth. Working effectively now means working less and having a three-day weekend enables people to have quality time outside of their job to do the things they want with the people they love.” Adding &quot;We value our employees and want to ensure that their quality of life both inside and out of work is as good as it can be.”<h2>What do you think?</h2><h2>Check out jobs at the ICE GROUP: <a href="https://www.icejobs.ie/about-us/join-us-work-for-us">https://www.icejobs.ie/about-us/join-us-work-for-us</a></h2><h2></h2><h2>For more information about the whole 4 Day Week thing check out this link; <a href="https://4dayweek.ie/">https://4dayweek.ie/</a></h2>

A case for the 4 Day Working Week 

Director & Ideation Manager

Pamela Doyle

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has reiterated the Government&#39;s pledge to cut income tax over the next five years. In a speech given to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis last November, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the level at which people hit the higher rate of income tax will rise to €50,000 over the next five years if Fine Gael is in power. Speaking in the Dáil this morning, Mr Donohoe said if the economy continues to grow and the resources are available, it is possible to reduce the standard rate cut off point every year. The Minister said any cuts in the upcoming Budget depended on negotiations with Fianna Fáil. He was responding to Sinn Féin&#39;s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty, who said if the Government went ahead with this plan then resources would have to be taken from other areas. Mr Doherty said it would mean that €2.5bn of tax would be foregone to the State at a time that there are huge pressures in public services, health, housing and the cost of childcare and insurance. He said the money was not there to provide for services that we need at the moment. Fianna Fáil&#39;s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath asked the minister about the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council report, which highlighted the volatile nature of corporation tax receipts. He said there had been a massive increase in the number of receipts in recent years and he said there is now significant risk posed to the public finances and the wider economy from that dependence on corporation tax. Mr McGrath asked the minister about his plans to manage that risk to the public finances and the wider economy. Responding, Mr Donohoe said a shock to the corporate tax base cannot be ignored particularly in light of change and uncertainty internationally. He said it was imperative to ensure that increases in public expenditure are sustainable. The minister told the Dáil, the rainy day fund had been set up and efforts had been made to broaden the tax base. Mr Donohoe said the Government was aiming to deliver a surplus of 0.2% of national income this year. He said a process was being put in place in order to get a better &quot;view&quot; of the sustainability of corporation tax receipts.

Minister for Finance reiterates Government’s pledge to cut Income Tax

<h1></h1><h2>Top engineering university to open jobs exclusively to women</h2>Eindhoven University of Technology aims to address ‘implicit gender bias’Job vacancies at one of Europe’s leading engineering universities will be open exclusively to female candidates for at least the next 18 months in order to overcome the institution’s “implicit gender bias”.The rector of the Eindhoven University of Technology, Frank Baaijens, said progress towards a better balance of men and women in academic roles had been stubbornly slow.Under the new recruitment policy, men will only be eligible for any academic post if no suitable female candidates emerge within six months of a job becoming available.The proportion of vacancies that will be open only to women will be adapted after 18 months of a five-year programme to reflect the success or otherwise of the scheme.About 150 jobs are expected to become vacant during the five years and each new female employee will be allocated an additional €100,000 (£90,000) to be spent on their mentoring and their own research.Baaijens said: “We attach great importance to equal respect and opportunities for women and men. And it has long been known that a diverse workforce performs better.“It leads to better strategies, more creative ideas and faster innovation. That’s why we’ve had measures in place for years to increase the low percentage of women among our academic staff, but we’re progressing too slowly.“We’re aware that we are suffering from an implicit gender bias. We are now using the fact that plans to expand our academic staff considerably in the coming years can be used as a means to make a big step forward in one fell swoop.”The policy will be enforced from 1 July. The university said it wanted at least half of all newly appointed assistant professors to be women over the next five years, with a 35% minimum for recruitment of associate professors and full professors.EU law allows the targeting of recruitment from underrepresented groups.Figures from the European commission suggested there was a majority of female scientists and engineers in only five EU member states: Lithuania (57% female), Bulgaria and Latvia (both 53%), Portugal (51%) and Denmark (just over 50%).In the UK, 41% of scientists and engineers are women – the EU average. The worst-performing countries include Hungary and Luxembourg (25%), Finland (29%) and Germany (33%), whose chancellor, Angela Merkel, is an accomplished scientist. In the Netherlands, 39% of engineers and scientists are female.There has been a long-running problem of women being attracted to science and engineering degrees only to subsequently fail to find employment.According to the latest statistics, about three-quarters of female graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics find jobs in those sectors after their studies – 10 percentage points lower than the employment rate of men with the same qualification.Source: The Guardian COLLEGE WEBSITE; <a href="https://www.tue.nl/en/">https://www.tue.nl/en/</a>

Dutch Engineering College open jobs to females only for the next 18 months

<h1></h1><h2>Are you a business or home owner who wants to cut down on energy costs - you may qualify for lucrative grants from the SEAI?</h2> As Ireland faces more pressure to become as environmentally friendly as our EU neighbours including the UK - for the moment - the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) has a wide range of grants available to homeowners, business owners, communities and large industries who are willing to play their part.<h2>BUSINESS OWNERS</h2>From SMEs to Large energy users, funding opportunities apply to both the public and private sector and a wide range of businesses.<h1></h1><h2>Project Assistance Grants</h2>Spending over €250,000 per year on your energy bills? SEAI grants can help you develop projects to reduce energy consumption and costs.They offer grants to businesses and public sector bodies who are seeking to develop energy saving projects. The aim of these projects should be to achieve significant energy savings, and build good procurement practices.<h2>The benefits for your organisation</h2><ul><li>Significantly reduce energy costs</li><li>Enhance the organisation&#39;s reputation and image</li><li>Improve competitiveness</li></ul><ul><li>Improve the knowledge of your employees around reducing energy use</li><li>Improve your Display Energy Certificate</li><li>Ability to divert savings to other activities</li></ul><h2>SMEs can save up to 90% of their lighting electricity costs by upgrading to energy efficient lighting</h2>At SEAI, they want to help SMEs become more competitive and the SME Lighting Support Scheme can provide grant support to upgrade your lighting and reduce your electricity bills.Since the scheme launched in 2017:<ul><li>SEAI have supported 200 businesses through the scheme to date</li><li>SEAI have provided financial support of €1.5 million</li></ul><h2></h2><h2>Why lighting?</h2>Lighting is a significant cost for many SMEs, and is the second highest cost for many businesses after staff costs. New developments in lighting technology, particularly Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, means that businesses can reduce their lighting bills by up to 60% or more.<h2></h2><h2>What support is available?</h2><ul><li>The SME Lighting Support Scheme offers a grant of up to 30% of the eligible approved costs of upgrading existing lighting</li><li>Eligible costs include product and installation costs. For a full list of eligible costs, please see the Application Guide on the website link below.</li><li>The grant is for the replacement of existing fittings, not fitting out a new site, and the existing lighting must be in working order at the time of application</li></ul>Check out the SEAI website to find out more; <a href="https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/">https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/</a><h2>Energy Investment Projects</h2>Grants are available under &quot;The EXEED grant scheme&quot; for organisations who are planning an energy investment project. The EXEED Grant Scheme provides grant support of up to €500,000 per year.The grant level may be extended by 20% for small enterprises and 10% for medium enterprises. SEAI are now accepting grant applications for 2019.<h2>Who can apply</h2>This scheme is open to all organisations planning an investment in an energy project. This includes:<ul><li>public and private sector</li><li>new design projects,</li><li>major energy upgrades of existing buildings and assets</li></ul><h2></h2><h2>Types of projects</h2>Projects can be of any scale or complexity. The organisation must also be seeking EXEED certification distinction i.e. Designed, Verified or Managed.<h2>Homeowners</h2>Home owner can possibly qualify for these lucrative grants including the following, as well as a bonus for multiple upgrades:<ul><li>Insulation (30% of a home’s heat is lost through poorly insulated walls)</li><li>Solar Thermal</li><li>Building Energy Rating (BER)</li><li>Heat Pump System (alternative to fossil fuel heating.. grant values are €3,500 for any pump system going to water and for air to air €600)</li><li>Heating Controls (an upgrade grant is €700)</li><li>Solar water heating grant is €1,200 while you can obtain a rebate grant for a battery storage system of up to €1,000 plus you can get €700 for each Kilowatt (kWp) of solar PV installed – the power output of the panel - up to 2kW equal to about 6 solar panels. These can save c. €200 - €300 per year on your domestic electricity bill.</li>Do I qualify?In order to qualify for these grants, you must:<ul><li>Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2006, if applying for an Insulation or Heating Controls grant.</li><li>Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2011, if applying for a Heat Pump System or Solar Thermal grant.</li></ul>You can apply online for any SEAI grant here; <a href="https://hes.seai.ie/GrantProcess/ApplyForGrantAfterWizard.aspx">https://hes.seai.ie/</a>Insulation grants include:<ul><li>€400 for attic insulation</li><li>€400 for cavity wall insulation</li><li>€1,600 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on an apartment or mid-terrace house </li><li>€2,750 for external wall insulation on apartment or mid-terraced</li><li>€2,200 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on semi-detached or end of terrace house</li><li>€4,500 for external wall insulation on semi-detached or end of terrace</li><li>€2,400 for &quot;dry-lining&quot; on a detached house</li><li>€6,000 for external wall insulation on a detached house</li></ul>If you complete three upgrades, your grant value will be increased by €300, and with four upgrades, it will be increased by €400. Grants last for six months so the work must be completed by then.If your home was built and occupied before 2006, and you are in receipt of social welfare payments, you may be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements.Mobility Aids Grant SchemeThis scheme does what it says on the tin, offering financial help towards the cost of upgrading your home in line with your mobility needs, such as access ramps, suitable bathrooms or stair lifts. Although the scheme can cover the full cost of works needed, the maximum available grant is €6,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><li>Have a yearly income of less than €30,000.</li></ul>Housing Aid for Older People SchemeSimilar to the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, this scheme exists in order to facilitate older people with more complex needs to live at home by upgrading their properties. The maximum grant amount available is €8,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><li>Be over 66 years of age (although exceptions may be made by local authorities).</li><li>Have a yearly income of less than €30,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 95%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €30,001 and €35,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 85%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €35,001 and €40,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 75%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €40,001 and €50,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.</li><li>Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €60,000 in order to qualify for the lowest grant rate of 30%.</li></ul>Lead Pipes and Fittings Replacement SchemeThis scheme was introduced in 2016 and applies to those in low-income housing whose water quality is affected by lead in their pipes. The maximum grant available is €4,000.Do I qualify?In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:<ul><ul><li>Own your home and occupy it as your main residence.</li><li>Be replacing pipes that carry water used for human consumption.</li><li>Be able to provide evidence that lead contamination is a significant risk. </li><li>Have a yearly income of less than €50,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 80%.</li></ul>Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €75,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.There you have it – there is no excuse now. You’ll be financially better off too!Check out the SEAI website to find out more; <a href="https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/">https://www.seai.ie</a></ul></ul>

Grants available to Businesses and Homeowners for Energy Saving Upgrades

<h2></h2><h2>Restaurant association says education system is partly to blame for the staff shortages as the Chef Crisis worsens</h2>Mr Adrian Cummins, the association’s chief executive said &quot;a key obstacle is the fact that restaurants must pay apprentices while they are at college, unlike other apprentices where participants receive an allowance.&quot; He says&quot; it is now time for a review of apprenticeships to ensure culinary students receive the same benefits as apprentices from other sectors.&quot;The struggle is real for businesses, like restauranteur Liam Edwards, He gave the Irish Times his view on the &quot;Chef supply crisis&quot; saying ‘I’m certain there are no chefs left in country’. He normally works front of house at his seafood restaurant in Kinsale, but for the past three months he has been full-time in the kitchen, helping out his short-staffed team of chefs.I’ve no choice but to help out in the kitchen. I’m not even a qualified chef; I only know from watching others.” says Edwards, owner of Jim Edwards restaurant.&quot;I’m seeing restaurants closing a few days a week because they don’t have the staff or they’re trying to keep them fresh, the arrival of eastern European workers during the last economic boom meant shortages never got out of hand&quot;, he says.But with fewer foreign staff to choose from, close to full employment in the wider economy and and high living costs, Edwards say the shortages have now reached crisis point. “It is really at an all-time low.&quot; Official statistics back up Edwards’ experiences. In 2015, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs reported that the hospitality sector was facing a deficit of about 5,000 chef trainees annually.<h4>Deficit</h4>Three years on, the restaurant sector estimates that this deficit has climbed to about 7,500 a year.Yet just 1,800 chefs are qualifying each year from certified culinary training programmes.The Restaurants Association of Ireland says the education system is partly to blame for the staff shortages.Mr. Cummins says there used to be a good system in place known as Cert, the State tourism training agency, which was responsible for providing a trained workforce for the hotel, catering and tourism industry. It was abolished in May 2003.Cummins says a new system of apprenticeships has not filled the gap.A new commis chef apprentice programme was launched in 2017, while a chef de partie programme began in September last year.Like most other “earn and learn” apprenticeships, they involve a combination of learning on-the-job with an employer as well as studying in college.Numbers, however, are relatively small – about 117 are on culinary apprenticeships.<h4>Pay apprentices</h4>Mr Cummins says a key obstacle is the fact that restaurants must pay apprentices while they are at college.This is in contrast to other apprenticeships developed before 2016 – such those in the construction sector – where a training allowance is paid by the State to apprentices while attending off-the-job training. In some cases, a contribution towards travel or accommodation costs may also be paid.“This means some students in the culinary sector are at a marked disadvantage compared to their counterparts training in other industries,” says Mr Cummins.A spokeswoman for Solas – the State agency that oversees further education and training – confirmed that the State pays for training in pre-2016 apprenticeships, while the employer pays in post-2016 apprenticeships.“This was a policy decision taken as part of the apprenticeship review in 2014,” she says.These new apprenticeships were developed in consultation with the education and industry and were aimed at allowing more flexibility in their design.<h4>Foreign workers</h4>Mr Cummins says it is now time for a review of apprenticeships to ensure culinary students receive the same benefits as apprentices from other sectors.Edwards, meanwhile, says in the short-term restaurants need access to foreign workers.He has applied for a work permit for a chef in Turkey. That was five months ago; however he is hopeful the chef will be able to join his team shortly.“It will help,” says Edwards, “I used to have a staff of eight chefs. It’s now down to four, and one part-time. But I feel the wages and working conditions we’ve offered are still very good.”Source of Article; Irish TimesFor chef jobs and apprenticeships check out; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>

More Culinary Students Required as Chef Crisis Worsens

<h2></h2><h2>Civil engineers, quantity surveyors, construction project managers and mechanical/electrical engineers with BIM experience added to the Critical Skills Occupations List to combat current skills shortage in the construction industry. </h2>These changes mean that non-EEA nationals with these skills will now be able to apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit to work in Ireland.A number of occupations were also removed from the Ineligible Occupations List and will now be eligible for a General Employment Permit including sheet metal workers, crane drivers, plasterers, bricklayers, pipefitters and welders.The changes follow engagement by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to combat skills shortages in the industry. A report in May showed that 10,600 extra workers joined the construction workforce in 2018, up 8% year on year and bringing the total workforce to 145,500. Cost of ConstructionThe report also showed that the cost of construction rose by 7.7% in 2018 and was forecast to rise by 6.5% 2019, indicating that the increases were being caused by the high demand for construction services, skill shortages in the sector and wage increases.Hubert Fitzpatrick, Director of Housing, Planning &amp; Development at CIF, said: “The Irish economy has been growing strongly over the past number of years and it is clear from these figures that the construction industry has been growing with it. We’ve seen an extra 10,600 workers join the construction industry last year, which is helping to meet the 20% increase in investment in the sector.”“With investment in the industry expected to reach €41 billion in 2023 and construction costs continuing to increase, we need to encourage more people to enter the construction industry, so skill shortages are not holding back growth, both of the industry and the economy as a whole. We’re confident that the employment permit changes we have secured will help to address this issue and that Ireland will start to see more skilled workers enter the construction industry.”If you are looking for a Job check out our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/"></a><a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>For more information on Critical Skills Employment Permits <a href="https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Permit-Types/Critical-Skills-Employment-Permit/">CLICK HERE</a> <a href="https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Permit-Types/Critical-Skills-Employment-Permit/"></a>

Construction Roles added to Critical Skills Occupations List 

<h2>The Freight Transport Association of Ireland is calling on the Government to provide urgent funding and support to reverse the current skills shortage across the business, requesting development of more apprenticeships and structured training programmes to attract new entrants to the industry.  </h2>According to FTA Ireland (FTAI), the business organisation representing all aspects of the sector, the Irish government must provide urgent funding and support for the country’s logistics operators, to reverse the current skills shortage across the businesses responsible for keeping Ireland trading, and protect the nation’s supply chain ahead of the impact of Brexit.Otherwise, as Aidan Flynn, General Manager of FTAI comments, the impact could be significant for both domestic and international business: “Ireland’s workforce is currently at almost full employment, yet there are still vacancies in the logistics sector which need to be filled,” he says. “The industry needs urgent help from government to attract young people into logistics, by promoting a driver apprenticeship and structured training programmes which will raise awareness and educate the workforce of tomorrow of the opportunities which are available to them. “A new independent research study conducted by FTAI in partnership with the TU Dublin School of Management has identified key issues to be considered by the industry when looking to recruit new personnel. The perceived hours of work, levels of pay and career opportunities are areas which confuse potential recruits and could prevent applications to the roles which need to be filled if our businesses, factories and retail outlets are to continue to be supplied with the products and services that they need. “It is vital that employers across the industry take a long hard look at the roles on offer to new entrants. Professional driving, in particular, is a fulfilling and motivating career, but many young people overlook the jobs available, based on pre-conceptions about the pay and conditions on offer. This is something we should all be working to change as a matter of urgency, if Irish business is to be prepared for a post-Brexit world.” Funding for training and development of individuals is still sporadic, and this must be prioritised by government, as Flynn continues, to ensure that a pipeline of future employees can be developed and maintained: “Many of the issues identified by the new research as barriers to joining the logistics industry, including working conditions and the lack of sufficient training and education, could be resolved easily if government would back appropriate development and apprenticeship programmes for logistics. Brexit is, of course, challenging how the supply chain will work in the future and unless government works more closely with business, there is a risk that business viability will come into question and goods and services will go undelivered. “Ireland has always been a trading nation, and has a real opportunity to capitalise on the changing business conditions which Brexit will present,” Flynn concludes. “However, without a suitable, trained workforce, it will be impossible to move the goods and services which support the Irish economy – this is an opportunity which government simply cannot afford to miss.” 
Source; https://www.hgvireland.com/government-support-needed-to-address-logistics-recruitment-issues-says-ftai/ For Freight and Logistics jobs check out our website; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/">https://www.jobalert.ie/</a>TO ADVERTISE VACANCIES CLICK HERE; <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/employers">https://www.jobalert.ie/employers</a>

Urgent funding required by logistics operators to resolve skills shortage 

<h2></h2><h2>There&#39;s now a National Craft Butcher Apprenticeship, the first government-funded programme for Butchers in Ireland. The two-year &quot;earn and learn&quot; programme is designed for those who wish to learn the craft of butchery through both off-the-job training and on-the-job practical experience. </h2>Upon successful completion of the programme, apprentices will be awarded the QQI Level 5 Certificate in Craft Butchery Major Award.  Apprentices will, by then, have gained the knowledge and skills to cut, prepare, package and present meat and meat products to the standards required to the business and specialist needs of customers. The off-the-job training for the Craft Butcher Apprenticeship takes place in Teagasc Ashford Food Research Centre, Co. Dublin. The centre has state of the art cooking, manufacturing and packaging facilities, and boasts its own fully-functioning abbatoir. The apprentices will spend the rest of their programme hours with their approved employer.This is the first government-funded butchery apprenticeship for the Irish Food Industry and has been designed to train butchers for the 21st century in order to secure and protect the future of Irish butchery. Additionally, the course has been structured to expand the skillset of new and existing butchers, so that the future skills needs of the industry can be met.The training curriculum itself incorporates modules essential for the developing core skills required of the modern butcher, including  Food Safety and Hygience, Food Prepartion, and Animal Welfare. The course expands into a number of business areas to encourage apprentice butchers to build up a more versatile skillset, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship central to the course. Marketing Practice, Customer Service and Sales, and Entrepreneurial Skills are some of the other elements of the programme.Here&#39;s some butchers that are currently recruiting Apprentices;FxBuckley<a href="http://www.fxbuckleybutchers.ie/apprentice">http://www.fxbuckleybutchers.ie/apprentice</a>Cork<a href="https://www.wallacemyers.ie/job/368-apprentice-butcher-cork?utm_source=https://jobalert.ie">https://www.wallacemyers.ie/job/368-apprentice-butcher-cork?utm_source=https://jobalert.ie</a>Waterford<a href="https://www.jobsireland.ie/en-US/job-Details?id=2084083">https://www.jobsireland.ie/en-US/job-Details?id=2084083</a>If you&#39;re interested in a career as a Butcher, maybe contact your local butchers or supermarkets and ask them if they&#39;re interested in taking on an Apprentice - you might just be lucky!Best of Luck

New Government Funded National 2 Year Craft Butcher Apprenticeship

To all the &#39;Fathers&#39; and &#39;Father figures&#39; out there who WORK very hard everyday at being great role models, have a Fabulous one!

So it’s the day when we show our appreciation for Dads, but we all know that there are so many &#39;Father Figures&#39; out there that deserve a mention today as well. 

The influential men, the Grandfathers, Uncles and Brothers doing the Dads role, Mums who have to be both Mum and Dad and of course Stepdads and Carers who also ‘step’ up to the mark.

It&#39;s an opportunity to say thanks and to acknowledge how lucky we are to have these guys in our lives.

Happy Father&#39;s Day!

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