Comments from a Selection of Interns and Craft Enterprises Participating in the Jobbridge

Comments from a selection of Interns and Craft Enterprises participating in the JobBridge Pilot Scheme for the Craft Sector

Comments from INTERNS:

“As a 48 year old, who has worked in and around construction most my working life, it came as a shock when I was forced to become unemployed at the end of 2010 and continued to be unemployed up until I started this internship with Bevel Furniture in September 2013. With my self-esteem running at an all-time low it came as a relief to begin working and training again. Under the guidance of Thomas Kelly proprietor of Bevel Furniture, I have found a new lease of life. I am learning new skills in furniture design and composition. Money is not the greatest attraction for an internship but sometimes in life you have to bite the bullet so to speak to gain new skills for the future which at present I am doing. I would personally recommend an internship in the craft sector to others; find a skill you would like to learn and go for it. By taking things step by step, we can build a better future. With the new skills I am learning I hope one day to build and sell my own furniture and give back some of what I have learnt.” Anthony Brooks, Workshop Assistant/Intern, Bevel Furniture/Woodwork School, Wexford.

“I have always enjoyed making jewellery as a hobby but my internship with Natasha Heaslip, a goldsmith and jewellery designer, has given me an opportunity I don’t think I could have got elsewhere; to learn a craft and develop skills that will be fundamental in helping me to become my own designer. Natasha trains me in goldsmithing and jewellery skills in the studio but also in the business side of being a designer which is really important. I was also able to gain hands-on experience at a recent craft show in Cork. This is an amazing opportunity as I am learning all sides to being a goldsmith. I would recommend the pilot scheme for the craft sector to anyone unemployed as I feel if you can be trained in a job you love, then what you do won’t feel like ‘work’.” Sarah Callaghan, Apprentice Goldsmith, Natasha Heaslip, Galway

“Personally I found it very hard being unemployed as I like to be kept busy and I felt completely fed up, waiting for replies to CVs that never came. It was very disheartening. My internship with Adam King is very practical, and I have been involved in all aspects of his business, making the jewellery itself, packaging and selling. I've seen him put together his website, teach a class and he has given me a lot of helpful advice also. But mostly JobBridge gives you the chance to use the time spent unemployed to learn some new skills, or change your career path. For me it was the chance to do something I really wanted to do but didn't know where to begin!” Pamela-Jane Dwyer, Silversmithing & Teaching Assistant – Intern, Jewellery by Adam King, Dublin

“Having worked in construction for over 20 years and having worked with wood as a carpenter doing roofing and first and second fixing, I felt the craft sector could open a new door in my career and a new relationship with wood. The JobBridge scheme for the craft sector has benefited me both personally and professionally. Personally, the scheme gives

* Source: Economic Significance and Potential of the Crafts Sector in Ireland, Indecon International Economic Consultants (2010) me a sense of purpose, also giving me back job satisfaction at the end of each day. Professionally, I am learning new skills making products from start to finish and also gaining experience priceless to me as a person looking to get back to full time work, a plus for an employer looking for people with experience in their field. I would recommend the JobBridge scheme to other people who wish to gain experience in a new career as a stepping stone across the river to the other side to full time employment.” Séamus Barrett, Craft Studio Assistant – Intern, OnCraft, Carlow

“I have benefited personally from the pilot scheme for the craft sector in many ways such as now having a purpose to my day, routine is back in my life and I feel that I am making a contribution again to society. I have hope of a working future again and the possibility of a full-time job at the end of the internship which is exciting. I have benefited professionally in that I am learning new skills that are transferrable to most occupations such as computer skills. I have learned the process of making a product from raw material right up to the finished product. I have learned about marketing and sales etc. This pilot scheme can only benefit me with the addition of new skills to those that I already had before now, therefore making me more employable in the future. I do hope that I will gain employment with my host company as my experience has been so far very positive. I would recommend the JobBridge scheme to anyone out there who is unemployed and looking to change career direction or to follow a certain career path. This could be the start that you have been looking for and you cannot beat the sense of accomplishment that you feel at the end of each working day.” David Finane, Craft Studio Assistant – Intern, Heartfelt Fashion, Laois

“I am currently two months into my internship and I already feel I have learned a lot and benefited hugely from the scheme. I am a recent college graduate and the opportunity to gain experience in the business area has been extremely rewarding for me, especially as I am working in a small business; this allows me to be involved in many different areas of the business. I have worked in a number of areas including E-commerce, Marketing & Sales and have been involved in the decision-making process also. The craft sector was not an area I had imagined working in. However, I have found it interesting to see the process from product development through to the end result. I would recommend a JobBridge internship to other people as I feel the skills I have learned and the contacts I have made will be beneficial for my future prospects.” Caoimhin McEnteggart, Business Development Assistant – Intern, Green Gorgeous, Louth

Comments from CRAFT ENTERPRISES:

“The JobBridge scheme has been a brilliant opportunity for me. As a craftsperson running my own business, you have to be able to turn your hand to all aspects of managing a business - accounting, small production lines, PR, marketing, etc, so it can mean there is often not enough time for creativity. Having my intern Sarah working with me has helped me get on top of a lot of things and it is great to have another creative person to bounce ideas off. Also, I am really enjoying showing her my system and teaching her new things; it has helped me get focused and boosted my own confidence in my own abilities. I am very grateful for this opportunity.” Natasha Heaslip, Jeweller Designer, Galway

“As a sole trader, running a small craft business requires a large amount of time which invariably means that there are areas of the business that will suffer. Since my intern Pamela started things have really turned around with regard to production and there are areas that I can now focus on that had been left fall by the wayside. I firmly believe that the internship scheme is hugely beneficial to small businesses and the interns themselves, provided the interns are developing skills and gaining real experience. I feel very fortunate to have found someone who has a very real interest in the business and is keen to learn. An internship should be almost like an apprenticeship if it is to be of value to both parties. Long term I would like to think that Pamela will be able to stay on once the scheme finishes and without the scheme this would not have been a consideration.” Adam King, Owner, Jewellery by Adam King, Dublin

“The JobBridge scheme has made a huge difference to the business, increasing productivity by creating a better workflow dynamic within the workshop environment. It has allowed me as the chief designer and owner of OnCraft to focus more on the design element of our work and spend more time with clients and potential clients. The actual process of recruiting and appointing my intern Seamus was very easy. Each stage of the process was clearly communicated and there was always help or advice available if needed over the phone from Crafts Council of Ireland. I would definitely recommend the scheme to other craft enterprises. It has allowed me to take my craft business to the next level. It has given me the opportunity to increase my workload and thus my turnover. This type of workload would not have been possible without Seamus and has allowed the business expand at a pace which would not have been possible before. The internship scheme gives my business the chance to grow to a level that’s not possible without the breathing space the scheme offers in terms of salaries and wages. Once this breathing space period ends, it is hoped the business will have sufficiently grown to allow the intern be retained on a permanent basis.” Kevin O’Neill, Owner, OnCraft, Carlow

“Our experience with the JobBridge scheme has been very positive. Recruitment ran smoothly with the assistance of the Crafts Council of Ireland guiding us through the process and the standard of applications was very high. As a result, our successful Intern, DKIT graduate (BBS International Management) Caoimhin Mc Enteggart hit the ground running.Together, we have achieved a lot in two months, with Caoimhin having some involvement in all areas of the business but specifically in business development and marketing. To date, we have increased traffic to the website and in turn increased sales, revamped the website content, run successful social media and online marketing campaigns and increased our profile. We would definitely recommend the JobBridge pilot scheme for the craft sector to other craft enterprises. The craft and design sector can offer very valuable and interesting on-the-job experience to job seekers while benefitting from an often much- needed and valuable extra pair of hands. It’s a mutually beneficial opportunity and both sides have to work together and respect each other to make the most of it.” Paula Stapleton & Linda Sheridan, Directors, Green Gorgeous, Louth