EPIC helping people with high barriers to employment
In addition to supporting our Network of Responsible Businesses, Business in the Community Ireland also manages Employment Programmes to help people with high barriers to employment get into the work place. One of these programmes is EPIC – Employment for People from Immigrant Communities.
The face of Ireland has changed hugely in the past decade and now more than 12% of our population come from outside Ireland. Unfortunately, immigrants have higher rates of unemployment than the rest of the population and face many challenges to find work. EPIC provides supports to overcome this and has an excellent track record with 646 EPIC clients finding paid employment since 2008 to date; and 486 placed in training/education or internships and work experience placements.
The majority of our EPIC clients are very highly qualified, with graduate or post graduate degrees. Many also speak at least two languages, a skill which is highly valued in the Irish jobs market.
Recently EPIC linked with BITC member company eBay to host a visit for EPIC clients to the eBay campus in Blanchardstown. eBay were great hosts – the busy agenda included presentations on the company, a talk on building your personal brand, an overview of eBay employee engagement and community initiatives and a talk from one of several previous EPIC clients who now work in eBay. EPIC clients also sat in with eBay employees to watch them doing their job in real time and ask questions. The visit gave the clients a clear picture of what working in the various departments in eBay is like and they had the opportunity to give their CVs to HR. Shortly afterwards one of the EPIC clients who visited eBay was recruited to their fraud team – a great success for both EPIC and eBay.
Is your company looking for well qualified, job ready people with language skills? If so, please get in touch with Caitríona MacAonghusa (cmacaonghusa@bitc.ie) to discuss your needs and how EPIC clients might be just what you are looking for!
