The Work Placement Programme (WPP) provides 9 months’ work experience for graduates and other unemployed people. There are 7,500 places in the private, public, community and voluntary sectors provided by FÁS employment services and programmes which were transferred to the Department of Social Protection in January 2012. The placements are for a minimum of 25 hours per week.
The programme is available to people getting most social welfare payments, including Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit. If you are getting a social welfare payment for at least 3 months, you may be able to keep it while on the programme - see 'Keeping your social welfare payment' below.
People who are not getting a social welfare payment, or who are on a payment for less than 3 months, are eligible to take part, but will not be get a social welfare payment while on the programme.
There are 2 streams in the Work Placement Programme (WPP). Stream 1 offers places for graduates and Stream 2 offers places for unemployed people, with a number of these places reserved for those aged under 34. If you are an unemployed graduate, you can apply for place in either stream. Placements are allocated to each FÁS region according to the number of people on the Live Register in that region and are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis - see ‘How to apply’ below.
To be eligible for Stream 1 of the Work Placement Programme you must:
To be eligible for Stream 2 of the Work Placement Programme you must be unemployed. You do not have to be getting a social welfare payment.
You do not have to be a graduate, but graduates can apply.
If you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment for at least 3 months, you may be able to keep your payment while on the Work Placement Programme, subject to the approval of the Department of Social Protection. You must notify the Department that you are starting a placement, as this changes your status. Arrangements have been made to allow participants on the Work Placement Programme to sign on by post if they are claiming jobseeker's payments. As WPP is a voluntary work placement no payment from the employer is permitted.
The qualifying payments are:
If you are getting Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit you must apply to the Department of Social Protection for an exemption to start a placement on the Work Placement Programme.
If you are on Illness Benefit you must be getting a social welfare payment for 6 months before you can apply for the programme.
If you get a job during the placement you are under no obligation to stay. You should give the placement provider and FÁS one week's notice that you are leaving.
In addition, if your new job qualifies under the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme, and if you have completed 3 months on the Work Placement Programme, you may qualify as an ‘eligible worker’ under this scheme. This means that your new employer will not have to pay employer’s PRSI in respect of your employment for 18 months from the date you are employed. Find out more about the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme.
FÁS provides general information for people who are planning to apply for places on the programme, as well as a useful set of tips on how to find a placement. Also, if you have questions about the programme, the list of FAQs may answer them.
Employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors are all eligible to participate in the Work Placement Programme.
The requirements for employers providing the work placements include:
In general, employers will be able to participate if they had no redundancies in the previous 3 months. However, employers who have made people redundant in the last 3 months will still be able to participate if the number of redundancies in that period is less than 5% of the workforce.
The detailed eligibility criteria for employers are available on the FÁS website.
FÁS provides general information for employers who are planning to offer placements. It has also published detailed information and tips for providers, as well as guidelines (pdf) for providers to follow when applying to take part in the Work Placement Programme.
Number of placements: The maximum number of placements that an employer can offer depends on the number of full-time employee as follows:
| Number of full-time employees | Number of placements |
| 1-10 employees | 1 |
| 11-20 employees | 2 |
| 21-30 employees | 3 |
| Over 30 employees | 10% of the workforce to a maximum of 25 places whichever is the smaller |
JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme is aimed at those who have been either getting an unemployment payment or signing for credits for at least 3 months. Participants will be offered a placement of between 6 and 9 months with host organisations, either in the public sector, the private sector or the community and voluntary sector. Participants will keep their social welfare payment and will get an extra €50 per week. You can read more in our document on JobBridge.
Work Placement Programme
If you are interested in participating in the Work Placement Programme you can view the available placements using the FÁS Job Search facility or Twitter. You can then apply to your local FÁS office. If you are already registered with FÁS, you can record an 'expression of interest' on Freephone 1800 611 116 or (046) 973 8000.
FÁS will refer you to an employer who is registered as a provider with the Work Placement Programme. The employer may interview you as a potential participant.
Providers: employers who are interested in providing a work
placement can find an
application form on the FÁS website, together with guidelines
on the processes involved.
For a work placement, contact your local FÁS office.