Now into the second year of the pandemic, it seems like at least some of the changes we have seen around work during this period are here forever, especially around expectations on flexible work and women in leadership. We talk to Enrico Zoppi, CEO and Founder of EazyCity and Marta Ponte, Marketing Manager about these key topics.
EazyCity has been always a proud employer in relation to equal opportunities and empowering women at work. Prior to Covid-19, 20% of the overall workforce were men and 80% women.
Now, after the Pandemic, the company still employs 30% men and 70% women. Leading to an average of ¾ women and ¼ men. Enrico Zoppi, CEO of EazyCity, “We are proud to have so many women in EazyCity and that attention to detail, warmness, strategy, passion, family, positivity and care have been improved and enhanced because of this ratio”.
We are aware of the challenges and we must build our workforce with gender equality in mind. We support women and aim to create more high-trust, inclusive cultures during and after the pandemic.
According to Deloitte’s last report, “Women @ Work: A global outlook”, through the pandemic, women have taken on more responsibilities at home and at work while not receiving adequate support from their employers. These extra demands on women’s time during the pandemic have come at a huge cost, negatively affecting their mental health and decreasing their aspirations for a better professional future.
“It is real and it hurts so much. We need to step up and fight against the negative effect that the Pandemic have had in many women around the world. Supporting each other and giving them flexibility to balance the different aspects of their professional and personal lives with a fair salary” Enrico Zoppi states.
At EazyCity, flexibility is one of the company’s core values since 2004 and more than ever today, has a new meaning. Enrico Zoppi, “We want to encourage our team members to make them real and use “flexibility” in whatever ways they think is the best to help them out. From working from home, free working hours planning, decrease of working hours, a program to come back to the office or how to assess people’s productivity at work. We are proud of what we have achieved so far but we don’t want to stop yet, there’s much to do.”
Similarly, Marta Ponte, Marketing Manager for EazyCity comments: “Companies have an opportunity to reset culture and accelerate expectations and policies around flexible work and gender equality at work”. Marta Ponte, “As we come out of the pandemic, how we choose to work will influence our productivity and performance as society and economy.”
Looking for a career opportunity? Please email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss your application!
Finally the Irish government decided to open to International Travel. What a great news for the study travel industry. Travelling to Ireland is now permitted for non-essential reasons from 19 July.
All EU countries are to be removed from the mandatory hotel quarantine list, in order to facilitate the introduction of the Digital Green Certificate in Ireland from July 19th 2021.
This will allow those who are 1) fully vaccinated 2) have produced a negative Covid test result from the previous 72 hours, or 3) who have fully recovered from Covid to travel in the EU. No more quarantine from this date onwards.
This decision will facilitate a return to international travel and the recovery of the aviation and study travel sectors.
The EU Digital Covid Certificates (DCC) will show if a passenger is vaccinated, if they recovered from Covid-19 in the past nine months, and if they had a negative test result taken 72 hours before arrival.
If you want to travel to Ireland for a Study Program this summer please check out our summer offer
In terms of travel to Europe in the near future, the PCR tests are pretty much a “must” for each trip. We want to guide you on how to organise your PCR test in Ireland – hassle free!
Before starting, please note some important information while travelling to Ireland during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
PCR tests are now available in several centres nationwide. Below, we have selected the most popular centres based on location, availability and price. All the centres use certified labs.
Before visiting any testing centre, please remember if you are feeling unwell and you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 you must start self-isolating and contact a local GP by phone.
Express PCR test €89 with results the next day. Please note that if you are travelling, there is an option where you can insert all the details (such as Passport number or Date of Birth) to be displayed on the certificate.
They often have good availability in all of their centres and but it is always recommended book in advance. However, it is possible to get an appointment on the same date depending on availability.
All appointments can be booked online – easy and fast! They also have a FAQ section on their website – very helpful on those days when we are full of questions!
Since Christmas last year, Boots Pharmacies are taking appointments for PCR tests. You can just make an appointment on their website and choose the location of the pharmacy (2 pharmacies in Cork and 2 in Dublin). Their customer service is very good as well, so you might receive a call after the booking to confirm all the details and remind you the safety measures.
The price of the PCR test is €139 per test.
A very good reason to book your appointment with them is that the Pharmacies are located in the City Centre, so this can save you all the hassle to figure out a new transport route.
Phelans Pharmacies also offer a PCR test service, the test costs €139 with results be in 24 to 36 hours after the test. They also have a same day results in Carrigaline, Cork. They also offer an Antigen test from €59.
You can take the test at most Phelans pharmacies, please check their website for more details on locations and tests.
This medical centre, located in Douglas Village in Cork, offers a PCR test solution for €175. Results are usually provided within a day. However, the test period is only between 8.00am and 8.45am Monday to Friday.
Travel experience is now different but if you plan in advance, your PCR is really helpful and more affordable – as you will avoid booking the only available centre and instead you could make a decision based on your budget too.
If you are travelling to work or study in Ireland and need to find an accommodation, EazyCity is now offering a FREE QUARANTINE PACKAGE:
“When something makes me laugh, I usually do a cartoon on it. Even when I take "mental journeys". And both things happen quite frequently. "
Please welcome Federica Laino to our EazyCity family. EazyCity chooses her as a cartoonist with the intention of snatching some smiles during this period. As Giuseppe Ungaretti said "my destination is to leave" and we are waiting for you in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain and the United States where we have been organising (since 2004) your study-work programs abroad. Thanks to this collaboration, two new characters were born and we will present them both to you shortly.
Now let's pass the word to Federica …
Hi, I'm Federica, today Content and Digital Marketing Specialist, Cartoonist and Yoga Teacher, and tomorrow? Who knows! I am a multifaceted person, at times a virtue at times a condemnation, I dare to say, but I have learned to see it as a virtue. There are so many things. I try to give voice to all the facets of my soul and my personality, never ceasing to feed my passions.
I am an avid tea drinker and serial spice consumer. Ginger and cinnamon everywhere. I'm crazy for classic rock, 60s black music, doo wop (I'm a young old woman), but I always like to discover new rhythms… and travel with the music.
I love cycling and walking, in everyday life and on the road. I love long hikes, slow ones, and even tiring ones (which in the end you eat a lot). I love nature, the mountains, climbing via ferrata and getting lost along the paths in search of inspiration and to connect with nature.
I love to travel with my backpack in search of adventures and … unexpected ones (otherwise the material for comics how would I find it?). I prefer slow travel, on foot or by bicycle, as a form of respect for the environment, as a contemplation and as a form of connection, with places and people.
For pleasure, for work, for volunteering, in recent years there have been several reasons that have brought me abroad. Where?
Spain: the first study trip abroad, in the warm Valencia.
Ireland: very first solo trip.
Spain, Romania, Ireland and the States: the places where I lived for long periods.
Balkans: the first real adventure trip. I went alone, almost without planning anything… in December (unwise choice).
Slovenia and Croatia: the countries I crossed by bicycle.
Sri Lanka: my last solo trip, which I would define as magical, in many ways.
To these are added many other lands, and I hope as many will soon be added.
THE CHARACTERS
Below we introduce our new friends Conor and Elena. Both super ready to go on an adventure abroad. EazyCity will soon welcome them to all our destinations in Ireland, UK, Spain and the USA. Follow us on our social media to learn about their adventures.
As of January 2021 here are the minimum wages in Ireland (rate per hour):
| Experienced adult worker | €10.20 |
| Under 18 years of age | €7.14 |
| 18 years of age | €8.16 |
| Over 19 years of age | €9.18 |
Taking place on the 9th of March at 6pm - 6:30pm CET, this webinar will focus on the subject of working opportunities for people wanting to move to Ireland.
The webinar will be present by Costanza Lopez, Head of International Programs & Partnerships at EazyCity. Topics covered will include:
We will also introduce you to how it works our new free assessment to work Ireland, for everyone who join the webinar.
If you would like to receive a personalised and free assessment on how to get a job in Ireland and review your professional profile, please contact our team to book a free profile assessment with our Work Advisors!
You will receive a 10% discount on Job Plans and interview preparation and on shared accommodation in Ireland with EazyCity.
You can apply directly to the open opportunities using the links below:
Accounts Payable Specialist, Cork
Accounts Payable Specialist, P2P Analyst, Cork
Accounts receivable Analyst, Cork
Regulatory Associate CMC, Cork
Senior Quality, Regulatory & Compliance Manager, Cork
Technical Support Representative with German, Cork
Technical Support Advisor - German, Apple
IT Service Desk Associate - German Speaking
German Email Support - Work From Home Until Restrictions Are Lifted
Danish speaking Technical Support Analyst to global company in Ireland
HR Services Support - German Speaker for TE Connectivity
Sales Recruiter (German Speaker)
CMS Analyst Nordics, Eli Lilly
Dedicated (German Speaker), Indeed
Account Executive - Norwegian Speaker
Account Manager, Nordics, Facebook
Account Executive - North, Salesforce
Dell Technologies Software Inside Sales Central Northern Europe
Customer Base Corporate Sales Development Representative - Nordics
If you have any questions about how to apply or about how to start your job search in Ireland, please feel free to contact our team. Always happy to help you!
All our EazyCity teams are fully operational during normal business hours throughout this period. All our staff is still working from home but 100% available on the phone, chat, email and in person (if necessary) to assist you.
The health and safety of our staff, partners, host families and clients is our no. #1 priority.
Please ensure you refer to the local Government and Health Service Executive links as you will find daily updates on the current situation in Ireland:
Ireland:
https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/?referrer=/coronavirus/
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a02c5a-what-is-happening/
Uk
Spain
https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov-China/home.htm
We will continue to closely monitor the Government information on a daily basis and update you on any policy changes.
We are super excited to present our NEW REMOTE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM!
Yes, you can count on the mentoring and support of a Manager/Co-ordinator/Supervisor in your host company via online platforms. On your first day, the host company will provide you with all the information and tools you need to develop your work smoothly.
Also, our team will be available during the 8-12 weeks duration of your remote internship for any questions or doubts you might have, and to make sure your internship objectives are met.
At your earliest convenience. Companies are looking for candidates to start as soon as possible in Ireland, United Kingdom and Spain, so the sooner the better!
We don’t want to overcomplicate the process in this current situation, we just want to make it simple for you. Below, you will find the requirements for the Remote Internship, but more importantly, if you have any questions about them please contact our Advisors and they will help you to understand if you are suitable for the positions!
Immediately if you want, fast and easy!
