Farren urges businesses to invest in training

The Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Seán Farren has urged local companies to continue to invest in training schemes in order to sustain growth and economic productivity of the province’s workforce.

Speaking on Monday December 3 the minister, who was addressing a seminar on work skills in Belfast, pointed out that economic success for Northern Ireland depended on raising the skills levels of the currently employed workforce.

The minister said: “Human intellectual capital – the knowledge, skills and competencies of the workforce – will increasingly provide Northern Ireland’s key competitive asset.”

Dr Farren pointed out that local businesses could build on their success further by taking responsibility for developing the skills of their workforce by continuing to invest in training.

Stressing the importance of ensuring that any future arrangements meet these challenges, he added: “We in Northern Ireland must prepare ourselves to be competitive and responsive in a world of constant change. This has assumed even greater importance given the current global economic downturn.

“Whilst the Northern Ireland economy generally performed well in the 1990s, we all need to focus on measures to ensure that we have an abundant supply of quality workers with the skills, flexibility and motivation that industry will need to ensure sustained growth in the decades ahead.

“Given that the majority of those currently in work will still be in employment in 2010, the greatest contribution to raising skills levels is through the continuous skills enhancement of current employees.

“This seminar will provide the opportunity for ensuring that the most effective sectoral arrangements are put in place to tackle the skills needs and priorities of the Northern Ireland economy, taking account of the emerging national sectoral arrangements.” (AMcE)