Learning at work is vital to the NI economy

Continuous opportunities to learn at work are vital to the future growth of the Northern Ireland economy, according to Dr Sean Farren, Minister for Employment and Learning.

The Minister was speaking at a ceremony in Belfast City Hall to award National Vocational Qualifications to over 200 employees of several companies who have completed in-work training programmes organised jointly by East Antrim Institute of Further and Higher Education and Springvale Training.

Dr Farren said: “Northern Ireland has an education system to be proud of. We also have a workforce that is skilled, and adaptable. These are hugely important elements in our efforts to attract inward investment and securing new jobs. However, we must not be complacent. There are over one million people of working age in Northern Ireland with each one of them making their own contribution to the economy. We must not focus our attentions solely on school leavers and university graduates, at the expense of those in employment.”

Dr Farren said that it was a concern of the Executive that one in four of all adults experience difficulty with everyday literacy and numeracy.

He said: “Many of these people are currently in work. This unacceptably high figure demands action so my Department will shortly publish a basic skills strategy for consultation. This issue presents a major challenge and I would urge all those on which this impacts, especially employers, to play a part in the consultation. It is to everyone’s mutual advantage to search for a solution to this issue.” (CD)