Traineeships Key To NI's Economic Recovery

Traineeships are a key driver of Northern Ireland's economic recovery, Economy Minister Gordon Lyons has said.

Speaking after meeting staff and a Motor Vehicle Trainee at Larne based specialist used car dealer, CarNet the Minister said: "As our economy continues to recover following the effects of the pandemic, developing the local skills base is a key priority for me and a cornerstone of the recovery. My Department's 10X Economic Vision and associated Skills Strategy sets out how we want to equip people with the skills they need for the constantly evolving jobs market and build on Northern Ireland's successes on the global stage. Traineeships have a vital role to play in making this a reality.

"The opportunity provided by a Traineeship for those who are not in employment to gain a Level 2 qualification can unlock their chosen career path, or set them up to progress to higher levels of education, such as an Apprenticeship."

The Minister continued: "Participants on a Traineeship will also learn valuable skills for employment, and the work-based training is the best way to develop wider and transferable skills that are so vital in the world of work. This is a fantastic and accessible new route to learning and I would encourage anyone who is interested and eligible to look at the wide range of training options available through their local FE college."

Christine Brown, Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning at Northern Regional College, commented: "Working with employers is one of the strengths of the Traineeship provision at Northern Regional College. Having access to high quality work placements can only add to the success of the Traineeship provision. We are delighted to be able to offer the Traineeship programme across a range of vocational areas and we are looking forward to the exciting expansion of the provision over the next few years."

Andrew McCann, owner of CarNET Car Sales in Larne, has provided a valuable placement for work experience to a Trainee from the college. Andrew said: "I am delighted to be in a position to be able to offer a placement opportunity to a student on the Traineeship programme. The programme is very worth while and will help to grow the talent within the industry. The placement will allow the student not only to develop important industrial skills but it will also help instil those attitudes and values within the student that employers are constantly on the lookout for."