Rapid Advancement Programme attracts UK attention

Carmel Hanna, Minister for Employment and Learning, has spoken of the possible adoption of Northern Ireland's Rapid Advancement Programme (RAP) model into other regions of the UK.

The Minister was speaking at the annual B.I.C. Systems Rap Gala Ball in the Hilton Hotel, where she presented five awards to this year's top graduates for outstanding achievement in the areas of systems, software development and emerging technologies.

Mrs Hanna said the success of RAP was acknowledged with its current status as a National Training Award winner and that this achievement was tribute to the outstanding quality of training that RAP offers.

During the awards Anne Clydesdale, Director of Training at B.I.C. Systems, revealed that RAP had been attracting attention in England and that it may become a model for a similar initiative there.

She said: said: "The Rapid Advancement Programme over the last three years, has not only supplied IT companies with skilled graduates but it has also contributed to the growth of NI software industry by making available a skilled workforce to companies investing here.

"Last week, we were invited to Westminster to brief UK government officials on how business and public sector partnerships are mutually beneficial when applied to initiatives such as RAP. The high level of interest shown by other regions of the UK is testament to the success of RAP over the last three years and we look forward to its continued success going forth."

The Rapid Advancement Programme is a training initiative delivered and managed by B.I.C. Systems and owned by the Department for Employment and Learning. RAP, as the programme has come to be known, annually re-skills 250 graduates from non-IT backgrounds.

The initiative offers a 32-week programme, which aims to convert the candidates into readily deployable IT professionals with globally recognised qualifications.

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