NI workforce urged to maintain competitive edge

Employment and Learning Minister, Carmel Hanna, has challenged the local business sector to continue supporting initiatives geared towards giving the Northern Ireland workforce a competitive edge.

The Minister was speaking in Belfast at the official opening of the 2002 Annual Irish Conference of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Since its formation in 1964, the recently renamed National Examinations Board for Supervision and Management's training and examination board has improved the performance and skills of more than half a million managers throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Mrs Hanna paid tribute to contribution of the ILM to the local economy: “The importance of world-class management and leadership to the success of our economy is clearly recognised by the Executive in its Programme for Government. If we are to compete successfully in a global market, we must ensure that relevant and cost effective development opportunities exist and are taken up by industry here.

“Over the course of the last year, my Department has carried out a review of the support measures for management development offered to Northern Ireland business.

“In the past, development opportunities supported by Government were largely targeted at the manufacturing and trade services sector. However, it is now widely recognised that management and leadership skills are transferable."

The Minister said there would be active support for management and leadership development opportunities to improve overall skills. An endorsed list of development opportunities through the ‘Management and Leadership Development Programme’ and eligible participants would attract financial support in the form of a bursary towards the cost to them or their employer.

“In addition, new arrangements will be introduced for those graduates seeking to enter managerial positions, and the Northern Ireland Management Council will now assume a much more active role in relevant research and in supporting and engaging the Northern Ireland economy in developing its management and leadership capability.”

The Minister challenged businesses to support initiatives that would help the local workforce competitiveness.

She added: “We all must play our part in maximising the potential of our people, maintaining and indeed building on earlier successes. I can offer my Department’s full support in working towards this goal, but we need others to accept this challenge and work alongside, if we are to make a lasting impression on the global stage and ensure that our economy here is positioned to keep pace with the best elsewhere.”

(SP)