A NEW scheme will offer up to 14 apprenticeships in the Department for Regional Development (DRD) and other departments within the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).
Announcing the development of the pilot higher level Civil Engineering Apprenticeship were Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry and Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy.
Within DRD, apprentices will get the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of engineering duties including traffic, road maintenance, surveying and minor road projects.
Speaking about the new initiative, Minister Farry said: ‘Last week I launched the new Strategy for Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland which includes a commitment to introduce public sector apprenticeships across its full range of professional and technical occupations. “
Apprenticeships will play a vital role in ensuring that we have a skilled, modern and dynamic workforce to drive our economy forward, and the public sector has a role to play by providing opportunities for young people to choose a high quality vocational route as the way to make a successful start to their career.
“This new pilot Public Sector Apprenticeship demonstrates a creative approach to collaborative working. Both departments have been working to create this meaningful high level apprenticeship, which will also lead to a Civil Engineering foundation degree qualification.”
Minister Kennedy said: 1 strongly support Minister Ferry’s efforts to modernise and maximise the apprenticeship programme.
I believe it is important to provide apprentice-ships to help transform the supply of skills at higher levels in the public sector as well as in the private sector.
It is important that our talented young people are given the opportunity to ‘earn and learn’ within the NICS Civil Engineering discipline.”