A CASH injection for a graduate training programme will boost employment for those with degrees or HNDs.
Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry has announced funding of £366,000 for an additional 120 places on DEL’s INTRO Graduate Management Programme.
Currently delivered by Parity Solutions, it provides graduates at degree/HND level with three weeks’ off-the-job training in essential management skills and a 21-week salaried placement, where participants undertake a business improvement project with their host employer.
Announcing the additional places, Minister Farry said: “Graduates are a key demographic in growing our economy and this programme continues to provide an important stepping stone into the world of work, with 89% of those completing the programme gaining full-time employment with their host employer.”
The INTRO Programme has been running since 2007 with more than 800 graduates participating to date.
At present, the department funds 100 graduates per year. This will increase to 160 in 2013/14 and 2014/15.
Commenting on the additional places, Jacqui Jolmes, operations manager, Parity Solutions, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local companies to recruit and develop top graduate talent who will bring significant benefits to their organisation.”
Meanwhile, five groups from Northern Ireland made it through to the final of this year’s national Social Enterprise of the Year competition held in London recently.
They were: Ashton Community Trust, Northern Ireland Social Enterprise of the Year; South Armagh Childcare Consortium, Northern Ireland winner of the One to Watch category; Bryson Recycling, who took the Innovation, Service or Product award locally; NOW, winners of the Social Impact award in Northern Ireland, and Bryson Care, winners of the regional Health and Social Care Social Enterprise category.
Following the event Juliet Cornford, director of Social Enterprise NI, the representative body for Social Enterprise across Northern Ireland, congratulated the two groups which ultimately received Highly Commended Awards at the national final.
NOW received the award for its work measuring social impact.
As a social enterprise it works to help people gain qualifications and life/work experience, as well as supporting them towards employment.
Since April 2004, NOW has used the Social Return on Investment (SROI) model to understand, measure and report the full social value it generates for stakeholders.
The group was able to show judges it could create £5.78 social value for every £1 invested.
Bryson Charitable Group also received a Highly Commended from the national awards judges in Social Innovation.
It began recycling in 1993 with its Cash for Cans service.
In 2001, it launched a pilot kerbside collection service to 8,000 households, which has been extended to cover 170,000 households.
Bryson also started refurbishing and selling on electrical white goods in 2007.