MORE than £1 million has been invested in a skills collaboration fund to create employment and learning opportunities.
The £1.5m fund will focus both on employer-led projects and also on enhancing skills competitions such as Wordskills.
The employer led element aims to create employment and learning opportunities, particularly for young people under 24 years, within small and medium size businesses with less than 250 employees. It also aims to encourage collaboration between employers, sector skills councils, colleges, universities and training organisations
Launching the scheme the minister for Employment and Learning Stephen Farry said: “The introduction of the Skills Collaboration Fund is designed to encourage employers and other stakeholders to create job opportunities and up-skill their workforce. I am making £1.5million available over the next two years for robust and innovative employment and learning initiatives to assist young adults.
“The fund aims to create job and up-skilling opportunities within small businesses, primarily with young people in priority skill areas and emerging sectors. This will assist in developing a properly skilled workforce, help people fulfil their potential, enhance their employability and equip the local economy to meet the opportunities and challenges of globalisation..”
The Skills Collaboration Fund is one of a number of projects within the implementation plan for the Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland, “Success through Skills – Transforming Futures”and will run for two years with financial support of up to £750,000 available each year.
The Minister concluded: “Northern Ireland’s success in skills competitions, particularly Worldskills, clearly demonstrates the quality of our training in the Further Education sector. To win such prestigious awards is testament to the high standards of professional and technical training in our colleges, and the commitment to excellence shown by our young people.
“A dedicated amount of the fund will also be used to provide intensive training for individuals who have demonstrated outstanding skills in their chosen profession, or have the future potential to represent Northern Ireland as part of Team UK at Worldskills 2015 and beyond. Financial incentives will also be available to colleges and employers who support skills competitions.”
Meanwhile, there is still time to enrol for Belfast City Council’s up-skilling business programme, Market Start Up.
The course provides budding entrepreneurs and new start businesses within the food and craft industries in the city an opportunity to explore market trading as a possible business model.
Participants on the programme will be given the chance to test trade their products at St George’s Market as well as in a pop up shop in the city.
They will take part in a range of workshops introducing them to market trading, receive one to one mentoring to help develop their business ideas and help with developing a targeted business plan.
The closing date for applications is August 30, with the new round of the programme commencing in September. For further details on the programme contact Belfast City Council’s Economic Development Unit on, 028 9027 0229 or email lynnr@belfastcity.gov.uk