A NEW bursary fund will provide future work opportunities for up to 500 graduates and employees.
The £6million UK-wide scheme will pay for the new graduates and employees to study Masters (MSc) level degrees in aerospace engineering.
The bursary fund aims to support the up-skilling of current aerospace employees already qualified to graduate level, and BSc students currently studying at university.
The Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry and Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster have welcomed the news which will encourage students to create direct links with aerospace businesses and secure opportunities for work experience and future employment.
Minister Farry said: “I welcome this announcement and am pleased to be part of this UK-wide initiative. This new funding will provide financial support for new graduates and enthusiastic employees and will enable Northern Ireland to attract new blood into this industry thus boosting the supply of aeronautical skills to the local economy.
“My Department will provide funding for 20 bursaries for students wishing to study in Northern Ireland. Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB), which has a track record of research excellence in aeronautical engineering, is seeking accreditation from the Royal Aeronautical Society to introduce a new Aerospace MSc from October 2013. The University of Ulster also views this announcement as an opportunity to develop a unique Aerospace MSc programme capitalising on their advanced materials/composites research experience and complimenting that of QUB and the new Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering centre.â€Â?
The scheme will allow students to undertake projects that address the challenges faced by the industry giving an invaluable insight and increasing employability.
The Minister continued:
“This initiative fits well with a number of my Department’s key priorities – meeting the need for people with higher level skills as identified in the Skills Strategy, increasing the number of postgraduates in STEM subjects, and supporting more economically relevant activity as highlighted in Graduating to Success, the Department’s Higher Education Strategy.â€Â?
Arlene Foster said: “The availability of highly skilled graduates with the necessary engineering expertise is an important priority for the Northern Ireland aerospace and advanced engineering sector.
“Jobs in aerospace and advanced engineering are highly skilled and highly paid and add significant benefit to the Northern Ireland economy. This is a welcome initiative which will help generate further growth and innovation within our local sector.â€Â?
Vice-President and General Manager for Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, Michael Ryan said:
“We are delighted to be supporting this bursary scheme and have committed to provide £300,000 over the next three years to fund a number of university Aerospace MSc places. We believe this initiative will generate the high level skills and expertise in key technology areas that the UK aerospace industry needs to maintain a global competitive advantage. The bursary scheme is a key outcome of the work of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), in which Bombardier has been involved, and which is aimed at ensuring the UK has the right technology and skills in place to take advantage of growth opportunities.”
A NEW bursary fund will provide future work opportunities for up to 500 graduates and employees.
The £6million UK-wide scheme will pay for the new graduates and employees to study Masters (MSc) level degrees in aerospace engineering.
The bursary fund aims to support the up-skilling of current aerospace employees already qualified to graduate level, and BSc students currently studying at university.
The Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry and Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster have welcomed the news which will encourage students to create direct links with aerospace businesses and secure opportunities for work experience and future employment.
Minister Farry said: “I welcome this announcement and am pleased to be part of this UK-wide initiative. This new funding will provide financial support for new graduates and enthusiastic employees and will enable Northern Ireland to attract new blood into this industry thus boosting the supply of aeronautical skills to the local economy.”
“My Department will provide funding for 20 bursaries for students wishing to study in Northern Ireland. Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB), which has a track record of research excellence in aeronautical engineering, is seeking accreditation from the Royal Aeronautical Society to introduce a new Aerospace MSc from October 2013. The University of Ulster also views this announcement as an opportunity to develop a unique Aerospace MSc programme capitalising on their advanced materials/composites research experience and complimenting that of QUB and the new Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering centre.”
The scheme will allow students to undertake projects that address the challenges faced by the industry giving an invaluable insight and increasing employability.
The Minister continued:”This initiative fits well with a number of my Department’s key priorities – meeting the need for people with higher level skills as identified in the Skills Strategy, increasing the number of postgraduates in STEM subjects, and supporting more economically relevant activity as highlighted in Graduating to Success, the Department’s Higher Education Strategy.”
Arlene Foster said: “The availability of highly skilled graduates with the necessary engineering expertise is an important priority for the Northern Ireland aerospace and advanced engineering sector.”
“Jobs in aerospace and advanced engineering are highly skilled and highly paid and add significant benefit to the Northern Ireland economy. This is a welcome initiative which will help generate further growth and innovation within our local sector.”
Vice-President and General Manager for Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, Michael Ryan said: “We are delighted to be supporting this bursary scheme and have committed to provide £300,000 over the next three years to fund a number of university Aerospace MSc places. We believe this initiative will generate the high level skills and expertise in key technology areas that the UK aerospace industry needs to maintain a global competitive advantage.”
“The bursary scheme is a key outcome of the work of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), in which Bombardier has been involved, and which is aimed at ensuring the UK has the right technology and skills in place to take advantage of growth opportunities.”
