NORTHERN Ireland’s chief asset is its people and it is their talents and skills that will transform the economy, according to Employment & Learning Minister Stephen Farry.
He was speaking at the re-cent launch of the second phase of the Qualifying the Existing Workforce initiative at the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB) Nutts Corner Training Centre.
The project aims to qualify 1,000 unqualified, experienced, employed construction workers to NVQ Level 2, helping to increase productivity and meet the industry’s skills challenge. The project is a joint initiative by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), CITB NI and the Joint Council for the Building & Civil Engineering Industry (NI).
The minister said: “Our main asset is our people and it is on the basis of their talents and skills that we will transform our economy, increase employment, raise productivity and compete globally.
The minister said: “Our main asset is our people and it is on the basis of their talents and skills that we will transform our economy, increase employment, raise productivity and compete globally.
“My department is committed to raising the skills of Northern Ireland’s workforce and through funding programmes such as qualifying the Existing Workforce; we are boosting those skills and helping to make employers more competitive.” Tandragee concrete and piling company Bullivant Taranto qualified 48 candidates through the project and had the 500th candidate that achieved an NVQ through the first phase of the project.
Recognising the organisation’s achievements and the 500th participant, the minister added: “I commend Bullivant Taranto and all the companies and individuals involved in the project to date who have achieved a qualification. We are now continuing with the second phase of the project to ensure we have a better skilled workforce which will assist to drive this industry and our economy forward.”
Barry Neilson, CITB NI chief executive, said: “Our research shows that the economy is turning the corner and the NI construction industry will benefit from that. It is therefore essential that we identify and address the skills and training needs of the workforce necessary for the long term future of the sector.”
For full details visit www. citbni.org.uk or call on 028 9082 5466.