More than 30 individuals have been recruited thanks to Belfast Metropolitan College’s Public/Private ICT Apprenticeship Pilot.
The scheme, involving government and a number of local ICT employers, has seen 32 individuals recruited as apprentices and taking up various software development and IT infrastructure roles in both the public and private sector.
Attending the celebratory event at the college were Employment and Learning Minister Dr. Stephen Farry and Finance and Personnel Minister Sammy Wilson.
Minister Farry said: “The ICT sector is of critical importance to the growth of the Northern Ireland economy and to achieving the aims set out in the Northern Ireland Economic Strategy. The recent launch of the ICT Action Plan and the creation of this collaborative scheme indicate how committed government, local employers and education and training providers are to working together to support the growth of the local ICT sector.”
Speaking of the importance of apprenticeships to the local economy and the review he recently announced, the Minister added: “There is a clear need to invest in higher level skills across a broad front to meet these changing needs. For that reason I have recently announced a review of apprenticeships and youth training in Northern Ireland, so that the training opportunities on offer closely match the needs of the economy and equip our young people with economically relevant skills and qualifications.”
The apprentices have completed a training ‘boot camp’ which has enabled them to achieve a vendor qualification and ensure they are effective in their new roles.
They are now released one day a week to attend off-the-job training at Belfast Metropolitan College and follow an ICT apprenticeship framework.
Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Curriculum at Belfast Met, Justin Edwards said: “Belfast Met is proud to deliver training for this exciting and timely ICT Apprenticeship scheme having positioned ICT as one of the key areas of our curriculum strategy. We work collaboratively with employers and ICT sector stakeholders to provide industry agreed training and Apprenticeships that contribute to economic growth, enhance the local skill base and address skill shortages. Once again we are delighted to be supporting the local ICT sector in facing the challenge to recruit enough people to sustain growth in this diverse sector. We are excited that pathways such as Apprenticeships widen access to jobs and assist in meeting the sector’s demand for a supply of world class ICT professionals.”