A NEW skills initiative in Northern Ireland — a first for the UK — will help local companies maximise their training and development opportunities, according to industry leaders.
Speaking at the launch of the Skills Hub, Robert Cooper, CEO of Harland and Wolff, said the scheme was a ‘win-win’ solution for employers and employees.
The objective of a Skills Hub is to enable employers to facilitate the secondment of highly skilled members of staff to other organisations and SMEs in the surrounding area.
This project encourages employers to share skills, offer work experience and practical ideas that will assist capacity issues, improve staff development and retention, allowing more efficient deployment of people and skills. The launch follows a successful pilot in Ballymena.
Mr Cooper said: “Employers stand to benefit from a wide range of activities through Skills Exchange NI, such as knowledge sharing, skill development and retention, role placement, work experience, resource sharing, training and business mentoring. It is a win-win for both employer and employee.”
The Hub is being funded by Dunbia, Harland & Wolff, JTI, Michelin, Moy Park, Northern Regional College, Ulster Bank and Wright Bus, allowing smaller SMEs and others to benefit from the skills exchange free of charge.
Four regional online hubs — focusing on the north east, north west, south east and south west — will be centred in Londonderry, Belfast, Craigavon and Ballymena.
Skill Exchange NI is the brainchild of Skill Exchange UK which is now aiming to roll out similar hubs across the rest of the UK.
Further information is available at www.skillexchangeuk.org. Philip Flaxton, chief executive of Skill Exchange, said: “Skill Exchange NI provides a regional strategy which allows the entire employer community an extended umbrella to access opportunities without location barriers.”
Employment Minister Stephen Farry said: “Increased skill levels help firms adapt more quickly and effectively to change, and this in turn gives them more confidence to invest, innovate, seek out new markets and to expand.”