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Apprentices are our Bedrock - Empey

1 April 2009

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, has defended his Department’s support of apprentices during the recession and has claimed that they are the bedrock of a more robust economy.

The Minister said: “We are all aware of how hard businesses and industries are being hit in Northern Ireland.  We are hearing, almost on a daily basis, of companies making people redundant and, unfortunately, apprentices are not immune to this global downturn.  

“In the three priority skills areas, construction, engineering and motor vehicle, there have been 303 apprenticeship redundancies.  Of these, almost half are continuing training as a direct result of measures put in place by my Department.   

“It is understandable that companies are employing fewer apprentices during this difficult time and I want to commend those companies who are working with us to provide alternative employment for apprentices.  It is even more of an achievement then that my Department has reached its target to have 10,000 persons in apprenticeship training, a year early.”

The Minister continued: “There are a range of options available to those apprentices who are made redundant including: providing re-evaluating their options with career advice and guidance; continuing their training in a further education college; joining a pre-apprentice programme if they are aged 16 – 18 years of age, or, if they are over 18, joining the Steps to Work programme.  In addition, my officials are continuing to work with employers on the ‘fostering’ scheme I recently launched whereby apprentices who were made redundant could continue their training in a ‘foster’ organisation; however the downturn has reduced the number of these opportunities.  

“I have consistently made it clear that we must make every effort to ensure that our apprentices are provided with the support they need to be able to finish their training.  I make no apology for exploring every path to find ways of supporting them and I will continue to do so.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. To date, there have been 1,265 early leavers from apprenticeship training schemes.  These are not all due to redundancy, as there are many reasons why people decide not to continue their training.  
  2. In the three priority areas, of the 303 apprentices made redundant, 24 have found alternative employment and are continuing their apprenticeship, 16 have found alternative non-apprenticeship employment, five have returned to the previous employer and are continuing training, 16 have moved into Further Education, 49 are now registered with the Pre-apprenticeship programme of Training for Success and 26 are with the Steps to Work programme. 157 are recorded as unemployed.
  3. All media enquiries to Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on telephone 028 9025 7872.  Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.