Skilled Workforce Essential to Compete in Global Economy
Developing a skilled workforce will be the key to Northern Ireland’s economic development in the next 10 years.
That was the message from Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Employment and Learning, when she met representatives of 40 local organisations who recently achieved the Investors in People Standard.
Paying tribute to their efforts, during a presentation ceremony at Hillsborough Castle today, Mrs McGinley said:
“The Investors in People programme has already demonstrated the twin benefits to local employers of equipping people with the knowledge, skills and ability to do their job, while reaping the benefits of improved performance and increased business volume.
“What you have achieved signals a very clear commitment to workforce development, is a promising sign for the local economy and should serve as an example to other Northern Ireland employers.”
Referring to her attendance at yesterday’s first major Skills Conference in Belfast, Aideen McGinley concluded:
“In the keynote speech on the strategic agenda for skills, training, education and science, the vital contribution that the Investors in People programme was making and would make in the future, was highlighted. As exemplars of best practice, your proactivity and commitment to workforce development is the bedrock upon which Northern Ireland can build a world class economy.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Investors in People is a business improvement tool that helps organisations to compete and succeed through improved people performance. The framework is designed to help organisations develop the knowledge and skills of their people so that what they can do is what the business needs them to do. A new version of the Standard, designed to meet the changing needs of business and industry, was launched on 17 November 2004 and came into effect in January 2005.
The organisations receiving Awards as Investors in People during this special ceremony were:
| Organisation | Location |
|---|---|
| Ark Housing Association | Belfast |
| Ashbrook Private Nursing & Residential Home | Dungannon |
| Belfast City Council – Chief Executive’s Directorate | Belfast |
| Belfast City Council – Indoor Tennis Centre & Ozone Complex | Belfast |
| Belfast Community Housing Association | Belfast |
| Belfast Institute – Business & Management | Belfast |
| Belfast Institute – Continuing Education | Belfast |
| Belfast Institute – General Education | Belfast |
| Cambridge House Grammar School | Ballymena |
| Campbells Chemists | Belfast |
| Centra – Kells | Kells |
| Centra Moat Filling Station, | Donaghadee |
| Clanmil Housing Association | Belfast |
| Clements (Bean Machine) | Belfast |
| Council for the Homeless (NI) | Belfast |
| HEAT Ltd | Belfast |
| Hughes Christensen | Belfast |
| Integrated Marketing Management (IMM) | Dungannon |
| Johnston Campbell Limited | Belfast |
| Leonard Cheshire (NI) | Belfast |
| Maypole Interiors | Newry |
| McDonald’s SuperValu | Craigavon |
| Morrow’s SuperValu | Lurgan |
| Moy Park Ltd – Agriculture Processing Division | Dungannon |
| Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC) | Belfast |
| Northern Ireland Sales & Distribution Team | Portadown |
| Odyssey Arena | Belfast |
| Phab (NI) Independent Living | Belfast |
| Shankill Leisure Centre | Belfast |
| Southern Group Building Control | Craigavon |
| St Columba’s Primary & Nursery School | Coleraine |
| St Eugene’s College | Fermanagh |
| SuperValu Comber | Comber |
| SuperValu Kings Road | Belfast |
| Swail’s Pharmacy | Dungannon |
| Translink – Human Resources Division | Belfast |
| Training for Women Network Ltd | Belfast |
| Tullyherron Developments Ltd | Lurgan |
| Turkington Holdings Ltd | Portadown |
| YouthNet | Belfast |
Media enquiries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.