Skills challenge discussed at Stormont

7 February 2008

Last night, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, again stressed the importance of improving the skills of Northern Ireland’s workforce.

Addressing an audience of over 70 leading businessmen and MLAs at the Northern Ireland Assembly Business Trust Speaker’s Annual Dinner at Stormont the Minister said: “There is wide-spread recognition that the Department for Employment and Learning is a key player in delivering the top priority in the Executive’s Programme for Government – growing a dynamic and innovative economy. Improving the skills of Northern Ireland’s workforce is the key to us creating the type of economy envisaged by the Executive.

“The skills challenge is one that can only be met with a combined effort between Government, employers and individuals. In our necessary move towards a knowledge based economy, employers must recognise that training and further development can both increase the knowledge of their workforce and also help to increase the productivity and profitability of their companies. All of us, as individuals, must take responsibility to ensure we have the necessary skills required to work in a knowledge based economy and to be prepared to capitalise on the economic opportunities this can offer.”

The Minister outlined the role of his Department in providing a pipeline of suitably skilled people to fulfil the demands of employers.

He said: “There is often a financial incentive for our young people to leave Northern Ireland and it is very hard to attract them back. Employers must ensure that their sectors offer attractive employment opportunities to those people with suitable skills and that they make every effort to inform people about these opportunities.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust (NIABT) was established in 2002 as an independent, and self-financing educational charity, which organises programmes for Assembly Members and Business representatives to include exchanges, seminars, visits and placements.  The NIABT has the support and involvement of all the main political parties in the Assembly and of a representative group from the local business community and its mission statement is “To advance and encourage business understanding of the Assembly and Assembly Members’ understanding of business.”
  2. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.
  3. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.