Dodds announces 3,000 funded online training places

Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 3,000 free online training places for people whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.

Representing an investment of £4.6million, the courses will have a focus on digital skills and be delivered by the local colleges and universities.

Encouraging people to apply, the Minister said: “I am keenly aware of the impact Covid-19 has had on the employment of so many people across a wide range of sectors. These 3,000 online training places will provide people with the opportunity to upskill and reskill, enabling them to pursue a career in what are growing local sectors.

“Developing the skills of our people right across Northern Ireland is a key priority for me as we begin the process of rebuilding our economy. This investment builds on my previous announcement in June of £1.7million for online training places and I am determined to keep skills at the centre of our long term strategic plans.

“Courses will be available from both further and higher education institutions and I urge anyone who is eligible to access this free training.”

To find out more about the courses on offer at South Eastern Regional College (SERC)  interested candidates should send an expression of interest, stating the course they are interested in, including their telephone number, to Debbie Scott by email at: DScott@serc.ac.uk.

Green Technologies, Engineering and Manufacturing

• SIEMENS - SMSCP (SIEMENS 1, Level 3)
• Electrical Upskilling (SERC, Level 4)
• MLP Heat Pump Installation Maintenance & Servicing (LCL Awards, Level 3)
• MLP Green Technologies – Zero Carbon House (LCL Awards Level 3 and City & Guilds Level 3)
• MLP Electrical Vehicle Charging (LCL Awards, Level 3)
• MLP Gas Safety & Anaerobic Digestion (LCL Awards, Level 3)

Digital

• Computerised Accounts (IAB, Level 2)
• Using Spreadsheets (City & Guilds, Level 2)
• Word Processing Software (City & Guilds, Level 2)
• Data Management Software (City & Guilds, Level 2)
• Using Emails (City & Guilds, Level 2)
• Presentation Software (City & Guilds, Level 2)
• Social Media (OCN, Level 2)

Other

• Food Hygiene (RSPH, Level 2)
• Risk Assessment (Safe Cert, Level 2)
• Infection Control (SERC, Level 2)
• Leadership & Management (CMI, Level 5)
• Leadership & Management (ILM, Level 3)
• Project Management (CMI, Level 3)

Graduate placement and women returners

The Department for the Economy is also supporting a range of bespoke schemes to support graduate placements and women returners, through a mixture of online training, provided by one of the six Further Education Colleges or Ulster University, with a placement at an employer to support growth, development and recovery.

• Future Leaders Graduate Management Programme

Applicants should apply at https://www.serc.ac.uk/Future-Leaders-Graduate-Management-Programme by 12 noon on 12 October 2020 and forward CV to  futureleaders@collaborateni.ac.uk 

• Graduate Digital Futures – Data Analytics

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/free-short-term-courses-improve-skills 

Caption:

Pictured above with the Economy Minister at Southern Regional College’s Banbridge campus are: Professor Brian Murphy, Ulster University, Professor David Jones, Queen's University, Belfast, John D'Arcy, National Director for the Open University in Northern Ireland, Brian Doran, Chief Executive and Principal of Southern Regional College and Ken Webb, Chair of the FE Colleges' Principals' Group and Principal and Chief Executive of South Eastern Regional College.