Ignite Your Skills Pilot Success

New jobs have been secured by a group of adult students who obtained specialised skills training through SERC at Lagan Marine Training, Belfast. The marine training was backed up by support from SERC careers advisors who helped the students develop their approach to finding work.

The five learners were recruited onto the pilot scheme for the government’s Ignite Your Skills programme, funded by the Department for the Economy, aimed at ensuring workers have relevant skills for the modern economy and are supported in gaining employment. Ignite has four streams: Reskill, Return, Renew and Recognise.

SERC Business Services team worked with candidates on the Returner strand who were looking to pursue sea-based roles, first completing individual skills assessments to identify training needs.

The course was then externally sourced, based on the skills assessment and in line with career aspirations. Alongside training related to onboard health and safety at Lagan Marine, including Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF), Personal Survival Techniques (PST) and Crisis Management and Human Behaviours (CMHB), participants also received sessions on CVs, application forms and interview technique from SERC’s dedicated careers advisors.

The approach proved successful; it is expected that every participant will secure employment. Three have already begun jobs on leisure or fishing vessels and another is due to take up a role offshore. Companies offering employment include Cuan Marine and Vroon Offshore.

SERC Flexible Skills Manager, Debbie Scott, says “This scheme is designed to support people over 40 years of age who want to return to the workforce and who need to update their skills to do so. We know the opportunities for employment are there, and the training through the Ignite programme will ensure that there are suitably skilled candidates for those opportunities. The partnership with Lagan Marine Training has given this pilot group a good grounding and all-round preparation for applying for jobs, and the effectiveness of the training from the company and from SERC is proved by the outcome – all those on the course who are currently available for offshore work have begun or been recruited into jobs in their chosen sector.”  

It is hoped that funding will become available later this year, to build on the successful pilot and offer further bespoke training opportunities in the near future.