Current Focus
Automotive Glazing Project
With the introduction of PAS125 regulations into the Automotive Glazing industry the lack of training provision in Northern Ireland became even more evident. Proskills have secured funding from the Sectoral Development Branch of the Department of Employment & Learning to run a small pilot to put eight Technicians through NVQ Level 2 in Automotive Glazing. This will increase the number of qualified Technicians but more importantly increase the availability of approved centres to deliver these NVQ’s in Northern Ireland.
This project is also a good example of where Proskills seeks to work in partnership with other SSC’s as IMI (SSC for the Motor Vehicle Industry) collaborated with Proskills on this project.
Breaking down barriers to accessing ApprenticeshipsNI in the Extractives Industry
A proposed new programme to improve basic skills contextualised to the Extractives industry has been developed called STEP UP – Skills for the Quarry Product Industry.
The Extractives & Building Products industries recognises that poor skills in English and Maths can hold back employees from progressing within their career. However industry representatives have cited the rigid framework for delivery of Essential Skills often followed in Northern Ireland as creating a barrier to the uptake of Essential Skills for themselves but also of hampering entry into the wider ApprenticeshipsNI programme.
In response to these concerns Proskills and South West College went into partnership to try to develop some creative solutions to reduce barriers to accessing Essential Skills provision. Funding was secured from the Department of Employment & Learning to develop an industry specific tailored diagnostic and contextualised materials.
Building on strong links with the Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland (QPANI) and our own employer links Proskills in Northern Ireland now wishes to consult with employers regarding this new way of delivering Essential Skills to see how we can make it fit their needs even more closely.
The programme will be presented to employers for consultation on 20 September 2010 at 2pm in South West College, Dungannon.
Following consultation with employers we aim to pilot the programme by securing 40 employees to undertake the STEP UP programme. The programme will be delivered on site with little or no time required away from the workplace and will be free of charge.
The programme begins with a tailored diagnostic to identify specific areas of numeracy and/or literacy that employees need to brush up on and then learning is planned to meet these identified gaps. All learning materials have been contextualised to the industry so learners will be developing practical skills for the industry that are instantly transferable and that the learner will feel comfortable with.
Employers have listed the Essential Skills requirements under the ApprenticeshipsNI programme as a major barrier to them availing of this fully funded opportunity to upskill their existing workforce. The STEP UP programme leads to recognised qualifications that will meet the requirements for exemption from the Essential Skills requirements under the ApprenticeshipsNI programme, so it could be used as a pre-Apprenticeship pathway.
Proskills also hope that, if this pilot within the Extractives industry is successful, this may be an exemplar model which can be developed for other industries with a view to increasing the uptake of Essential Skills and in turn Apprenticeships across the whole Proskills industry footprint.
Waste Management, Environment & Sustainability Training in Northern Ireland
This project has come to successful completion with the formal launch of the website portal planned for 6 October 2010. In the meantime to get a flavour of this fantastic resource check out: www.niquarryportal.com
The objective of the project was to raise the skills and knowledge of site managers, supervisors and employees on the impact of their business operations on the Environment and in terms of , Energy usage and Social effects.
Two courses have been developed by South West College targeting different levels of management working within the Extractives Industry:
- Implementing Sustainability into Industry
This course is designed for middle management and is focused on the practical application of sustainability in industry and the dissemination of sustainability information and guidance to staff on the shop floor by the middle manager through toolbox talks. The programme runs over four half day or evening sessions.
- Sustainability for Senior Managers
The senior management course is a 1-day course which includes a definition of sustainability, how it impacts on their business, the benefits it offers, what senior managers are required to do and how to plan and implement sustainability targets.
The underlying aim of the project is to make the Extractives industry think and operate differently by adopting an impact assessment method of becoming more sustainable both in its production of construction materials and also in its consumption of natural resources.
Manufacturing Skills Alliance aims to strengthen manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland
Work is on-going to try to improve development of key skills within manufacturing. This project is a partnership between all SSC’s involved in manufacturing and is working on a District Council basis to try to promote existing development opportunities available to the wider manufacturing sector, such as developing management & leadership skills and investing in Business Improvement training.
Northern Ireland Action Plan
The work of Proskills in Northern Ireland is scrutinised by the Department of Employment & Learning to ensure we are meeting our obligations under our Sector Skills Agreement. This work is detailed in our local Action Plan.
NI Action plan can be found here
Print Media Diploma
There is currently no provision for 16-19 year olds pre-employment training in the print industry in NI. To try to bridge this gap in provision Proskills secured funding from the Department of Employment & Learning to work in partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College to establish the scope and demand for the development of such a qualification.
As always Proskills works to ensure that any learning provision and qualifications meet the needs of employers so the College were engaged to carry out detailed qualitative research with Print Industry employers in Northern Ireland to establish demand for a Print Media qualification and to hone requirements.
The basic model proposed for a Diploma in Print Media consists of three 12 week blocks – two college based blocks interspersed with a work-based placement. The proposed course modules are:
- Module 1: Introduction to Print Media Industries
- Module 2: Technology for Print Media Production
- Module 3: Introduction to Print Media Markets
- Module 4: Print Production
- Module 6: Print Media Production Project
- Module 5: Digital Graphics for Print
This project also identified that there was little focus in the Northern Ireland curriculum on print or design related skills for young people under age of 16 so Proskills hopes long-term to develop qualifications which improve knowledge of the industry and to develop the foundation skills required for a career in it for 14-16 year old.