Electrical skills development boost for Antrim and Newtownabbey firms

The borough council has agreed to support the delivery of the training programme in partnership with Horizon Engineering.

An officer’s report to the council has advised that the continued development of the right type of business skills is a “critical aspect of local recovery from the negative economic impacts of Covid-19”.

The report has stated that Antrim and Newtownabbey is believed to be the sixth most negatively impacted local authority in Northern Ireland  by the pandemic with economic forecasts predicting a productivity drop in the borough by just over a third.

According to the Department for Communities, there are 7,940 people across the borough claiming Universal Credit.

Newtownabbey Foodbank has reported that demand for its service has more than tripled since the Covid pandemic began. Read here

Project manager Daniel Black says that the foodbank has helped more than 16,000 people from all walks of life since it was established in 2015.

Speaking at a meeting of the borough council on Monday evening, Glengormley Ulster Unionist Alderman Mark Cosgrove said that he was “very happy to second” the pilot electrical engineering programme proposal.

He added: “The potential of this type of scheme from an employment perspective, from a skills perspective, from a centre of excellence is very significant. This is us dipping our toe in for a relatively minor sum.

“There is tremendous potential involved in this.”

Antrim and Newtownabbey Mayor, Councillor Jim Montgomery said: “This looks to be a very interesting pilot scheme.”

Meanwhile, research by Ulster University Economic Policy Centre identifies young people aged 16 to 24 as being a most vulnerable group and recommended apprenticeships, additional education and digital skills as being “key to providing alternative sustainable employment”.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

--

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you.