Train young people for industry, UUP's Carmichael urges Stormont

Mr Robert Carmichael, the East Londonderry Ulster Unionist Party Association Chairman, is urging the Stormont Executive to implement a policy whereby schools and colleges should not simply educate their pupils to only pass exams, but also help young people prepare for their life’s work.

   Speaking on behalf of the UUP association, Mr Carmichael said: “I know we are currently right in the teeth of the exams season, but there is a real need for closer integration between industry and education across Northern Ireland and that this relationship should begin at primary school level.” 

   Mr Carmichael added: “In spite of Brexit, Europe is still having an increasing role in all our lives. We need to begin in the primary schools by training all our children in a recognised European language rather than waiting until the age of 11 or 12 when they progress to grammar or secondary school. 

   “Other European nations prepare their children for a career in industry by teaching them recognised European languages from an early age. We in Northern Ireland need to do likewise to ensure that our young people can compete for jobs in an increasingly tough employment market. 

   “Similarly, the whole attitude of education in our Province needs to change and our children need to be taught that a career in a vocational industry is just as elite as a professional career in medicine, law, dentistry or the Church. 

   “The harsh reality of our current education system is that an industrial career tends to be viewed as the poor cousin compared to professional careers.

   “This attitude needs to be radically changed because a lot of our best young ‘brains’ are following professional careers rather than a career in industry.

   “Whilst the Northern Ireland grammar sector has a very credible reputation and has an important role within the Province’s education system, the Stormont Executive must assist grammar schools to increasingly adopt the attitude that vocational education for industry is just as acceptable as gaining A levels to progress and train for professional careers. 

    “Our children should not merely be educated simply to pass exams, but should also be educated for life’s work. As a consequence, we in the UUP ask the Stormont Executive to initiate a thorough examination of the entire education system in Northern Ireland from the primary schools up.

   “In this respect, primary schools also have a valuable role in the training of young people for careers in industry. We in the UUP encourage all the primary schools in the East Londonderry constituency to develop links with industry and vice versa.

   “We see this as a very worthwhile partnership for the benefit of everyone in our community,” said Mr Carmichael on behalf of the UUP association.