Apprenticeships

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Employment and Learning – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:00 pm on 9 February 2016.

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Photo of Stephen Farry Stephen Farry Alliance 2:00, 9 February 2016

I very much concur with what the Member is suggesting. It is important that we establish apprenticeships as a pathway with the same parity of esteem as the more traditional routes into college or university. Indeed, an apprenticeship will often be combined with college or university support, depending on the type of apprenticeship and the level at which it is offered. We should not see a hierarchy, whereby, for example, in the case of A levels, people who do not get into university then consider an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships have to be seen as being on a par. That is why we are developing a central service. We are trying to develop a portal that will market apprenticeship opportunities to young people. We are reforming the careers and guidance policy in Northern Ireland so as to ensure that we have a much more modern system, and one informed by where the opportunities lie in our economy.

We need to get the message out that people can often reach even greater heights, in society and where they are in the economy, through going down the apprenticeship route rather than the more traditional and familiar route. As the Member suggests, it is important that we convince parents of that change in approach. It is a much more lucrative approach, for the individual and for the economy as a whole.