NI Traineeships are a well established pathway, equipping thousands of learners with the skills, knowledge and experience to progress into employment, apprenticeships or further study. They provide learners with a dynamic and supportive route to career success.
The NI Traineeship combines professional and technical qualifications with meaningful work placements, Essential Skills in literacy and numeracy, sector specific training and the development of valuable transversal and employability skills.
To help prospective learners explore the growing range of NI Traineeships on offer, the Further Education (FE) sector, comprising Northern Ireland's six FE Colleges, have collaborated to produce a new digital Traineeship Prospectus. This one-stop resource guides learners through all thirty-six Traineeship pathways, offering guidance on entry requirements and progression opportunities. It also includes a section specifically for parents who may have a young person considering undertaking a Traineeship.
The creation of this shared digital prospectus demonstrates the Further Education sector’s collective commitment to raising awareness and understanding of Traineeships as a high-quality route into employment and further study. By working together, Northern Ireland’s six FE Colleges are presenting a unified message about the opportunities available to learners and the important role Traineeships play in addressing skills needs across key sectors of the economy. The aim is to strengthen the profile of vocational education. This makes it easier for young people and their families to recognise the value of developing industry-relevant skills and gaining practical experience that can lead directly to sustainable careers.
Janis Scallon, Director of Further Education with the Department for the Economy, said:
“The development and launch of the new NI Traineeship Prospectus is a significant milestone in the rollout of Traineeships as the flagship FE offer at Level 2 for learners wishing to embark on a wide range of vocational careers. This is the result of sector wide collaboration and expertise and the prospectus provides a really helpful one-stop-resource for learners, parents and guardians, teachers and employers. I would strongly encourage anybody thinking about a Traineeship as a next step to check out the prospectus and reach out to your local FE college.”
Adding to this Celine McCartan, Chairperson of the Further Education Principals Group commented:
“I am delighted to welcome this prospectus, which showcases the breadth and quality of Traineeship opportunities available through our six Further Education Colleges and reflects the strong collaborative approach being taken across the sector. By bringing Level 2 vocational education routes together in one accessible digital resource, we are making it easier for learners, parents, schools and employers to explore what is available and identify the option that best matches each learner’s interests, ambitions and career goals. Traineeships provide pathways into Apprenticeships, further training and higher levels of study, while combining practical experience with recognised qualifications and the skills employers value most. They support learners to take their next step and enhance the skills needs of our economy.”