Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is planning a month-long focus on employability and skills in the New Year entitled Get Future Ready.
Throughout the month of February 2023, a wide selection of events, employer visits, ‘have a go’ trials, ‘look and learn’ opportunities, the annual Big Apprenticeship event and a locally focused job fair will all help give local people the chance to gain valuable experience and inspiration to explore a vast array of employment opportunities and further their careers right here in the ABC borough.
The highlight of the series, which includes over 30 events, will be the Get Future Ready: Employability and Skills conference to be held at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown on Thursday 23 February at 9.30am.
The conference will provide a platform for local employers, citizens, and community representatives, as well as stakeholders from across education, training, and employment organisations to focus the conversation on the importance of employability and skills in the borough.
Together delegates will explore and discuss innovative ways to develop a pipeline of talent aligned to local industry needs, ensuring the borough is the location of choice with employment opportunities for all – both now and in the future.
Many of the ‘have a go’ experiences including butchery, robotics, photography, science and performing arts will be held in Southern Regional College (SRC) campuses in Portadown, Lurgan, Armagh and Banbridge.
The Get Future Ready: Employability and Skills series is part of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Labour Market Partnership – and is being delivered by Banbridge District Enterprises, in partnership with SRC and with support from Craigavon Industrial Development Organisation (CIDO) and Armagh and Mayfair Business Centres.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Paul Greenfield commented:
“As the lead on the ABC Labour Market Partnership, council is delighted to team up with Banbridge District Enterprises, CIDO, Armagh Business Centre, Mayfair Business Centre, and Southern Regional College to deliver this fantastic month-long programme of employability and skills initiatives, which will not only showcase the wide variety of careers and employment pathways available in the borough but will also help create meaningful connections between local employers, residents, and students!
“In line with our Recovery and Growth Framework – which sets out a roadmap for inclusive economic growth – this initiative demonstrates council’s commitment to work collaboratively on supporting education, employment, training, and apprenticeship opportunities to help drive job creation, productivity, growth, and innovation across the ABC borough.”
Chief Executive at Southern Regional College, Brian Doran, said:
“Throughout the month, there will be a wide range of events and interactive activities to attend and take part in, providing great opportunities for individuals, students, employers, parents, teachers, and others to ‘Get Future Ready’!
“There will be options to ‘have a go’ at performing arts, photography, and virtual welding to name a few, as well as training opportunities to gain better interview techniques and confidence in the job market. Our Big Apprenticeship event on Thursday 09 February will allow local apprentice employers to speak one-to-one with attendees and their parents/guardians on the Apprenticeship and Higher Level Apprenticeship opportunities in the borough. Attendees can also hear from current and past apprentices on their journey into employment.”
Speaking on behalf of the four local enterprise agencies, Ciaran Cunningham, Chief Executive of Banbridge District Enterprises Ltd who is the leading the programme of events, offered an invitation to the many events being planned:
“One of the key dates will be the Get Future Ready Job Fair on Thursday 16 February at SRC campus in Armagh. This will see employers and potential employees get matched up, and we also have a number of employer visits arranged, providing a shop window for those seeking employment and providing inspiration for people looking to take a new career path in 2023.”
Places for each event are limited so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. More information can be found on the special online hub getfuturereadyabc.com.