BELFAST-based Workplus, which develops talent through apprenticeships, has been awarded £40,000 from Innovate UK’s Fast Start competition to help businesses adapting to Covid-19 to develop talent through apprenticeships.
The funding is part of a £40 million government investment through Research and Innovation UK for cutting-edge start-ups to drive forward new technological advances to focus on the needs of society and industries during and following the pandemic.
It comes in the wake of a report from Ulster University finding that the economic damage of the coronavirus crisis will hit young workers hardest, and youth unemployment - a cohort which includes the bulk of apprentices - could jump from 8 per cent to 26 per cent
The funding will be used to help businesses explore apprenticeships as a way of finding new talent or upskilling existing employees.
It will also allow Workplus to invest in its platform and support a recruitment campaign in January to help employers across the UK and Ireland find new apprentices.
Workplus’ founder and chief executive Richard Kirk said: “The Innovate UK funding will help us support businesses as they emerge from the initial shock of Covid-19, as well as providing opportunities for young people who are so much at risk from the fall-out of the pandemic.
“Apprenticeships are the best way for businesses to find and develop new talent and they are vital to our economic recovery in the medium to long term.”
Meanwhile economy minister Diane Dodds has confirmed a new remote learning FinTrU Assured Skills Academy offering 20 high quality training places.
Participants will receive industry-relevant pre-employment training from Belfast Met and Ulster University over four weeks, and those who successfully complete the academy are guaranteed an interview for a role at FinTrU.
The entire process will be fully remote – recruitment to the Academy, delivery of training and any subsequent employment with FinTrU, until such times as the company returns to accommodating people onsite.
Sinead Carville, chief human resources officer at FinTrU, said: “This is our 20th financial services academy, which represents a fantastic opportunity for those embarking on their professional journey or looking for a change in career to an exciting industry.”
The Academy will start on Monday August 3 and run for four weeks.
