WORKPLUS has launched a fresh campaign to recruit 80 apprentices across Northern Ireland in roles ranging from engineering, manufacturing and logistics to software development.
Applications for the roles - effectively a job which offers a salary as well as formal learning - will remain open until Friday February 18 at www.workplus.app
Workplus makes it easier for both employers and applicants by providing a single place for applicants to apply, as well as offering a simple, thorough selection process for employers.
Its chief executive Richard Kirk said: “For aspiring apprentices, this is about opening doors and offering excellent opportunities to launch their careers, and many of these opportunities are for all ages – young people as well as those wishing to retrain.
“An apprenticeship is about a job from the start, with continued learning and dedicated mentoring. Some of the 50 or more companies we are working with have been employing apprenticeships for many years, while others are new to recruiting apprentices.
“What connects all of them is a shared desire to offer quality apprenticeships. There are many companies who are looking again at how they’ve traditionally approached entry-level talent and are now embracing apprenticeships.”
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said: “As the economy continues to recover following the effects of the pandemic, developing the local skills base is a key priority for me and is a cornerstone of the recovery, and this campaign by Workplus is a welcome contribution towards that.”
Workplus apprentice Oscar Daly, who is doing a Higher Level Apprenticeship in software development at Instil, said: “I'm enjoying every minute of my apprenticeship. It’s hard to believe that I'm earning a salary whilst learning so many new skills both on the job and in formal education.
“The Workplus process means that you can apply for multiple roles with just one application which opens up lots of different opportunities and removes a great deal of pressure. For me, I feel like I’m in a better position by choosing an apprenticeship than I would have been if I had just gone down the standard university route.”
Workplus ambassador Evie Boreland, who began her career as an apprentice and is now a junior engineer at TetraTech: said, “An apprenticeship has been an ideal way to start my career in engineering. The mentoring and support I received as part of my apprenticeship has been fantastic and the hands-on work enhances the academic learning.”
