A new skills academy will take place in Co Armagh in the coming weeks to help address the growing shortage of welders in Northern Ireland.
The Southern Regional College (SRC) is collaborating with six companies - BM Steel, O’Hare Steel and Exact Group (all from Newry), SFM Engineering (Keady), Alternative Heat (Banbridge) and Dawson Manufacturing & Engineering (Craigavon) - to offer 12 people the opportunity to receive industry-standard welding skills.
Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the academy will see successful applicants receive six weeks’ intensive training at SRC’s training facility in Portadown, where they will study City & Guilds Level 2 MIG welding qualification.
Applicants require no experience or qualifications, and participants who successfully complete the training course will be guaranteed a job interview.
It comes amid an acute shortage of the specialism in the UK, where the number of welders has plummeted by a quarter in the last five years, due to an aging workforce, with nearly half of the country’s welders expected to retire by 2027.
The Construction Skills Network (CSN) estimates that 36,000 new welding jobs will be created by 2027, but it is believed several thousand more will be needed to reach net zero.
Indeed the continued shortage of skilled welders is becoming a pressing concern, casting a shadow on the robust machinery and manufacturing sectors that rely heavily on this specialised skill set.
Stormont economy minister Conor Murphy said: “This academy is an excellent opportunity for those who are just starting out on their career journey as well as for those who wish to retrain or return to the workforce.
“The engineering sector is hugely important to our local economy. People with welding skills are in high demand in our engineering and manufacturing sector, as demonstrated by the number of local companies supporting this academy.
“This is an opportunity to receive industry standard welding training that will provide the skills to take up potential welding roles with companies in Newry and the surrounding area, and I urge all who are interested to apply.”
Lee Campbell, principal and chief executive of Southern Regional College, added: “This comprehensive and intensive six-week welding programme offers participants industry recognised certification and a direct pathway to employment. By bridging the skills gap and enhancing employability, we’re not just training welders – we’re igniting careers and fuelling our local economy.”
Participants, who must be 18 to apply, will receive a weekly training allowance of £175 for the duration of the academy, as well as help with travel and childcare costs.
More information on the academy and how to apply can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/welding-academy-southern-regional-college, and the online application form must be completed by noon on Friday September 13.
