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  • Dodds announces 3,000 funded online training places

    Topics:
    • Further education, 
    • Higher education

    Date published: 5 October 2020

    Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 3,000 free online training places for people whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.

    Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 3,000 free online training places for people whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.
    Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 3000 free online training places for people whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.

    Representing an investment of £4.6million, the courses will have a focus on digital skills and be delivered by the local colleges and universities.

    Encouraging people to apply, the Minister said:

    “I am keenly aware of the impact Covid-19 has had on the employment of so many people across a wide range of sectors. These 3,000 online training places will provide people with the opportunity to upskill and reskill, enabling them to pursue a career in what are growing local sectors.

    “Developing the skills of our people right across Northern Ireland is a key priority for me as we begin the process of rebuilding our economy. This investment builds on my previous announcement in June of £1.7million for online training places and I am determined to keep skills at the centre of our long term strategic plans.

    “Courses will be available from both further and higher education institutions and I urge anyone who is eligible to access this free training.”

    The courses will be delivered online, except where there is a technical aspect which requires face-to-face learning.

    More details of the courses available and how to access them are available from NI Direct

    Notes to editors:

    1. Photo caption: Pictured with the Economy Minister at Southern Regional College’s Banbridge campus are: Professor Brian Murphy, Ulster University, Professor David Jones, Queen's University, Belfast, John D'Arcy, National Director for the Open University in Northern Ireland, Brian Doran, Chief Executive and Principal of Southern Regional College and Ken Webb, Chair of the FE Colleges' Principals' Group.
    2. The Department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the Department’s internal records management system. The Department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The Department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
    3. Follow us on Twitter @Economy_NI
    4. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office at pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk .
    5. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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