Dodds announces new Assured Skills Welding Academy at North West Regional College

Date published: 18 January 2021

Economy Minister Diane Dodds has announced a new Assured Skills Academy for welding at North West Regional College.

Economy Minister Diane Dodds
Economy Minister Diane Dodds

The Assured Skills Academy will see 12 successful applicants receive industry-standard welding training during a five-week course at the college’s Springtown campus, followed by two-weeks of consolidation training at one of four engineering companies in the north west area. Participants who complete the Academy are guaranteed an interview for a welding positon at one of the companies.

Highlighting the opportunity, the Minister said:

“I am very pleased to announce this Assured Skills Academy in welding is open for applications.

“People with welding skills are in high demand in our local engineering and manufacturing sector. This Assured Skills Academy will equip participants with these skills, through an industry-recognised qualification, and position them very strongly to kick-start a new career in welding.”

The Minister added:

“Participants will receive £150 per week training allowance, travel expenses and, where eligible, assistance with childcare costs. I urge anyone who is interested to apply.”

Participants on the Academy will receive a level 2 City & Guilds introductory welding skills qualification award on completion of the course. No experience in welding is required to apply.

Paul McGarrigle, Curriculum Manager at North West Regional College, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for new fresh talent to progress in the industry by addressing the skills shortage. This will have a positive impact on the North West City Regions local economy by feeding into local business anchors. We are committed to providing a skills guarantee for a post-Covid economy and future labour market.”

Training will be delivered at North West Regional College’s Springtown Road campus, Londonderry, from Monday 1 March to Friday 2 April. Two weeks’ consolidation training in a working environment will take place Monday 12 April to Friday 23 April. Training will be full-time, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

More information on the North West Regional College Assured Skills Welding Academy, and details of how to apply, are available on nidirect

Applications close at noon on Friday 12 February

The Assured Skills Academy will see 12 successful applicants receive industry-standard welding training during a five-week course at the college’s Springtown campus, followed by two-weeks of consolidation training at one of four engineering companies in the north west area. Participants who complete the Academy are guaranteed an interview for a welding positon at one of the companies.

Highlighting the opportunity, the Minister said:

“I am very pleased to announce this Assured Skills Academy in welding is open for applications.

“People with welding skills are in high demand in our local engineering and manufacturing sector. This Assured Skills Academy will equip participants with these skills, through an industry-recognised qualification, and position them very strongly to kick-start a new career in welding.”

The Minister added:

“Participants will receive £150 per week training allowance, travel expenses and, where eligible, assistance with childcare costs. I urge anyone who is interested to apply.”

Participants on the Academy will receive a level 2 City & Guilds introductory welding skills qualification award on completion of the course. No experience in welding is required to apply.

Paul McGarrigle, Curriculum Manager at North West Regional College, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for new fresh talent to progress in the industry by addressing the skills shortage. This will have a positive impact on the North West City Regions local economy by feeding into local business anchors. We are committed to providing a skills guarantee for a post-Covid economy and future labour market.”

Training will be delivered at North West Regional College’s Springtown Road campus, Londonderry, from Monday 1 March to Friday 2 April. Two weeks’ consolidation training in a working environment will take place Monday 12 April to Friday 23 April. Training will be full-time, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

More information on the North West Regional College Assured Skills Welding Academy, and details of how to apply, is available at on the nidirect Assured Skills page 

Applications close at noon on Friday 12 February.

Notes to editors: 

  1. The participating companies are:
    • AE Global Ltd, Maydown
    • Fleming Agri-Products Ltd, Newbuildings
    • SGS NI Ltd, Eglinton
    • EMES Ltd, Londonderry
  2. Assured Skills is a pre-employment training programme run by the Department for the Economy. More information is available at on Assured Skills page of this 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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