Investing in innovation and skills gives businesses competitive edge

Date published: 24 September 2019

The Department for the Economy is encouraging local businesses to invest in the skills development of their workforce.

Pictured in Belfast are (l-r) Keelan Cambell of JMG, Graeme Wilkinson of the Department for the Economy and Tracy Rice, Chair of the FE Colleges’ Economic Engagement Working Group.
Pictured in Belfast are (l-r) Keelan Cambell of JMG, Graeme Wilkinson of the Department for the Economy and Tracy Rice, Chair of the FE Colleges’ Economic Engagement Working Group.

Delivered by the six Further Education Colleges, InnovateUs and Skills Focus are just two of the Department’s skills programmes on offer to support business development.

InnovateUs, fully funded by the Department, is a programme to help small businesses, with fewer than 50 employees, to develop innovative products, processes and services. Skills Focus provides 75 per cent funding to upskill the existing workforce with accredited qualifications at Level 2 and above, in companies of fewer than 250 employees.

Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills at DfE, said: “Skills and innovation are key to economic growth. However, the Northern Ireland Skills Barometer states that over the next decade, we will be undersupplied with appropriately skilled workers, with the largest supply gaps likely to emerge in the mid-tier skills levels. There will also be an oversupply of low-level qualifications and only 10 per cent of job opportunities will be available to individuals with a qualification level equivalent to National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 or below.

“It is imperative that we address these challenges and so by investing in skills we’re investing in the future of the Northern Ireland workforce and in the prosperity and sustainability of the local economy. Supporting companies to have a highly skilled and innovative workforce will contribute to their increased productivity, profit and sustainable growth.  

“Last year over 2,500 employees gained accredited qualifications under the Skills Focus programme while over 400 innovation projects were undertaken by small businesses through InnovateUs. These programmes show how the Department is supporting businesses to upskill, innovate and compete in the current market.”

Michael McCaul, Operations Manager at Omagh-based JMG Systems, said: “I recommend Skills Focus to other companies because we found it be to a great benefit. Our teams were able to work together on projects to solve problems in ways they had never thought of before, and this further strengthened the working relationships with each other. The individuals involved in the programme are now more proactive looking for improvement opportunities and propose these on a regular basis.”

Adrian McManus, Business Owner of Belfast company Study Buddy which produces online workbooks to help primary school children to learn English and Maths, commented: “InnovateUs has had a really good impact on my business. Right from the very first meeting it was explained to me not only what I could expect from the programme but what was expected from me. I would have no hesitation recommending InnovateUs to any organisation.”

Tracy Rice, Chair of the FE Colleges' Economic Engagement Working Group added: "The six FE Colleges, through their dedicated business support units, provide a broad spectrum of bespoke services to local industry. The Skills Focus and InnovateUs programmes enable the colleges to reach out and support SMEs with staff upskilling and retention as well as innovation and new developments. SMEs are the lifeblood of the NI economy and programmes such as these ensure businesses stay focused on productivity and growth."

Notes to editors: 

1. More information on InnovateUs and Skill Focus is available on nibusinessinfo.

2. Photo caption: Pictured in Belfast are (l-r) Keelan Cambell of JMG, Graeme Wilkinson of the Department for the Economy and Tracy Rice, Chair of the FE Colleges’ Economic Engagement Working Group.

3. A series of videos highlighting successful collaborations between FE colleges and local businesses through Skills Focus and InnovateUs are available online:

4. 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.

5. Follow us on Twitter @economy_ni

6. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on 028 9052 9604 or email pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk . Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

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