It’s Good News Friday as 12 NWRC Apprentices have received job offers after completing the NWRC’s Assured Skills Welding Academy!

In what has been a fantastic week for jobs in the North West, the NWRC dozen, who were among almost 200 applicants for the Academy, will now work with local companies like Fleming Agri, GES, Crossland, AE Global and SGS NI Ltd, who partnered with the College to offer paid employment for the participants.

Sinead Hawkins, Business Development Manager at NWRC’s Business Support Centre, congratulated everyone involved in the Academy, which she said has been one of the most successful to date.

“We had in excess of 190 applications for 12 places on this Academy”, she explained, “and it is encouraging to see such a high level of interest in a highly skilled area.

“It is fantastic that all 12 of our participants completed the five-week course at our Springtown Campus, followed by their two weeks of consolidation training at a North West engineering company.”

“We would like to thank all of the employers who supported the Academy, and we’d like to congratulate all the students who are taking their next steps in their exciting futures.”

“Particular thanks must go to the Department for the Economy for their support, and we cannot wait to announce details of a second similar academy soon.”

Paul McGarrigle, Curriculum Manager at NWRC Springtown, added:

“Interest in Apprenticeships in all areas continues to grow and we are regularly in contact with employers across the North West whose businesses are in urgent need of skilled workers in areas such as Fabrication and Welding, Electrical, and Carpentry and Joinery.

“Skilled welders are in high demand in our local engineering and manufacturing sector. This Academy has equipped participants with these skills, through an industry-recognised qualification, allowing them to kick-start a new career in welding.

“The welding academy offers 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 Region’s 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.”

We would like to congratulate all of the successful graduates and wish them success in their future careers!

George Fleming, Chairman of Fleming Agri Products, added:

“We are delighted to be welcoming these fantastic apprentices into our company. The Assured Skills Academy has given us prime access to some of the brightest, highly skilled young welders, and I would like to commend them on their excellent applications.

“We would like to thank the NWRC for their fantastic work building this Academy, and we look forward to seeing the outstanding things these apprentices will achieve in years to come.”