Coleraine and Ballymoney students among first recipients of NI Traineeships recognised at Stormont event

Two Causeway Coast students were among the 30 young people recognised as the first recipients of a Northern Ireland Traineeship at a ceremony in Stormont.
By Una Culkin
Published 6th Dec 2023, 09:59 GMT
Updated 6th Dec 2023, 09:59 GMT
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The new NI Traineeships enable school-leavers and adults to gain a qualification equivalent to five GCSEs (Level 2), while also gaining valuable work experience in the sector they are interested in. The students were recognised for exceptional progress, personal achievement, and their commitment to completing the Traineeship.

Among five Northern Regional College students who were among the first cohort from Northern Ireland to complete a NI Traineeship were Josh Mullan and Cody Liken from Coleraine and Jason White from Ballymoney.

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Josh and Cody, who are both studying at the College’s Coleraine and Ballymoney campus, joined representatives from the five other FE Colleges at a special event at Stormont to recognise their success.

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Pictured with Louise Watson, Director of Further Education, Department for the Economy (L) is (R): Josh Mullan who completed a Traineeship in Engineering. Credit Kelvin BoyesPictured with Louise Watson, Director of Further Education, Department for the Economy (L) is (R): Josh Mullan who completed a Traineeship in Engineering. Credit Kelvin Boyes
Pictured with Louise Watson, Director of Further Education, Department for the Economy (L) is (R): Josh Mullan who completed a Traineeship in Engineering. Credit Kelvin Boyes

Josh completed an Engineering NI Traineeship and has since progressed to do a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Engineering. As an apprentice engineer, Josh spends one day each week in College and the other four days with his employer Hutchinson Engineering, Kilrea. Josh said he enjoyed doing the traineeship and would encourage school leavers to consider this option: “Thanks to the traineeship, I was able to progress and I am now doing my Level 3 apprenticeship training in Engineering at Northern Regional College.

“The traineeship has given me great training and an opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. I am developing these further by doing a Level 3 Apprenticeship at the College. At first, I wasn’t sure if a Traineeship would be for me because they had just been introduced but now I would say to anyone thinking about doing a traineeship to just do it.” Cody completed a Motor Vehicle traineeship and is now employed with a local garage in Kilrea.

Some 2,400 people are now studying on a NI Traineeship programme through their local FE college. The programme was introduced in 2021 to offer a new accessible route to further study and employment, including Higher Education and apprenticeships. The Traineeships are available across 27 professions and are funded by the Department for the Economy, in line with its 10X Economic Vision and associated Skills Strategy.

Related topics:Northern Regional CollegeColeraine