New PwC NI Assured Skill Academy Announced

A new PwC NI Assured Skill Academy, offering 20 high quality training places, has been announced by the Department for the Economy.

The Professional Services Academy, funded by the Department, is open to people with at least a Level 5 qualification (Higher National Diploma or Foundation Degree).

Delivered by Belfast Metropolitan College, the Academy is an eight week pre-employment intensive training course in areas such as Financial Crime, Compliance Testing, Customer Management, PMO Services and Business Operations. Successful participants who complete the training will have the opportunity to gain industry-recognised qualifications.

Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills Strategy at the Department for the Economy said: "I am pleased to welcome another Assured Skills Academy with PwC NI and Belfast Met. This is an excellent opportunity for people to gain in-demand skills that will help to kickstart their career in a growing sector.

"Developing the local skills base is a key element of our economic recovery. Assured Skills Academies have a very strong track record of success in upskilling people and helping them secure employment."

Deborah Stevenson, Operate People Lead at PwC NI, added: "We are delighted to continue our support for the Professional Services Assured Skills Academy in collaboration with Belfast Met and the Department for the Economy. We're committed to investing in and growing local talent here in Northern Ireland and are so proud that the Academies have given hundreds of talented young people and career changers access to exceptional training across a range of skills and areas."

The Assured Skills Academy will cover a range of areas including project management, business analysis, commercial awareness, financial accounting, Microsoft and Google tools, data visualisation and design thinking.

Training is likely to be a blend of onsite and online learning and successful applicants will require appropriate IT access in order to link to the online tuition.

NIHE Urged To End Ongoing Pay Dispute

The management of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has been urged to end the long-running industrial action currently underway from many of its maintenance workers.

East Belfast Ulster Unionist MLA and Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen made the call after hearing that the dispute has since left thousands of important repairs undone.

Mr Allen said: "The Northern Ireland Housing Executive direct labour organisation workforce, who provide an essential maintenance service for thousands of NIHE homes across Northern Ireland, have been on strike since last year over an ongoing pay dispute with little sign of a resolution.

"I have engaged regularly with the workforce and their representatives throughout which it has been clear that they would much prefer to be in work, as usual, delivering a vital and much-needed maintenance service rather than being out on strike.

"The issue has been allowed to run on for far too long and it's now having a knock-on impact on Housing Executive tenants. The Department for Communities, as well as the NIHE, will have been in no doubt from the very start that the longer it took to find a resolution the harder it would be to clear the backlog.

"Yet apart from occasional statements that they remain committed to try to end the dispute I've seen no real willingness from either the Department or the Housing Executive to secure a swift agreement.

"I would therefore urge the NIHE Chief Executive Grainia Long and her senior management team to proactively bring to an end this industrial action.

"Whilst there is no doubt the ongoing political stalemate at Stormont is hampering progress, there should be no reason as to why officials can't be working at pace in the background with trade unions to try to find even the broad terms of a deal."

New Non-Executive Chair Sought For NIFRS

The Department of Health has announced that it is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Chair to the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS).

The Board of NIFRS comprises the Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, a Non-Executive Chair and 10 other Non-Executive Members appointed by the Department.

Peter May, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health, said: “The role of NIFRS Chair is both challenging and rewarding. This is an exceptional opportunity for a person with effective leadership skills to share their talents and expertise to make a positive difference to the lives of people in Northern Ireland."

The deadline for receipt of applications is 12:00 noon BST Friday 31 March 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.