NI skills scheme aims to reach 20,000 young people

A MAJOR new scheme will see more than 20,000 Northern Ireland students getting educated in a range of skills to help improve their employability.

Barclays has launched the new partnership with Business in the Community NI to support the delivery of its UKwide LifeSkills programme.

The free scheme, aimed at 11 to 24-year-olds, aims to “inspire, educate and empower young people, by giving them access to employability skills to support the transition from education to work”. It hopes to reach 21,000 students over the next two years.

Barclays head of corporate banking in Northern Ireland, Adrian Doran, said: “Over the last four years, Barclays staff here have been delivering the LifeSkills programme with some tremendous feedback and results.

“However, it has always been our ambition to grow this and extend its reach into the areas we know are in greatest need of this kind of practical, hands-on support. The new partnership with Business in the Community means we can scale up to a whole new level. We will provide direct engagement with more than 10,000 young people a year and deliver tried and tested curriculum-based teaching resources to support educators working with students right across Northern Ireland, with a focus on the 20% most deprived communities.”

Kieran Harding, managing director of Business in the Community NI, said: “This programme aligns directly with our Education and Jobs campaign, seeking to inspire young people and support them to be ready for the world of work.”