Qualifications, Apprenticeships and training for young people in Northern Ireland - next steps for policy

Guests of Honour: Stephen Farry MLA, Minister for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland Executive; John Baird, Assistant Chief Inspector, Education and Training Inspectorate and Richard Hanna, Interim Chief Executive, CCEA

This seminar will be a timely opportunity to consider the future of post-14 education and training for young people in Northern Ireland, including qualifications reform, Apprenticeships and other training schemes. It will follow the Review of Youth Training - due to be published in Spring - as well as the recently released Review of Apprenticeships interim report whose recommendations included; changes to apprenticeship funding; the new requirement for apprenticeships to be at least Level 3 and a minimum of two years; and the introduction of Higher Apprenticeship programmes of degree equivalency.

Delegates will also discuss the future shape of the qualifications system in Northern Ireland in light of the proposals made in the recent CCEA Review including the impact of ending the 3-country model for examinations, and the call for a wider 14-19 strategy which encompasses vocational qualifications.

We are delighted that Stephen Farry MLA, Minister for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland Executive; John Baird, Assistant Chief Inspector, Education and Training Inspectorate andRichard Hanna, Interim Chief Executive, CCEA have agreed to deliver keynote addresses at this seminar.

Further confirmed speakers include: Gerard Campbell, Chief Executive, Colleges NI; Professor Ellen Douglas-Cowie, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education and Students), Queen's University Belfast;Kathleen Gormley, Principal, Hazelwood Integrated College; Ian Jeffers, Northern Ireland Director, Prince's Trust; Stephen Kennedy, Apprenticeships Manager, Northern Ireland, Creative & Cultural Skills; Dr Bill McGinnis, Northern Ireland Advisor on Employment and Skills and Commissioner, UK Commission for Employment and Skills; Paul McGlade, Ireland National Manager, OCR; Wilfred Mitchell, Policy Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland and Trevor Neilands, Deputy Chairperson, Colleges NI and Director and Chief Executive, Northern Regional College.

Seán Rogers MLA, Member, Education Committee, Northern Ireland Assembly and Education Spokesperson, SDLP and Robin Swann MLA, Chair, Employment and Learning Committee, Northern Ireland Assembly and Chief Whip, UUP have kindly agreed to chair this seminar.