Business service provider Seetec is urging businesses in Northern Ireland to consider apprenticeships in digital skills to help prepare them for the future.
Seetec operates across Northern Ireland working with employers to recruit the best talent for their organisation as part of the government-backed ApprenticeshipsNI programme, which offers funded recruitment and training of apprentices between the ages of 16 and 24. The programme is available to new apprentices or existing employees hoping to upskill. Participants will take place in a Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship, while being in paid employment from day one.
There is also a £500 incentive for employers once the participant completes training. The timeframe for recruitment is usually between four to 10 weeks and training can take one to two years for completion depending on the programme.
The Digital Marketing and Social Media for Business courses are part of the ApprenticeshipsNI programme and cover key topics such as:
• Metrics and analytics, mobile responsive marketing, ecommerce solutions, social media, social networking, and creating and optimising content for web.
• Web design: content management systems and website creation.
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): keyword optimisation, analytics and data reporting.
24-year-old Aminah Amjad, who has just completed her Diploma in Social Media for Business, first worked as a classroom assistant. After finishing university and looking for work, she wanted something that would add value to her CV.
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She said: “This course has been invaluable to me as I have gained important digital skills which I will undoubtedly use in my career. Putting these skills to use as part of the programme meant I gained practical experience in a real, working environment.
“I also completed modules I wasn’t aware I could do within the course, but my Delivery Coach was great in recognising which areas I was strong in and tailored my modules accordingly, meaning I could really benefit from it. I had a great time with my employer Jourdan, a chic fashion shop that specialises in occasion wear in Belfast, implementing the skills I learned, learning about the fashion retail sector and improving my interpersonal skills.”
Pat Jourdan, owner of the shop that Aminah now works with full-time, added that “Seetec handled the recruitment process, from advertisement to shortlisting, and provided me with a number of great candidates. We chose Aminah, who is now a full-time member of staff, and we have never looked back.
“Having a Digital Marketing executive as part of our team not only reduces costs but has made our online presence infinitely more effective. I would definitely recommend Seetec and the ApprenticeshipsNI programme to any SME wishing to promote their business online.”
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99% of SMEs (small-to-medium enterprises) and charities are now online, according to the UK Business and Charity Digital Index 2018. Two-thirds of SMEs also currently save a full day’s work a week through online initiatives (including managing information, communications and transactions) and SMEs which use analytics to understand their customers are 41% more likely to have increasing turnover.
To date, a total of 50 employers in Northern Ireland have worked with Seetec and the ApprenticeshipsNI programme.
