New apprenticeship scheme rolls out across the province within NI Civil Service

  • Belfast Met have hosted an induction event for the new Operational Delivery Apprentices employed within the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) at its E3 Springvale campus.

    The College welcomed the NICS Operational Delivery Profession central team and forty new Operational Delivery Apprentices to Belfast Met, as they embark on a new and exciting career journey as operational delivery professionals. 

    The Operational Delivery Apprentice Scheme, which is managed by the Department for Communities, launched last year and is a pathway into employment within the Civil Service. 

    Apprentices will earn as they learn over a two year period and on successful completion of the apprenticeship will receive permanent employment within the Civil Service. Operational Delivery professionals undertake a wide variety of activities delivering and supporting essential front line services.

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    The co-designed approach to developing a career-focused employer-led programme meets the needs of the NICS Operational Delivery Profession, with apprentices being central to the College’s vision and purpose of delivering skills relevant for the Northern Ireland workforce.

    The College has made digital teaching, learning and working part of its DNA. The Operational Delivery Apprenticeship Scheme is being delivered via Belfast Met’s new state of the art “Met LIVE” virtual teaching studio and epitomises its dedication to continually innovate and break the boundaries to support employer partners and learners.

    The Apprenticeship Scheme embraces the best of modern learning practices to provide the Apprentices with a learning experience that encompasses; Project-Based Learning, Virtual Classrooms, Group Learning, Peer-to-Peer Networking, Learning Assistant E-portfolio, Evolve Online Testing, and Dedicated Workplace Mentors.

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    The forty new Apprentices will earn, learn, and develop professionally by training to become operational delivery professionals on a two-year programme that is spread across Northern Ireland, across 5 government departments from Belfast to Fermanagh, Tyrone and Londonderry/Derry.

    Department for Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey, the department which has the majority of apprentice places from the scheme, said; “Through this event our Operational Delivery Apprentices have been able to get an oversight of the importance of their role and how they are able to contribute to our aim of Supporting People, Building Communities and Shaping Places. We will continue to support them on their apprenticeship journey in partnership with Belfast Met through this innovative and exciting scheme.”

    Source: Written from press release. 

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    Aoife is a Sync NI writer with a previous background working in print, online and broadcast media. She has a keen interest in all things tech related. To connect with Aoife feel free to send her an email or connect on LinkedIn.

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