£1.4M granted to boost skills in Jersey

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Jersey's Treasury Minister has approved a £1.4 million grant to support the island's new Skills Strategy which will be officially launched on 9 October.

The program is supported by the Education Department and will be unveiled ahead of the third Jersey Skills Show.

The grant will enable the Education department to promote island-wide skills though a variety of initiatives, including apprenticeships and vocational courses. The Education Minister, Deputy Rod Bryans explained: "It is an island-wide strategy not an Education strategy but we facilitate it because we have the background in working in Trackers and Student Finance."

The Minister explained that his department has been working closely with the private sector so that they could try and match the offering in apprenticeships and courses at Highlands with the needs of various industries. As such, they have worked closing with the construction council, engineers and representatives of the hospitality sector and will soon be launching new apprenticeships for those sectors.

The Strategy will officially be launched on 9 October, five days before the Jersey Skills Show, "a centre of excellence with clear links connecting education and life-long learners with industry." 

Taking place at Fort Regent on 14 October, the Jersey Skills Show gives attendees the opportunity to speak to employers about working within the industry, have a go at different skills to discover their talents and be inspired by the skills of those already trained within the industry. Representatives of the construction, technical, health and care, creative, hospitality, finance and law sectors will be present to speak to school leavers as well as people looking for a career change or re-entering the workplace.