To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning, pursuant to AQW 40166/11-15, for his assessment of the Food Engineering Apprenticeship Programme delivered in Southern Regional College; and whether he has plans to introduce this programme in Northern and North Western Regional colleges to promote the food and drink industries in East Londonderry.

The Department established a Future Skills Action Group for the Food and Drink Manufacturing and Processing sector in 2011 to help the industry identify and address the skills issues it faces.

The Group consists of a wide range of members from government, local employers and further and higher education providers who work collaboratively to develop and pilot interventions to ensure employers are getting people with the skills they need to grow this economically important sector.

One such intervention is the Food Engineering Apprenticeship which is currently being delivered by Southern Regional College. This initiative started as a Northern Ireland wide ‘pilot’ in January 2014 and will see seven apprentices acquire both Level 2 and Level 3 accreditation in Engineering. Southern Regional College were instrumental in working with employers to develop the frameworks. Feedback to date on this programme has been very positive.

This apprenticeship is a four year programme and it is planned to hold an interim review on its progress mid way through the programme. To date there has been no demand in the North and North West. If there was evidence of demand the Department could work with the colleges and local industry to extend the programme.