The Stormont Executive has been accused of failing construction industry apprentices in Derry where the number of trainees has fallen by over 50% in the last year.
The commitment of the Executive to supporting the construction industry in the city has been questioned by local SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey.
Mr Ramsey said: “We are consistently being told that due to the efforts of the Executive, the economy is recovering and we are starting to see real positive changes in the jobs market – however, I have to question that analysis when I see that in the last year, the number of apprentices undertaking work in the construction industry in Derry alone has dropped by over 50% from the previous year.
“The construction industry is still in a very fragile state following the crash in 2008, and while the industry may have exited recession, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have made it clear that any recovery here is likely to lag behind that of Britain. ”
Mr Ramsey said the scrapping of large scale projects such as the Maze on a regional basis had “hit the industry hard.”
He added: “In terms of a skills base, we cannot expect young people to flourish in the industry if we are not providing the resources to allow them to gain experience.”
Mr Ramsey said the Executive must provide more resources and opportunities for apprentices in the construction industry both in Derry and further afield.
He added: “We have always insisted that social clauses are used in public procurement, and the Department of Finance and the Department of Employment and Learning must now ensure that on public building projects, the number of apprentices is maximised and that their experience is meaningful and beneficial to their future careers.”
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