Dodds announces Assured Skills Academy with Microsoft
Economy Minister Diane Dodds today announced 20 high quality training places on an Assured Skills Academy with Microsoft.
Focussing on Modern Applications Development, the Assured Skills Academy will see participants receive industry-relevant pre-employment training with Belfast Met from 12 April to 6 July. Participants who complete the Academy are guaranteed a job interview for a role at Microsoft in Belfast.
Highlighting the opportunity, the Minister said:
“I am pleased to announce this Assured Skills Academy with Microsoft and Belfast Met. This is the second Assured Skills Academy with the company after it established a Cyber Security Centre in Belfast in January 2020.
“This Academy is an excellent opportunity for people to reskill for a role at a global software company and I urge anyone who is interested and eligible to apply.”
Darren Dillon of Microsoft said:
“The Assured Skills Academy will provide
training towards industry-recognised certifications in areas including Cloud Native Software Development and DevOps; these are skills with a global shortage and we are pleased to partner with Belfast Met and the Department of Economy to help address those gaps in Northern Ireland.”
The Assured Skills Academy will provide training towards industry-recognised accreditation in areas including Modern Applications Development, Frontend Development, JavaScript, SQL & KQL and DevOps.
Participants will also receive a training allowance of £155 per week.
Louise Warde Hunter, Principal and Chief Executive at Belfast Met, commented:
“As the designated curriculum hub in Northern Ireland for digital ICT, Belfast Met plays a leading role in upskilling participants to be career-ready for growth areas of the business world. We look forward to welcoming our new cohort of learners to the Assured Skills Academy with Microsoft.”
Applications are open now and close at midnight on Sunday 7 March 2021. Applicants must hold a 2:2 degree in any discipline or a Level 5 qualification in an IT-related subject.
For more information and to apply, visit the Assured Skills page on nidirect.
Publication of Road Safety issues in Northern Ireland, 2019/2020
The Road Safety Issues in Northern Ireland 2019/2020 report is now available.
This report, produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), presents findings from the 2019/2020 Continuous Household Survey (CHS).
The publication is available on the ASRB website at:
Key Points
- The majority of respondents (90%) correctly thought that the presence of street lights, generally means that the speed limit is 30 miles per hour.
- Almost three-fifths of all drivers (57%) reported that they used their phone in some capacity while driving. Approximately one in eight drivers admitted to texting and almost one in eleven admitted to making a hand held call while driving.
- The top 3 risks stated by respondents of using a mobile phone while driving were being more likely to cause a crash (94%), being more likely to be involved in a crash and being less likely to notice a danger ahead (both with 86%).
- Less than half (49%) of respondents believe that drivers were likely to be stopped by police for using their mobile phone while driving. Over two thirds (69%) of respondents correctly identified that the police penalty for being caught was a fine plus penalty points. Almost three-fifths (59%) of those surveyed, however, believed that this penalty should be increased.
Legislation protecting private renters extended
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced that due to the ongoing pandemic she is extending the legislation protecting private renters from eviction to 30 September 2021.
The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Act requires landlords to give tenants a 12 week notice to quit period before seeking a court order to begin proceedings to evict and therefore reduce the possibility of tenants in the private rented sector becoming homeless.
Minister Hargey said: “I am committed to protecting people from eviction during this difficult time. My focus in all I do is to support those in most need. I introduced this legislation to do just that and to support the wider public health effort.
“This pandemic has been an evolving situation and the legislation was drafted to enable an extension if required. Minister Ní Chuilín moved in August 2020 to extend this protection.
“Given the current public health situation, I consider that it’s important that we continue to give private renters some assurance at this time. The legislation will therefore now be extended until 30 September 2021.
The Minister continued: “I would also stress again the importance of tenants and landlords working together at this time. It is a two way process. If as a tenant you are struggling making payments, the best option is to be upfront and discuss it with your landlord. Landlords are also encouraged not to commence or continue possession proceedings during this challenging time without a very good reason to do so.
“Both are also reminded that my Department funds Housing Rights to provide specialist help and advice to both tenants and landlords. They can assist to help resolve disputes and save matters going to court.”
Housing Rights can be contacted online or by calling 028 9024 5640.
The Minister continued: “Our focus at this time must be to continue to reduce the cases of coronavirus, and as the vaccine roll-out continues at pace, there is hope for the future. I will review the legislation in the summer. More generally I will bring forward legislation to the Assembly that will improve the safety, security and quality of the Private Rented sector.”
Dodds welcomes decision to allow limited contactless click and collect services
Economy Minister Diane Dodds has welcomed today’s Executive decision to allow shops to re-introduce – from 8 March - a limited contactless click and collect service at baby equipment shops, clothing shops, footwear shops and electrical goods shops.
She said:
“This is a cautious but welcome step. Contactless click and collect services provide a measure of protection to our smaller independent businesses while at the same time easing footfall within larger retail outlets.
“I know that retail bodies have worked closely with the Executive on developing an approach that will allow contactless click and collect services to operate in a safe and regulated manner.
“It is also an important measure that will allow customers better access to the goods they need. It is clear that the longer the restrictions persist, the more things that might have been deemed non-essential are becoming essential.
“I appeal to both customers and retailers to follow the Three Step Arrangement when operating contactless click and collect services as this will offer better protection. This will be an opportunity to support our local retailers to increase trade safely. I am hopeful we can build on this early cautious approach towards the re-opening our economy.”
The Minister concluded:
“I would ask all businesses operating any form of click and collect provision to follow the revised guidelines to assist in delivering enhanced public safety.”
All carers aged 50 and over can now book a vaccination at a regional vaccination centre
The Department of Health is further extending Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme to include all carers aged 50 or over.
This follows yesterday’s announcement which opened up the vaccination programme to a wider range of people including some carers.
Health Minister Robin Swann said: “Carers are essential to those they look after. If they become ill, the needs and welfare of those they care for could be at risk. It is with this in mind that I extended the vaccination programme yesterday and I am now delighted to extend it further. The vaccination programme is continuing at pace and I hope to expand the age eligibility for carers further in the coming days and weeks.”
The booking portal is now open for this age group later this evening. You can book online at one of the seven trust vaccination centres if you were born between 01/04/56 and 31/03/71 and are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person, whose welfare may be at risk if you as carer fall ill.
Concluding the Minister said: “The vaccination programme in Northern Ireland is making good progress and is ahead of schedule. As we continue to move through the priority groups I urge everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine and protect themselves and others.”
To make an appointment please visit the online portal https://covid-19.hscni.net/get-vaccinated.
The online platform is the primary source to book an appointment and should be used in the first instance.
A telephone booking system is also available should you not have access to the online portal. Telephone 0300 200 7813. The phone line is open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.
Anyone attending a vaccination centre can be assured that social distancing and other Covid safety rules are strictly applied.
People must get their first and second doses from the same provider – they must not try to “mix and match” between GPs and vaccination centres
No comments:
Post a Comment