Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership celebrate successful year working together

Wednesday 5 April 2023

The Mid & East Antrim Labour Market Partnership (MEA LMP) is funded by the Department for Communities and is made up of Council plus statutory and local employment stakeholders - working together to address unemployment, economic inactivity and improve labour market conditions across the Borough. 

MEA LMP officers have worked closely with a wide range of delivery partners, community groups and employers to identify and design a range of training and support initiatives which have benefited many throughout the area.

MEA LMP has engaged with over 1,340 participants through a range of events, programmes and academies - increasing their knowledge on employability and training initiatives, as well as supporting active participants on academies and programmes to move into self-employment or employment.  This is alongside upskilling others in a range of sectors to access higher-level skilled jobs, complete a range of qualifications and support them move closer to the labour market.

The event highlighted the achievements of all those involved with the academies, employability support programmes, community led skills projects, schools and enterprise pathways.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Noel Williams, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my congratulations to all who attended the celebration event and whose work contributes to establishing positive economic growth and jobs in the Borough - helping create a vibrant local economy.

“I am delighted to learn of the intensive training interventions implemented by the partnership, focused on developing practical industry knowledge and skills that have helped our residents gain the work-ready skills, experience or qualifications needed to move into employment or to upskill into further opportunities.”

Speakers at the event included representatives from Orchardville, Network Personnel, Workforce, Northern Regional College and Carrickfergus Jobs and Benefits who provided an overview on programmes delivered over the past year such as a HGV Transport Academy, Access All Areas Programme, Female Manufacturing Academy, RISE: Returners into Sustained Employment, Enterprise Pathways and the upcoming Restaurant Academy.

Martin Ford, a successful candidate on the fully funded MEA LMP Transport Academy, stated “I would say I'm a prime example of why this programme is successful. I struggled for years to find a job that I wanted to do and have spent the last few years on benefits. Over a year ago, a friend had mentioned the course to me and I thought I would give it a go. Once I got accepted the guys at Workforce were on the ball every step of the way helping me get the licenses and qualifications that I needed. They asked me what it would mean to me if I got accepted and I told them it would be life changing.

“It really has been life changing as Lyle Watson from McBurney’s Transport in Ballymena was on the phone within a matter of days and gave me a job straight away. I will happily work in this industry now until I retire.  I can't thank these guys enough for why they have done for me".

LMP Co Chair, Norman Sterritt from the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment, stated “The work to date undertaken by the LMP and our delivery partners has demonstrated great innovation in response to the employment needs of citizens within the Borough.

“While we celebrate the successes achieved during this first year of the LMP there is recognition that there is much to do in the years ahead and we look forward to building delivery capacity within the Partnership and having greater impact in the coming year with our ambitious plans”.

For further information on the forthcoming programmes and events for the year ahead under the MEA LMP Action Plan, please visit the MEA LMP webpage or contact us on: lmp@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.