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City for working and learning
The employment academies provide tailored training to help people get jobs and help businesses with recruitment. An employment academy is a short to medium-term, intensive training programme for a group of like-minded people.
An academy can include:
Additional criteria may apply for specific programmes. Academies have been delivered in these sectors:
You may only participate in one Employment Academy in any three-year period. This allows the maximum number of Belfast residents to receive training and support for their career progression. It is very important to choose carefully from the training academies available. The restriction does not apply to people undertaking an Employment Academy which offers upskilling options in the same sector as part of an agreed career progression pathway.
On occasions where compelling justification is provided, individuals may participate in a second Employment Academy in a different sector. This also applies to people who do not successfully complete an academy and want to re-apply for the same or another academy.
If you would like to attend an employment academy, please register your interest.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
For information on our employment academies, email economicdevelopment@belfastcity.gov.uk
We want to help support you on your job journey - whether you’re looking for job advice, redundancy support, or you want to embark on a new career. We have information available to help you.
The Business Services Employment Academy will equip you with the practical skills you need to get a job in Belfast’s growing professional and business sector. You’ll get support to develop skills and gain experience to move into open job roles with several employers across the city.
Job roles include business administration and operations, customer and client services, HR and finance.
Everyone who completes the academy will be guaranteed a job interview.
To participate in the academy, you must be unemployed or underemployed.
Recruitment for our Business Services Employment Academy is currently closed. We expect to re-open applications in autumn 2024. If you would like to register your interest, you will be contacted when the academy opens again.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Our Employment Academies are designed in partnership with sectoral bodies and key employers from the Belfast region. The academies have already helped hundreds of Belfast residents to get employment. Academy training is delivered online and face-to-face.
Our childcare, playwork and Health and Social Care Employment Academies aim to:
Our employment academies are demand-led and designed to meet employers' needs, while enabling participants to apply for vacant posts. All participants who complete the training are guaranteed a job interview.
Our Employment Academies are open to people living in the Belfast City Council area, who are currently unemployed, or working fewer hours than they would like. This includes people who are currently participating in a UK Shared Prosperity Funded programme.
Participants are invited to an informal interview to make sure they have the necessary qualities and values needed to work in the sector.
Successful participants attend a pre-academy session to make sure they have access to appropriate technology to enable them to attend. Participants will be informed of what they can expect throughout the academy.
Participants attend a five-day academy followed by aftercare support.
When successful participants begin employment, they will be supported by an employability mentor for six months. They follow a qualification pathway relevant to their job where applicable.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
You can also email developmente@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Our Upskilling Employment Academies are in Childcare, Playwork and Health and Social Care. These academies are for people who work at entry level positions, are keen to get a better job but do not have the qualifications or experience to progress to a supervisory or management role within their industry.
To apply, you must have your employer's support to participate on the programme. Employers must confirm that opportunities for upskilling progression are available within their organisation.
Upskilling qualifications are delivered online - weekly and monthly, depending on the qualification you're completing. Programme duration ranges from nine to 18 months.
The Upskilling Employment Academies are open to people living in the Belfast City Council area, who are employed and have the opportunity to gain a better job with their own employer.
To access a Level 3 qualification, you must confirm that you haven't already attained a qualification higher than Level 2 within the relevant field.
To access a Level 5 qualification, you must confirm that you have not already attained a qualification higher than Level 3 in the relevant field.
Participants will be supported by an employability mentor for the duration of the programme (12 months for Level 3 and up to 15 months for Level 5).
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
You can also email developmente@belfastcity.gov.uk.
We are currently recruiting for our Classroom Assistant Employment Academy. The academy will give you the opportunity to enhance your experience, qualifications and career.
The benefits to you are:
There might be an opportunity to gain a Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools qualification while you work.
To apply, you must live in Belfast and be unemployed or working fewer hours per week than you would like to. Experience is not essential.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
You can also email developmente@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Our nine month Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy will give you the opportunity to enhance your experience, qualifications and career.
Benefit from workshops on topics including:
You’ll be working towards a Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools 5329-31 (QCF).
To apply, you must:
Register for Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Select Classroom Assistant Upskilling Level 3 on the drop-down list when registering.
We’re working with Stranmillis University College to provide the Classroom Assistant Up-skilling Employment Academy. It will support candidates (existing classroom assistants or those seeking employment as a classroom assistant with relevant experience) at Higher Education Level (equivalent to Level 4).
The academy will support both new and experienced practitioners as they develop their higher-level skills, offering learning and development, as well as opportunities for future employment progression.
It aims to build confidence within classroom support teams by focusing on the development of the child or young person's wellbeing and social learning skills. Understanding how to mentor the individual with needs, while working with the teacher or tutor to develop new cognitive skills, is a core part of the course.
This academy will be equally beneficial to newly qualified classroom assistants or more experienced practitioners who want to develop and enhance their skills.
You must be a Belfast resident, working as a classroom assistant or aspiring to employment in this field, and have the desire to learn and develop within a classroom assistant role. You may be working in any region of Northern Ireland.
Ideally, you will have a relevant Level 3 or Level 2 qualification (for adults returning to education) with at least three years of relevant experience, to undertake the course.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Select Classroom Assistant Upskilling Level 4 on the drop-down list when registering.
We’re striving to ensure that those out of work or under-employed can access the necessary training, insights and skills needed for a job in the construction sector.
To be eligible, you must be out of work or working less than 16 hours a week and priority will be given if you are economically inactive. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to the training and have the desire to work in the construction sector.
Applicants selected for training will take part in a week-long academy to provide them with certificates and other skills needed for entry level work in construction.
To apply:
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Our Fibre Optics Installation Academy is being delivered in partnership with a number of employers in the fibre installation or related industries.
This training programme is completed over a five-week period.
All participants must complete all these mandatory safety courses if they do not already hold them.
Participants will complete one of these five-day programmes, depending on the job role they are being recruited for.
To be eligible for this academy you must:
To apply, you must live in Belfast and be currently unemployed or under employed. Experience is not essential, but you must be fluent in Irish.
If you're interested in applying, email gaelchursai@gmail.com or fill out the expression of interest form and a member of our team will contact you.
Register your interest in Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Employment Academy (link opens in new window)
The Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills and improve your job prospects within the Irish Medium Education sector.
If you enrol on to the academy, you will work towards achieving a NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualification in Supporting Teaching and Learning. The course and subsequent assessments, will be completed via the medium of Irish.
To be eligible for the Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy, you must be a fluent Irish speaker, live in Belfast, and have experience of working or volunteering in a nursery, primary or post-primary school.
To apply to the Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Employment Academy, select Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy on our registration form, or email gaelchursai@gmail.com.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
The Irish Medium working with children Level 5 qualification gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills and improve your job prospects in the Irish Medium Education sector.
If you enrol in the academy, you will work towards achieving a NCFE CACHE Level 5 qualification in ‘Supporting children’s care, learning and development (Management) NI’. The course and subsequent assessments will be completed via the medium of Irish.
To be eligible for the Irish Medium Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy, you must be a fluent Irish speaker, live in Belfast, and have experience of working in a level 3 role in a nursery, primary or post-primary school. Holding a Level 3 qualification is also desirable.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Our Language Support Academy (Medics) Academy aims to provide support and mentoring for refugee doctors who want to practice in the UK. All doctors who wish to work in the UK must be registered with and hold a licence to practise via the GMC (General Medical Council). Doctors must also have their qualifications verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (EPFMG) – Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC).
The academy will include all or parts of the following (depending on need, verification checks etc and assessment of your eligibility):
Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and you may be assigned to a waiting list.
To be eligible to apply, you must:
Register your interest in our Language Support Academy (link opens in new window)
This academy will create a pathway for Belfast residents to embark on a career in the leisure industry by training to become a Lifeguard.
We are working with GLL, the social enterprise charity which runs our leisure centres, as they are seeking new staff across the city.
All academy participants will be supported by Workforce Training to successfully complete:
To be eligible, you must:
Register online (link opens in new window)
A staff member from Workforce will contact you to talk about the application process.
You can also email cward@workforceonline.org or call 028 9024 7016.
We are currently recruiting for our Self-employment Childminding Employment Academy.
The Self-employment Childminding Academy aims to provide support and mentoring for people who want to become a childminder or an approved home child carer.
The academy will include:
To apply, you must be aged 18 years old or over and:
To apply for this academy, you need to register your interest. On our online form, select Self-employment Childminding Academy in the drop-down list.
Register your interest in Belfast Employment Academy Programme (link opens in new window)
Our Technology Employment Academy is an exciting pathway to a career in technology, including a guaranteed job interview.
This Academy will provide individuals with the fundamental skills in technology and employability through classroom and on the job learning with recruiting employers.
On successful completion, individuals will be invited for job interview, giving them an opportunity of a career in technology.
People with tech skills are in high demand, with most companies increasingly using technology to manage their activities, market their products and communicate with their customers.
You must:
Our Transport Employment Academy is a training programme in partnership with transport employers across Northern Ireland. Over 80 per cent of previous participants have found employment as drivers.
We are accepting applications to our:
People selected for training will take part in the programme to give them the licences, tests and other skills needed to begin a career in transport, including theory tests and practical tests for HGV and LGV.
The programme will also provide sector-specific support including:
People who complete the employment academy will be guaranteed a job interview or the support needed to become self-employed.
To be eligible to participate, you must:
Our Transport Academy can last between six and 18 months.
Register your interest in our Belfast Employment Academy Programme
Select Transport and logistics from the dropdown on our online form.
Belfast Labour Market Partnership may fund some of these academies.
This academy will create a pathway for Belfast residents to embark on a career at sea by training for entry level roles on board ships.
We are working with a range of employers based across the UK and Ireland within the working at sea sector.
There are a variety of job roles in this industry and the work styles vary from role to role and from employer to employer. However, the following is indicative of standard roles in this sector:
There are three stages to the Working at Sea Academy.
Stage 1 – Medical
All academy participants need to successfully pass ENG1 medical exam which is required for those who work at sea.
Stage 2 - Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) training
All academy participants will be supported by Lagan Marine Training to complete all standard health and safety courses needed for working at sea.
Stage 3 – GWO training
All academy participants will be supported by Lagan Marine Training to complete all standard health and safety courses needed for working in the industry.
Participants who complete the academy will achieve the following Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Global Wind Organisation (GWO) approved certificates:
To be eligible, you must:
Register your interest in our Working at Sea academy (link opens in new window)
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