Councillor Trevor Wilson, Ulster Unionist Party group leader on Mid Ulster District Council, has said that the solution to the skills shortage problem must be found locally, and has called for leadership from the new district Councils.
Cllr Wilson said,
“We have all read the stories of a skills shortage in Northern Ireland and of employers forced to source workers from outside the Province. What is clear is that the answer to the skills shortage in Mid Ulster will not be found by whingeing about inequities ‘West of The Bann.’
“The new Councils could be catalysts for change. Despite all the messages of doom and gloom, I am very optimistic regarding the future economic outlook in Mid Ulster. That future should indeed be led by skills training. I am optimistic because the ball is at our own feet. There is a wonderful opportunity for the new Mid Ulster District Council to become a catalyst for change. The Council officers have the entrepreneurial ideas to tackle the skills problem, but they need direction from the elected Councillors. Sadly that direction has not been forthcoming to date.
“I believe our skills dearth can be addressed by majoring on engineering and new technology, concentrating on the twin linchpins of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Ulster Unionist Party will be putting forward a motion requesting the Minister for Employment and Learning Mr Stephen Farry comes to a future Council meeting to explain what his Department can do help.
“We cannot continue to be a ‘human puppy farm’ exporting our intelligent young people to the rest of the world.”