Unlocking potential: Opportunities for public sector apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are a pipeline for skills and talent across a wide range of sectors in Northern Ireland. They increase productivity, support diversity and inclusion, and help to close the gender pay gap, writes Moira Doherty, Deputy Secretary of the Department for the Economy’s (DfE) Skills and Education group.

They have an important role to play in delivering on the Economy Minister’s vision of a sustainable, regionally balanced, and more productive economy with good jobs.

In the current landscape of career development, apprenticeships have emerged as a transformative force, bridging the gap between education and employment. Unlike traditional academic pathways, apprenticeships offer experience that aligns with the job from day one.

Apprentices develop in real-world settings, applying academic learning directly to the workplace and thus improving outcomes for themselves and their employer.

We now have nearly 12,000 people undertaking apprenticeships, and over 2,000 more on higher level apprenticeships, representing some of the highest occupancy figures since the programmes began.

This growth reflects the continuing interest in this fantastic way to “earn while you learn”.

Apprenticeships are changing lives and launching careers, boosting businesses’ success, and raising our local skills profile.

Public sector apprenticeships

We believe that the benefits that we see apprenticeships bringing to the private sector could be more fully exploited by the public sector, providing good jobs, improving the skills profile of the workforce and supporting world class public services.

The Department for the Economy recently launched a programme to develop and catalyse a more strategic approach to apprenticeships across the public sector.

Like all parts of the public sector, we face significant budget challenges. However, we want to use our expertise, networks and convening power to promote the benefits of apprenticeships, support the development of new pathways, and identify wider policy levers.

Unlike traditional academic pathways, apprenticeships offer hands-on experience from day one. This practical approach allows apprentices to apply academic learning directly to the workplace, improving outcomes for themselves, the employer and, ultimately, the citizen.

Whether in healthcare, infrastructure, education, or wider government services, apprenticeships in the public sector cater to a diverse array of interests and career aspirations, ensuring that no talent goes untapped.

Skill development is another cornerstone of public sector apprenticeships. These programmes are designed not just to fill positions but to foster expertise. Apprentices receive mentorship from seasoned professionals, gaining insights and techniques that cannot be taught in a classroom alone.

From technical skills to leadership qualities, apprenticeships equip individuals with the tools needed to excel in their chosen field and beyond. This emphasis on skill enhancement not only benefits the apprentices themselves but also enhances the overall capability and efficiency of the public sector.

Moreover, public sector apprenticeships champion inclusivity and diversity. By offering accessible entry points into professions that were once seen as out of reach, these programmes empower individuals from all backgrounds to pursue rewarding careers.

They break down barriers to entry, paving the way for a workforce that reflects the community it serves. This diversity of perspective strengthens decision-making processes and ensures that public services are more inclusive and responsive.

We are all motivated to deliver responsive, high quality public services – mainstreaming apprentices within the public sector workforce will foster a culture of service and innovation, ensuring that our institutions are future-proofed and equipped to respond to the needs of a changing world.

Conclusion

Partnership and collaboration will be key to developing an effective public sector apprenticeship programme.

The Department for the Economy has a central role to play to foster and facilitate that collaboration. To achieve this, we will establish an overarching cross government implementation group and thematic delivery structures.
These structures will be central to establishing a strong and effective mutually supportive community of practice.

Public sector apprenticeships represent more than just a pathway to employment and ‘growing our own’; they embody a commitment to talent development, skill enhancement, and inclusive growth.

By investing in apprenticeships, government and public bodies invest in their most valuable asset: people.

To that end, my ask to the public sector is now – recognise the real opportunities apprenticeships bring to not only shape the future of your organisations but also the careers and aspirations of the individuals you represent, and partner with us to deliver real change, boost productivity, diversity and innovation and ultimately drive long-term economic growth.

I look forward to working with new and existing public sector organisations to champion apprenticeships across the public sector, recognising the pivotal role they play in shaping a workforce that is committed to fairness and equality and that is capable, responsive and quality driven – values which typify public service.