Welcoming the participation of a number of local firms in this year’s Apprenticeship Week, Hugh Scullion, Workers Party Mid Ulster representative, has called for a “much more strategic approach to young people and employment – especially in apprentice ship schemes|”

“The current ‘hit-and-miss’ and ‘now-and-again’ approach to careers and job opportunities creates the conditions for low pay, a lack of innovation and a widening of the gap between education and employment”, Hugh said

“There are currently almost 700 engineering job vacancies in the Mid Ulster area”, he said. “Unless we adopt a planned and centralised approach to matching young people with training, education and opportunities then events like Apprenticeship Week risk being seen as a one-of gimmick.

Young people and their futures are not well served by our current economic and political system. They are also treated as election fodder by the main political parties”, Hugh said.

“Recognising and supporting the benefits which a planned socialist economy can deliver for young people, and for wider society, is the first step in securing all our futures”, Hugh concluded.