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WHAT SKILLS SHORTAGE?
An initiative to encourage the business community to employ ex-officers has been launched by the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust (PRRT). The employer awareness project will target businesses in Northern Ireland to promote the employability of officers in a range of other careers.
It can be anticipated that over the next three years at least 1,000 officers may leave policing in N. Ireland through early severance, normal retirement and natural wastage; beyond this period a similar trend is set to continue over the following four years.
A recent conference discussed local skills gap experienced by many employers in Northern Ireland. The Employers Awareness Initiative at PRRT seeks to highlight ways to address this problem. PRRT’s Managing Director, Tim Lewis, says:
“Officers have a multitude of skills and qualities highly developed through years of training and experience. They offer employers tremendous opportunities to recruit excellent employees who meet the 5 skill areas which employers want:
· Problem solving and decision making
· Effective Communication
· Good team worker
· Adaptable
· Customer focused
As well as specialist knowledge in
· management
· administrative systems,
· transport,
· I.T;
· social care,
· security management
· health & safety.
Even if an ex-officer may not have the immediate qualifications sought by an employer, they can certainly demonstrate their ability to learn and adapt quickly to a new working environment”.
Before entering new employment officers receive support from the Trust to identify their career goals. Officers can also receive assistance with training to achieve industry recognised qualifications suited to the employment opportunities they are pursuing. The standard of training and motivation is high as reflected by the Regional and National Training Award won by the Trust in November 2003.
The Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust has developed this two-prong strategy to encourage officers to recognise and use the broader application of the skills developed in their police career while at the same time asking employers to take a fresh look at the contribution ex officers could make to the growth of their business.
To receive an Employer’s Information Pack or to discuss how your business might benefit from the skills of an ex-officer please email info@prrt.org, telephone the Information Officer on 9042 7788, or visit the Trust Website www.prrt.org
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