Ards and North Down Labour Market Partnership Building on Success

Start Your Career Now with Ards and North Down Labour Market Partnership

The Ards and North Down Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is proud to announce its continued success in addressing local skills and employment gaps since its establishment in August 2021. Funded by the Department for Communities (DfC), LMPs create targeted employment action plans for council areas, fostering collaboration at both local and regional levels to support individuals towards and into work.

Since its inception, the Ards and North Down LMP has supported 520 residents through various employability academies, including;

• Transport Academy
• Academy for People with Disabilities
• Classroom Assistant Employability Academies
• Classroom Assistant Upskilling Academy
• SIA Academy (Security Industry Authority)
• Childminding Academy
• Childcare Academy
• Work Ready Programme
• Business Support Services Academy

These initiatives have successfully enabled over 245 residents to secure employment, with ongoing recruitment promising even more job outcomes.

In addition to supporting individuals, the Ards and North Down LMP has helped 78 employers since 2021, contributing to the upskilling and training of over 200 employees within the Borough through the Employer-Led Upskilling Programme, which offers grants to employers for staff development.

With confirmed funding for 2025-2026, the Ards and North Down LMP will continue its impactful work, offering academies such as the Transport Academy, Academy for People with Disabilities, Classroom Assistant Employability Academy, Catering Academy, Health and Social Care Academy, Greentech Academy, and the Employer-Led Upskilling Programme. This funding will also support outreach initiatives, including two Job Fairs in Ards and Bangor, two Disability Employment and Support Days and Skills and Employment Support Clinics across the Borough.

The LMP has also developed two Employability and Skills Registers, one for employers and one for individuals, detailing available support and resources. These registers are available for download on the LMP website.

Councillor Gillian McCollum, Mayor of Ards and North Down, expressed her enthusiasm for the LMP's achievements and future plans:

"The Labour Market Partnership has been instrumental in bridging the skills gap and providing valuable employment opportunities for our residents. The continued funding ensures that we can build on this success and support even more individuals and businesses in our community."

For more information on the Ards and North Down LMP or to register your interest in upcoming academies, please visit Labour Market Partnership | AND Business