Celebrating Apprenticeship Excellence & Innovation at Denroy

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week (10th-16th February), Denroy’s Chairman Dr John Rainey attended an inspiring event bringing together apprentices, industry leaders, and key stakeholders to highlight the importance of apprenticeship pathways in shaping the future workforce.

Denroy have always been acutely aware of the importance of apprenticeships and are proud to have pioneered Northern Ireland’s first mature apprenticeship in toolmaking, demonstrating that career development and learning are lifelong opportunities. Apprenticeships are not just about early career pathways but also about reinventing careers and fostering innovation.

“With almost 13,000 people on apprenticeships and higher level apprenticeships here, more people than ever are choosing to pursue a career that combines learning on the job with a recognised vocational qualification.” – Economy Minister Conor Murphy

This year the theme of NI Apprenticeship Week is ‘Getting it Right for You’, to highlight that apprenticeship opportunities are varied, flexible and meet the needs of many different people as well as many sectors of the Northern Ireland economy.

Sir Michael Ryan attended, who himself started his journey as an apprentice, alongside Steve Aiken and other politicians who showed their support for this vital career route.

A special mention goes to our three outstanding apprentices, who actively engaged in discussions and shared their experiences. It was also an honour to connect with apprentices from Thales, Moyola, and Belfast Met, reinforcing the significance of hands-on training in industries like aerospace and engineering.

Project Build a plane is a fantastic real-world opportunity for young aspiring engineers and aviation professionals.  They could engage with this initiative, while also interacting with experienced professionals, reaffirming the importance of practical learning and industry collaboration.  When education and industry come together it can create such inspiration for the next generation.

Denroy, while using this week to raise awareness, will continue championing apprenticeships and hands-on learning as a critical part of skills development and industry growth.