The Final Word

Seamus Nealis, Craft Training

Coming out the other side of the pandemic, there is a general recognition of the need for a better skilled workforce. Whether that’s cyber and computer skills, emotional intelligence and leadership, or embedding enhanced collaboration and resilience in our workforce, the pandemic has shone a light on deficiencies within the labour force and our own teams. There is now a real opportunity to reskill and upskill to create better, more productive, and more inclusive organisations. Being the owner and CEO of a private training company has been a great privilege and has allowed me to meet and work with some incredible learners, employers, and companies throughout Northern Ireland. I left school at 16 with no formal academic qualifications but at no time did I see this as something which could hinder my goals which were very simple - to be successful in everything that I do. After undertaking an apprenticeship in furniture restoration, I worked as a tutor, however I was made redundant. I used this opportunity with my wife to create a training company to work with local employers and young people in our area. Over the years this has expanded and evolved from delivering solely furniture qualifications, with a limited geographical remit, to training across Northern Ireland as Craft Training. I have been working in training and education for almost 30 years and I’m proud to be able to deliver training opportunities and upskill members of the community and local businesses regardless of creed, denomination, age, or gender. We are a family run organisation delivering qualifications and training throughout Northern Ireland and are one of the biggest providers to date. It is our mission to deliver quality knowledge and skills today to empower the learners for tomorrow.

We have adapted to the new employment landscape and hold province wide contracts to deliver skills training and the apprenticeship programme in areas such as food and hospitality, construction, ICT, health and social care, childcare, retail, and animal care to name a few. With quality at the fore, the body of over 45 staff work collaboratively to improve standards in the teaching and learning space and offer a tailored and individual delivery package for each learner who comes through our doors.

Currently we have seven premises located in Belfast, Cookstown, Omagh, Derry/Londonderry, Sion Mills, and two locations in Strabane, and have recently expanded with the purchase of a Strabane town centre premises. Another exciting new addition is our recent creation of a business centre in Sion Mills through which we are committed to embedding business development practices further within the community. This venture will offer space for local fledgling businesses, provide rental work hubs, and promote collaboration in a technology enhanced environment. Being part of the Chambers of Commerce in Strabane, Derry, and Omagh has enabled us to anchor our role within the employment sphere and enhance the employability of young people, forge links with employers, and work together to overcome employment challenges whilst building a community responsive to the changing needs of society. As we exit the pandemic, it’s incumbent on all of us to ensure our teams are constantly evolving, improving, and upskilling for the benefit of our whole organisations.

Storage has never looked so good.

101 Spencer Road, Derry, BT47 6AE. T +44 (0) 2871 311 741 E sales@dawsonhinds.com W www.dawsonhinds.com