To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any targeted support available to disabled people seeking to access apprenticeships and vocational training opportunities.

Apprenticeships

Apprentices participating on my Department's apprenticeship programmes are provided with disability support to support their off-the-job training. Support is payable directly to Training Providers to help provide additional input of resources in terms of training time, equipment, or support for the participant to benefit fully from training. There are also programmes available through the Department for Communities to support people into and to sustain work and these can be put in place for any eligible apprentice.

Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund

We have a strong apprenticeship offering which does provide training-related funding to support apprentices with a disability, but we recognise more can be done to increase participation from individuals with a disability.

The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund will provide up to £600,000 to facilitate collaborative projects across business, education and the voluntary and community sectors to derive innovative solutions, test new inclusion approaches and deliver key methodologies to tackle our inclusion challenges.

This Fund will support a more diverse cohort of individuals, including those with disabilities, to undertake apprenticeships.

It will be a key driver to connect more people across our communities with good job opportunities, promote regional balance and inspire life-long learning in line with my economic and social inclusion objectives.

Skills for Life and Work

Through the Skills for Life and Work Programme, my Department supports a cohort of young people who face significant barriers to engagement in work and learning. The programme supports young people to continue their journey towards further education, employment or an apprenticeship via vocational education and training focussing primarily on Entry Level and Level 1.

Disability Support Services

My Department also provides assistance through the Disability Support Suppliers who work in conjunction with training suppliers delivering ApprenticeshipsNI and Skills for Life and Work. All participants are assessed and the support required will be provided by the Training Provider and additional specialist Disability Support provision.In 2024, my Department held a public consultation on options to support disabled young people on Skills for Life and Work. The outcome of the consultation has informed the new integrated delivery model.

The Careers Service

The Careers Service offers impartial and personalised advice and guidance on an all-age basis, provided by professionally qualified Careers Advisers, who work in collaboration with schools to identify and prioritise pupils with barriers and those who are considered vulnerable/at risk and most in need. This includes those with a disability, a medical condition and/or a statement of Special Educational Need (SEN).

Building on a successful Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) project that tested innovative approaches to support young autistic people, the Careers Service is working to develop and introduce additional interactive technology which can address the specific issues autistic people face when trying to access careers information and advice. It is envisaged that the solution will be incorporated into the current guidance process to support clients to articulate what their interests are and how these can be channelled into possible careers choices, learning pathways, and employment. The project aims to take a phased approach, with initial implementation planned from September 2025.