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There are a range of further education (FE) skills development programmes on offer.

InnovateUs and Skills Focus

InnovateUs and Skills Focus are skills development programmes, funded by the Department for the Economy and delivered across Northern Ireland by the six FE colleges.

Find further details on InnovateUs and Skills Focus development programmes.

Connected

Connected is an initiative between the six FE colleges, Queen's University Belfast, the Ulster University and the Open University in Northern Ireland to help businesses and the wider community to improve their performance by providing access to a broad portfolio of knowledge and technology 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ services.

Connected makes available academic expertise and resources that can bring measurable benefits to a business. It aims to develop interaction and stimulate innovation to benefit local companies and the Northern Ireland economy by encouraging, easing and increasing potential knowledge exchange links between academia and industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Innovation Vouchers

Innovation Vouchers provide up to £5,000 of funding 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ for small to medium-sized businesses in Northern Ireland to help them to innovate, develop and grow. Funded by Invest Northern Ireland, the Innovation Voucher enables companies to seek knowledge and expertise from colleges and universities.

Typical projects include:

• ideas for new or improved products, processes and services
• product and service testing
• access to information and expertise on new materials
• tapping into research and scientific expertise

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Innovation Boost

Product development and innovation are at the heart of growth, but often need costly technology 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ. Previously known as Fusion, Innovation Boost can provide that 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ by helping to fund a high-calibre science, engineering or technology graduate and partnering you with a third-level institution with specific expertise.

The graduate is employed by you and is based in your company throughout the project (12 - 18 months) with mentoring from the academic partner and InterTradeIreland Innovation Boost consultant.

Funding available

• 18-month 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ package - worth up to £56,000/€67,900 typically in the area of new product/service development
• 12-month 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ project - worth £39,000/€47,400 typically in the area of process improvement

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Foundation degrees

Foundation degrees are higher education qualifications mainly delivered in local colleges that combine academic and work-related learning.

See Foundation degrees: providing higher education qualifications to improve employees' skills.

Assured Skills

Find out more about Assured Skills: delivering skilled employees through pre-employment training programmes.

Higher Level Apprenticeships

A Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) is a workplace training programme which includes a combination of on and off-the-job training. The HLA programme currently offers qualifications from Level 4 up to Level 7, with FE colleges mainly delivering at Levels 4 and 5 and universities mainly delivering Levels 6 and 7. The majority of approved HLAs are at Level 5 (Foundation Degree), with some offering Level 6 (Honours Degree) and Level 7 (Master's Degree). HLAs may be available in the future at Level 8 (Post Graduate Award).

This is an all-age programme, with the apprentice in employment from the first day, and off-the-job training provided through the six local FE colleges, CAFRE or the three local universities.

Higher Level Apprenticeships are available in areas such as accountancy, digital marketing, applied industrial sciences, engineering, computing, construction, cyber security, software development, building services, child care, food and drink manufacture, hospitality and tourism, along with other occupational areas.

See Apprenticeships: delivering work-based training and qualifications to employees.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme helps businesses to innovate and grow. It does this by linking them with a university and a graduate to work on a specific project.

Each KTP is a three-way partnership between a business, an academic institution and a graduate. The academic institution employs the recently qualified graduate who works at the company. The graduate, known as the 'associate', brings new skills and knowledge to the business.

A KTP can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on the project and the needs of the business. It is partly funded by a grant. The amount businesses need to contribute is different for SMEs and larger companies. For further information see .

ApprenticeshipsNI

ApprenticeshipsNI is a workplace training programme which includes a combination of on and off-the-job training. The ApprenticeshipsNI programme offers vocational qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3 and is delivered by all FE colleges and a network of non-statutory training contractors.

The apprentice is in employment from the first day of the programme, which is open to new employees or those moving to a new job role. All ApprenticeshipsNI frameworks are open to those aged 16-24 years old, with a number of frameworks in priority economic areas also available to all ages. Off-the-job training is provided through the six local FE colleges or a non-statutory training contractor.

Apprenticeships are available in a wide range of occupational areas such as electrotechnical, food and drink manufacturing, engineering, hospitality, plumbing, health and social care, construction and many more.

See Apprenticeships: delivering work-based training and qualifications to employees.