RSUA seeks financial support for architecture students in the workplace
07/09/2020
RSUA has written to the Economy Minister Diane Dodds MLA regarding the financial incentives which will be offered to employers to recruit and retain apprentices, encouraging her to consider a mechanism to ensure this fund can assist the retention of students training to be architects in Northern Ireland.
Architects currently undertake a blend of college and workplace training but architectural study does not currently fit within the parameters of ApprenticeshipsNI or the Higher-Level Apprenticeship programmes. The tables below show the breakdown of location and duration of training.
| Year | Place of training | Duration in months |
| 1 | College | 9 |
| 2 | College | 9 |
| 3 | College | 9 |
| 4 | On the job training | 12 |
| 5 | College | 9 |
| 6 | College | 9 |
| 7 | On the job training | 12 |
| TOTAL | 69 |
| Months | Proportion of total time in training | |
| Time at college | 45 | 65% |
| Time on the job training | 24 | 35% |
RSUA is concerned that in this extremely difficult economic time there is a real danger that employers will be unable to provide students of architecture with the opportunity to complete the 24 months of on-the-job training that are required to qualify as an architect. This could lead to a skills shortage in future years and a brain-drain as students move away to find on-the-job training opportunities elsewhere.
RSUA has asked that:
- the proposed support scheme is extended to provide financial support to employers of architecture students undertaking their required 24 months of on-the-job training;
- to meet with the Minister and officials to discuss how the Apprenticeship Challenge Fund might be used to help provide additional routs for training to become an architect in Northern Ireland.
