NIACRO graduates receive certificates

All the graduates have undertaken their studies, as part of NIACRO’s Jobtrack programme. Run exclusively by the charity, it has been operational in the North West for the last two years.

Ex-offenders on the programme have undertaken courses in a variety of areas including forklift driving, essential skills, telescopic handing, civil engineering and, in one case, a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Speaking of its success and congratulating attendees, Jobtrack’s William Armstrong said: “The primary aim of Jobtrack is to ensure ex-offenders achieve employment, as we know this reduces the rate of re-offending, leading to less crime and safer communities.

“To do this, our service users need qualifications. For 71% of them, the highest level of education they had on entering the programme was Level 1 or below. Learning is therefore a challenge and NIACRO is proud that so many of our service users are here today, having achieved over 120 qualifications amongst them.”

The Jobtrack programme is funded by the European Social Fund and supported by the NI Probation Board and NI Prison Service. So far, of those who have completed its programme, over 60% have gone into training or employment.

The programme also works in partnership with Business in the Community, developing links with a wide range of employers.