Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any measures being taken to address staff shortages in DfI Roads Western Division.
Minister for Infrastructure: My Department has been operating in a difficult financial environment for a number of years due to underfunding and austerity by the British Government. This has had a significant impact on my Department’s ability to deliver essential services, and to fill vacant posts.
While NICS HR has overall responsibility for NICS recruitment, DfI supports this to ensure that, as far as is possible, the right people with the right skills are in the right posts within the Department.
My Department has taken a number of steps to address the high vacancy rate including working with NICS HR to progress a range of recruitment competitions; the establishment of a People Development & Workforce Planning Directorate and agreement of a Workforce Plan to focus efforts on recruitment to fill critical vacancies.
Over the last year the Department has taken forward recruitment campaigns to provide career pathways into DfI through Graduate, Apprenticeships and the pilot DfI Professional & Technical Skills Academy which, has been successful in placing suitable candidates in key areas such as road and private streets inspections.
Further external recruitment campaigns for the Principal Professional and Technical Officer (PPTO) and Higher Professional and Technical Officer (HPTO) have recently been launched, and these competitions will be used to fill further vacancies within the organisation.
ENDS
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