Achieve your goals with essential skills

Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey today urged all those with literacy and numeracy difficulties to brush up on their Essential Skills.

Statistics show that one in four adults in Northern Ireland have numeracy and literacy problems and the Department for Employment and Learning’s Essential Skills programme has been developed to enable those experiencing such difficulties to take the challenge, set themselves a goal and sign up for a course today.

Commenting on the Department’s Essential Skills campaign Sir Reg said: “Only last week we learned that Premiership footballer Wayne Rooney is to return to education and sit his GCSE English and Maths. This is evidence that no matter what career we follow there is always room for us to build on our education and brush up on skills that have perhaps fallen by the wayside.

“Raising the skills levels locally is of fundamental importance to our economy and by improving the levels of reading, writing and maths we are opening up a whole new experience, helping those facing problems to unlock their potential.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to improve on their Essential Skills to set themselves a goal and sign up for a free course today.”

The Department for Employment and Learning’s Essential Skills programme has so far helped over 35,000 adults to improve their reading, writing and maths skills. Further information on the free Essential Skills courses throughout Northern Ireland can be obtained by contacting (Freephone) 0800 660 800 or text ‘Press’ to 60900.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Essential Skills campaign began in October 2002.
2. The ‘Gremlins’ commercials feature a range of situations where people’s personal literacy and numeracy ‘gremlins’ make life difficult for them or prevent them from doing what they want.
3. Information regarding adult literacy and numeracy courses can be obtained by calling the Essential Skills Free phone number 0800 660 800 to speak to an adviser seven days a week from 8am – 10pm.
4. For media queries contact the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.
5. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.