Sentinus awarded skills grant

The two UUP MLAs issued a joint statement stressing “how beneficial Sentinus’ work will be to boosting young people’s digital skills and we wholeheartedly congratulate Sentinus on being awarded this prestigious grant”.

Sentinus has been awarded by Ulster Bank and RBS slightly over £7,500 for its work with schools and colleges throughout Northern Ireland to promote engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

The funding will go towards its project Digital You which will provide the foundation for 1,000 14-16 year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop skills that will enable them to become effective contributors to the digital economy.

MLAs Butler and Palmer added: “If we are to beat austerity, if we are to combat the brain drain of our young people from these shores, if we are to build a new, well-trained workforce which can compete in the modern, digital world, then we need projects like the one Sentinus will be promoting.

“The newly-elected DUP/Sinn Fein coalition will have to step up to the mark and ensure that sufficient funding to boost STEM subjects which will be a future bedrock to building the economy, not just in Lagan Valley, but right across the Province.”

The RBS Skills & Opportunities Fund is one of the many ways RBS, Ulster Bank and NatWest are contributing to the communities we live and work in.

A Spokesman said: “Our focus for this funding is to support organisations that help people in disadvantaged communities develop, create or access the skills and opportunities they need to help themselves; skills that will enable them to get into work.”