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22 Oct 2025

Concern raised over lack of placements available for local tiling students

Cara Hunter MLA has written to the Minister for the Economy to raise urgent concerns about the growing difficulty faced by students

Concern raised over lack of placements available for local tiling students

Tiling students in Northern Ireland’s regional colleges have faced difficulties in securing essential work placements.

Reporter:

Staff Reporter

24 Jul 2025 5:00 PM

Email:

news@derrynow.com

SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter has written to the Minister for the Economy to raise urgent concerns about the growing difficulty faced by tiling students in Northern Ireland’s regional colleges in securing essential work placements.
 
Constituents have reported struggling for over a year - and in some cases, up to 18 months - to secure a placement, despite offering to work unpaid and cover their own insurance. Without these placements, students cannot complete their qualifications and are being forced to drop out.
Hunter highlighted the unique challenges within the tiling industry, which is largely made up of sole traders who currently lack financial support or incentives to take on students. Without targeted support, access to these placements often depends on personal or family connections - entrenching inequality and limiting opportunities for others.
Ms Hunter said: “This is a serious and deeply unfair situation. Young people who are investing in their education are being failed by a system that does not support them in accessing the hands-on experience they need.
"I have written to Minister Archibald asking for immediate clarification on what action is being taken by her department and whether funding or incentive schemes could be reintroduced or expanded to support small businesses willing to provide placements.
“Given that we are in the midst of a housing crisis, the urgency to ensure that we are able to produce the skilled tradespeople is all the more acute. I hope that the Minister will intervene with practical solutions to ensure that all students on these courses have an expectation that their efforts will not go to waste."

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