§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trainees have taken courses with Enterprise Ulster for 1977–78; what is the average length of an Enterprise Ulster course; how many of these trainees have subsequently found work in the private sector; and how many trainees have remained with Enterprise Ulster for more than a year.
§ Mr. Rossi[pursuant to his reply, 22 October 1979]:
The purpose of Enterprise Ulster is to provide employment and through it to train long-term unemployed, unskilled manual workers in such a way as to give 156W them better opportunities to obtain stable employment. The training element is specifically designed to make its workers more attractive to potential employers. As the objective is to place workers in conventional employment the word "trainee" is strictly a misnomer.
In 1977–78 the numbers attending courses were as follows:
Enterprise Ulster 10 week induction course for new workers 1,371 General construction operatives' course at a Government Training Centre 401 External courses of varying duration 1,611 340 workers were subsequently employed in the private sector.
At 12 October 1979, 1,112 workers had been employed by Enterprise Ulster for more than one year.