Inside Business: NI pupils 'need workplace training'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-33112869

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Northern Ireland's education system must adapt so that its companies can be the best in the world, the boss of a County Tyrone engineering firm said.

Darragh Cullen is managing director of Edge Innovate, Coalisland, which designs and makes machinery for the recycling and quarrying industries.

He told the BBC's Inside Business programme more needs to be done to prepare pupils for the workplace.

He said students should be educated for "real jobs in the real world".

'Mountain to climb'

"If we are trying to sell our products on the world stage and we're competing with the best in the world, and we're telling our customers that we're the best, then surely we should have the best people," Mr Cullen said.

"To have the best people, it's no accident, we need to have an education system that gives us the best people."

He added: "If we need an education system where we're educating people for real jobs, in the real world, then we have a bit of a mountain to climb."

Darragh Cullen's interview will be broadcast on Inside Business on BBC Radio Ulster at 13:30 BST on Sunday 14 June 2015.