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In June Southern Regional College hosted the Education Authority’s inaugural conference for Area Learning Community Coordinators (ALCS) at their Armagh Campus. The Area Learning Communities (ALCs) are an essential part of the infrastructure for post-primary education in Northern Ireland and play a paramount role in supporting schools by providing mechanisms which allow them to plan the curriculum that will be offered.
Averil Morrow, Interim Assistant Director at the Education Authority, opened the event with an introduction which emphasised the importance of the ALCs within the education system.
Brian Doran, Principal and CEO of Southern Regional College, welcomed representatives from the Department of Education, Department for the Economy, Education Training Inspectorate, and further education colleagues and industry representatives to the College.
The conference's focus was centred around supporting careers with representatives such as Dr Catherine O'Mullan, Chair of the Northern Ireland Further Education Sector Curriculum Directors' Working Group, who spoke about wide ranging opportunities available for 14 – 19-year-olds within Further Education.
Dr Deirdre Hughes, founder of Deirdre Mary Hughes (DMH) Associates, spoke about the outcomes of the 14-19 research, led by her organisation, and commissioned by the Department for the Economy which took a deep delve into careers service provision in NI. This research focused on transforming careers support for young people and adults in Northern Ireland. Dr Hughes gave an overview of the policies and practices that are currently in place within Northern Ireland.
Andrew Cattle from Cascaid, a careers education program, discussed Xello, a new and exciting careers software package for schools, aimed to equip students with knowledge, skills, and planning capabilities to navigate their future. Shane Martin, a chartered psychologist also spoke about the impact of the life restrictions in recent years and the psychology of renewal.
The aim of this event was to highlight research findings to enhance careers delivery for the young people of Northern Ireland.
Keith Kilpatrick, Director of Curriculum at SRC spearheaded the event and said “This conference is a fantastic opportunity to meet with the Area Learning Community Coordinators and reinforce the importance of their role in enabling greater choice and flexibility for our young people across the Southern Region. We will continue to enhance our strong partnerships across the Area Learning Communities and ensure that the FE Sector continues to develop innovative and creative approaches to collaborative working”.
