SRC receive Beacon Award

Southern Regional College receives prestigious AoC Beacon Award Southern Regional College is celebrating after receiving an Association of Colleges Beacon Award at a presentation ceremony in Westminster, London, for its scheme to inspire an entrepreneurial spirit among students and staff.

The College was presented with the Enterprise UK Award for Enterprise by John Hayes MP, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning. The Award recognises work with staff and students to develop enterprise, both in the curriculum and by providing guidance and support for would-be entrepreneurs.

Southern Regional College runs the Inspire Programme, which has a mission to encourage employment, business start-ups and the development of problem-solving skills for all students.

The College won the Award for its diverse range of more than 70 projects it has run with the support of 51 companies to date. There are cross-curricular learning activities for students and staff, including competitions to create a College cookbook and to work with a local communications company to develop marketing materials, and the opportunity to develop a marketing strategy for two local businesses.

The success of the Inspire Programme has led to a greater number of students seeing self-employment as a valid career option; within the last year more than 300 students have taken part in pre-business start-up investment programmes.

Southern Regional College also runs Greenshoots Ltd., the only campus-based business incubation unit in Northern Ireland, which has been operating for four years. The College is sharing its experience of nurturing entrepreneurial skills more widely with the Northern Ireland network of Colleges.

John Hayes said: “I am pleased to be part of the AoC Beacon Awards which recognise and celebrate the greatest successes of the further education sector. The Awards highlight the exceptional ability of many Colleges to respond to the needs of students and local businesses and revitalise the communities they serve.

"It is right that these Colleges are recognised for their hard work. These are precisely the sorts of achievements I want to see continue so further education can fulfil its potential as an engine of social and economic progress.”

Spokesperson for the College, Brian Doran, Chief Executive, said: “The Southern Regional College is both honoured and delighted to have been awarded the prestigious Enterprise UK AoC Beacon Award. Today’s award is a tremendous boost to everyone in the College and recognises the creative and innovative work that both staff and students have undertaken in recent years in promoting a culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship across all our campuses. I have every confidence that we will use this award as a further stepping stone in our journey of encouraging and developing young people to become the business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future. “

Tom Bewick, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise UK, said: “We are proud to sponsor the AoC Beacon Awards, which highlight the importance of developing and strengthening the partnerships between Further Education Colleges and the business community. Education is absolutely pivotal as we nurture the enterprising talents of our future business leaders.”

The UK-wide Beacon Awards, now in their 17th year, provide national recognition for excellence and innovation as well as acknowledging the talents of staff at all levels. They highlight the breadth and quality of education in the College sector.

Chair of the AoC Beacon Awards, Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb said: “Beacon winners blaze a trail in finding new ways of doing things; they contribute to social justice and are instrumental in local economic and social regeneration, essential during these turbulent times. Whilst the winners this year are located all across the UK, what they all share are the key traits of innovation, creativity, responsiveness and a collaborative approach. I am delighted on behalf of the AoC Charitable Trust to reward the contribution that these Colleges make; they are the pillars of our communities.”