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SRC students continue to benefit from the Northern Ireland Traineeship programme since its launch three years ago. The programme provides young people with valuable skills, practical experience, and qualifications, leading to meaningful employment opportunities across the region. Solely delivered within the Further Education (FE) sector, the programme has become an essential pathway for those seeking to gain a strong foothold in the workforce.
The NI Traineeship, which offers students a unique blend of practical work experience and academic learning at Level 2, has proven to be an excellent opportunity for young people to gain industry-specific skills while also earning a valued qualification. Traineeships not only enhance students' employability but also help them explore career options, acquire real-world skills, and transition seamlessly into further education or employment.
SRC Creative Arts and Digital Technologies Traineeship students Anna-Grace and Teagan Cousins have recently completed a British Film Institute short course which they were introduced to via their Traineeship course.
Recent Light Motor Vehicle Traineeship student Brody Duffy has progressed onto the light motor vehicles skills apprenticeship with Southern Regional College while former Vehicle Paint Refinishing Traineeship student Jack Harvison. has progressed to the Level 3 Apprenticeship course at Southern Regional College and placed top in the NI Regional Automotive Refinishing competition earlier this year.
Former SRC Professional Chef Traineeship student Sam Thompson has enjoyed success with his Traineeship studies at Southern Regional College and in the 2024 biennial IFEX competition Sam took a bronze medal in the junior poultry category.
A Three-Year Success Story
In the three years since its launch, the NI Traineeship programme has seen a steady rise in participation and a significant increase in success stories. Numbers of enrolled students on the NI Traineeship has risen significantly since its launch in 2021, where there were 808 enrolled students. This academic year (2024-25), there are approx. 3,200 enrolled students with a projected growth in enrolments to 4,500 for 2025-26.
With thousands of students already benefitting, traineeships have become one of the most highly regarded training opportunities in Northern Ireland, offering young people a stepping stone into some of the region's most in-demand industries, including healthcare, engineering, IT, construction, and hospitality.
Supporting Students Every Step of the Way
The NI Traineeship not only equips students with practical job-specific skills but also provides comprehensive support throughout their journey. Students can avail of the various support packages available within colleges, such as Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), the Further Education (FE) grant, hardship fund, bus pass, and free school meals, helping to alleviate financial barriers to education.
Pathways to Further Success
One of the key benefits of the NI Traineeship is the wide range of progression opportunities it offers. Upon completion of a traineeship, students have the flexibility to either progress onto a Level 3 apprenticeship, pursue further education at Level 3, or go directly into full-time employment. This seamless transition ensures that young people are well-equipped to meet the demands of the job market, while also providing them with the skills and experience needed to succeed.
Many students have already leveraged the programme to secure full-time employment or have continued their education with confidence, knowing they have the practical skills that employers seek. For employers, the traineeship programme offers an invaluable opportunity to develop the next generation of skilled workers, while also allowing them the flexibility to teach job-specific skills aligned with their industry.
For businesses, the NI Traineeship provides a unique opportunity to nurture future employees. Employers are able to collaborate closely with colleges to ensure trainees are gaining the precise skills needed in their industry. With the ability to train and mentor students directly, companies benefit from a pipeline of skilled, job-ready candidates who are familiar with the expectations and requirements of the workplace.
For more information on the NI Traineeship programme, including how to apply or how employers can get involved, please visit traineeships
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Two Newry students have picked up Awards at Ulster University Business School’s Excellence Awards, led by the Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing. Ciaran Rafferty and Katie McKee were two of 29 top performing students awarded.
Rafferty, a BSC Hons Marketing undergraduate student received the Chartered Institute of Marketing Award for Excellence for the Best student performance in a final year module.
McKee, a MSc Marketing postgraduate student, received the Whale Award for the Highest mark in Global Marketing and Competitiveness.
Now celebrating their fourteenth year, the awards are an opportunity to acknowledge exceptional talent across a range of subjects including Marketing, Management, Business Studies and Human Resource Management.
Last year, Ulster University was awarded University of the Year 2024 at the Times Higher Education Awards. This year, Ulster University’s Business School will celebrate 50 years of excellence, showcasing their commitment to excellence as they continue to shape careers for generations to come.
Dr Mary Boyd, Head of Department said "It’s truly inspiring to witness such a diverse pool of talent across our management, leadership and marketing programmes and it’s great to be able to come together to celebrate their hard work and dedication at the awards. It’s also fantastic to be able to host these at our very own Academy Restaurant on campus. Here at Ulster University Business School, we are dedicated to preparing students with the relevant skills to become leaders in their various fields. It wouldn’t be possible to hold these awards year on year without our sponsors, so I’d like to say thank you to each of them for their support. The Awards are particularly special to us this year as we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Business School later this year.”
Award sponsors included Chartered Accountants Ireland Ulster Society, CIM, CIMA (Ireland), Deloitte, Factor, Grant Thornton, Hastings Hotels Group, Hunter Savage, Labour Relations Agency, Lynas Foodservice, Ocorian, Pilgrim’s Europe (formerly Moy Park), Professor Julie Hastings Scholarship, Red Star Brands, Shred Bank Ltd, Staffline Recruitment, The Belfast Telegraph, The Marketing Institute of Ireland, Whale, and the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators.
For more information, visit www.ulster.ac.uk
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The Southern Regional College Music Department is offering free professional recording sessions for young musicians from schools across the region.
As part of SRC Music Dept’s ongoing commitment to supporting music education, students from St Joseph’s High School, Our Lady’s Grammar, and St John the Baptist College recently stepped into the studio, experiencing the magic of high-quality recording in a professional environment. The sessions catered to a variety of musical styles, capturing the incredible performances of school choirs and traditional Irish ensembles.
The impact was immediate, with students leaving SRC more motivated than ever to pursue their musical dreams. One attending school shared their excitement: "Many of our students were inspired today and have said they want to attend SRC to study music production! We absolutely loved the experience and working with you all. The students returned to school absolutely beaming, so thank you."
This initiative reflects SRC Music Dept’s dedication to fostering musical talent and providing hands-on learning experiences for current students. Each recording was facilitated by studio engineers from the final year Foundation Degree. By collaborating with local schools, the college hopes to ignite a passion for music and production, showing students the endless possibilities within the industry.
For more information about music opportunities at SRC, check out @srcmusicdept on Instagram.
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A St Malachy's Primary School pupil has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2025 Newsdesk Adobe Express Competition.
Shaheer Ahmed was selected for the shortlist out of over 2000 entries.
Adobe Express is a content creation tool designed for ease of use and accessible to users of all skill levels.
Shaheer created an excellent book cover with the software showcasing all his ICT skills at the St Martins Lane school in Newry.
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A very special visitor turned up at Abbey Grammar School, Newry last week along with some high achieving past pupils. The Sam Maguire cup and members of the victorious 2024 All Ireland winning Armagh senior football team got a rousing reception.
Past pupil Paddy Burns arrived first with Sam and after a brief introduction with staff it was straight to a question and answer session with some of the school's football teams. The senior MacRory panel, the Rannafast finalist and the Dalton team who played in this week’s semi final were treated to stories of school days, playing days and stand out moments from the summer of 2024.
The session was hosted by the Abbey’s new GAA development officer, Mr Kevin McKernan, an initiative part funded by both the Armagh and Down County boards. It was a lovely to see a former Down star putting the questions to the Armagh corner back, county differences set aside as two Abbey men and indeed Burren GAA club men spoke to the enthralled audience.
As the morning went on the Abbey welcomed other past pupils Callum O’Neill, Sean Conlon and Niall Rowland who met staff and had photos taken with staff and students alike. It was a great morning with lots of reminiscing about the great days of last summer and also years gone by.
An Abbey spokesperson said "We are very grateful to the members of the current panel and extend our congratulations also to those past pupils who were not able to attend, Kieran McGeeney, Connaire Mackin and Finbar Burns. The current student body will no doubt try to emulate the feats of these great past pupils as they wear school, club and county jerseys with pride."
The school currently has over 80 pupils at Yr8 training and have GAA panels and development squads in all other year groups.
It was a day to celebrate the Abbey's proud sporting tradition, inspirational role models and a bright future.
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Southern Regional College’s commitment to sustainability is not just a goal but a core part of the College’s ethos. Sixteen managers at the college have recently achieved Carbon Literacy accreditation through the Carbon Literacy Programme. The certification, delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, underscores the College’s ongoing efforts to foster environmental awareness and action within the College.
The Carbon Literacy Programme provides individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to understand climate change and its impact, empowering individuals and organisations to take action to reduce carbon footprints.
As members of the SRC Sustainability Working Group the managers are playing a vital role in advocating for and integrating sustainable practices across campuses. To date the Working Group has taken steps to reduce printing and implement actions to reduce energy consumption across campuses whilst promoting digital alternatives. Other actions have included rewilding projects, involving ecological restoration projects, to increase biodiversity and moving from nature protection to recovery and restoration.
The training, which was designed and delivered by the experts at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, equips the managers with the tools to lead by example and influence change within their teams and the wider college community. With climate change being one of the most urgent global challenges, the accreditation ensures that these leaders are well-placed to make informed decisions, promote green practices, and drive sustainability initiatives throughout the College.
Lindsay Bronte, Organisational Development Manager at Southern Regional College commented: “Our focus on carbon literacy aligns with SRC’s broader strategy to promote environmental stewardship and prepare our students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. These 16 managers, with their enhanced knowledge of carbon reduction, are now equipped to inspire and guide others in adopting sustainable practices across all aspects of college life.
"But our journey doesn't stop here. In the coming months, further training will be offered to both staff and students to extend the benefits of carbon literacy across our entire college community. We understand that sustainability is a collective effort, and by providing this training, we aim to engage all members of our community in meaningful action towards a greener future."
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Southern Regional College has switched its printed promotional materials to carbon balancing printing in support of its aim to reduce the College’s overall carbon impact. Carbon balancing aims to reduce the impact of paper use and printing by offsetting carbon emission from the process by engaging in environmental initiatives that actually protect forests.
The newly created SRC Further Education and Apprenticeship Course Guides seen the College balance 123kg of carbon emissions and enable the World Land Trust to protect 24 metres squared of critically threatened rain forest; a real and measurable impact. Additional carbon balancing benefits will follow with the implementation of carbon balancing initiatives across all course guides and materials.
The College effectively demonstrates how educational institutions can balance environmental responsibility with influential marketing strategies effectively. The College's 2025/26 course guides show smart design choices with a slimmed down single printed A2 fold out leaflet reducing printed page volume by 75% over the past two years.
This initiative will help to reduce paper waste whilst also delivering quality content. Detailed information on all courses, including module information, entry requirements and assessment methods is always available on the College website to aid applicants in the decision-making process.
Raymond Sloan, Director of Client Services at Southern Regional College commented: “The College remains committed to reducing its carbon footprint and plays a central and transformative role in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals which we have committed to. Gone are the bulky prospectuses, replaced with fully recyclable, slimmed down course guides which include carbon-balancing. This is an important factor in ensuring we continue to meet our commitments under the SDG Accord.”
The College's commitment to carbon balancing in its marketing materials stems from the College signing up to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord in 2023. The SDG Accord is an initiative within the College and University sector which aims to advance the role education has in delivering solutions to the world’s biggest problems. SRC’s new course guides specifically meets the responsible consumption and production goal through the reduction of waste production and revitalised efforts towards digital consumption.
Carbon balancing is delivered in partnership with the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity and helps with the protection and restoration of threatened forests in the tropics.
Michelle Currie, Head of Marketing, Communications & Student Recruitment further commented: “By transitioning from a traditional printed prospectus to concise, targeted leaflets on carbon-balanced paper, we are not only reducing our environmental footprint but also making it easier for prospective students to access key course information. This shift reflects our commitment to sustainability and our understanding of how students prefer to engage with us. Our website will now serve as a central hub for more dynamic, up-to-date content, ensuring that students have a more personalised and accessible experience when exploring their educational options."
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Teachers and students in secondary schools across Newry and surrounds are invited to take part in Bank of Ireland’s All Ireland Money Smarts Challenge, a series of virtual financial literacy quizzes, taking place in March. The quizzes are part of Bank of Ireland’s free ‘Money Smarts’ financial literacy programme for Second Level students, with workshops and events designed to provide students with both financial literacy and key life skills.
The Money Smarts Programme is designed to help students learn about managing their finances and to develop important financial literacy skills. The programme is delivered to students by Bank of Ireland’s Community Engagement Associates through financial literacy presentations, tailored for post primary students. Bank of Ireland’s local Community Engagement Associates can deliver the Money Smarts programme on request from schools and teachers, and can agree dates and times to meet existing class schedules.
Now in its sixth year, the Money Smarts Challenge, an interactive quiz element of the programme, is open for registration to secondary schools across the country:
There will be four virtual Money Smarts Challenge quizzes in 2025. Each school can register a maximum of five teams of four students. Virtual event dates are Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th of March 2025.
There will be two virtual quizzes on each of these dates at 9.30am and 11.30am each day. The highest scoring three teams in each of the four virtual quizzes will be awarded prizes. Twelve schools in total will win Money Smarts Challenge top prizes across these four virtual Money Smarts Challenge events. The three top scoring teams in each quiz will take home a cash prize* for their school.
Elisha McNulty, Community Engagement Manager at Bank of Ireland UK said: “We have lots of free financial wellbeing resources on our website for teachers, students and young people to help have positive conversations about money and to help equip young people with the skills and confidence to make informed decisions and take charge of their financial future.
“Programmes like Money Smarts play a role in helping to ensure young people are equipped with the skills to make smart financial decisions, and would encourage local schools to get involved and encourage their students to show off their Money Smarts by taking part.”
Registration for the Money Smarts Challenge is now open: Money Smarts Challenge 2025 - Bank of Ireland UK
For further information on Bank of Ireland UK’s supports for youth financial wellbeing is available at: www.bankofirelanduk.com
* In each quiz, first prize will be €2,000 (or £ equivalent) to the school with the highest score, €1,000 (or £ equivalent) to the school with the second highest score and third prize will be €500 (or £ equivalent) to third placed school.
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In a groundbreaking educational initiative, Southern Regional College (SRC) has demonstrated its commitment to next-generation construction technology by collaborating with Louth and Meath Education Training Board to facilitate visits for 94 Higher Level Apprenticeship students and six staff to the cutting-edge LMETB research and training centre in Drogheda.
The visits showcased the innovative COBOD 3D concrete printer, developed through a partnership between LMETB and Harcourt Technologies (HTL).
Apprentices pursuing Foundation and Bachelor Science Degrees in Digital Construction Management and Quantity Surveying gained hands-on experience with technology that's revolutionising the construction industry. The state-of-the-art 3D concrete printer demonstrates how digital models can be transformed into physical structures layer by layer, offering unprecedented precision and efficiency in construction projects demonstrating significant benefits in reduced timelines, cost savings through automated process and minimised material waste for enhanced sustainability.
Industry-Leading Partnership
This initiative stems from a strategic Memorandum of Understanding between SRC and LMETB, establishing a powerful cross-border collaboration focusing on Advanced Construction and Engineering/Manufacturing. Apprentices had the unique opportunity to engage with industry experts from HTL and LMETB, examining test buildings and gaining practical insights into the future of construction technology.
"This experience demonstrates a glimpse into the future of construction," says Fiona Bradley, Assistant Director of Further Education and Training in SRC. "By exposing our Apprentices to revolutionary technologies like the COBOD printer, we are ensuring that they graduate with the skills and knowledge of the innovative technologies needed to lead the construction industry forward."
Future-Ready Graduates
The integration of advanced technologies like 3D concrete printing into SRC's curriculum demonstrates the college's commitment to preparing industry-ready professionals. Through partnerships with industry leaders and exposure to cutting-edge technology, SRC continues to position itself at the forefront of construction education in the region.
This innovative approach to education ensures SRC graduates enter the workforce with practical experience in the latest construction technologies, making them valuable assets to future employers and the construction industry as a whole.
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