Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 21 April 2023

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Ben Blackledge, WorldSkills UK Interim Chief Executive, together with senior Department for the Economy officials, joined the leadership team and WorldSkills student competitors from Southern Regional College at Newry campus on Wednesday past  19 April to celebrate the College’s outstanding success at WorldSkills UK where the College topped the UK leader board.

Southern Regional College has consistently been within the UK’s top three ranking colleges in these UK wide competitions over the past number of years and had set itself a target of reaching the number one spot within the next five years. However, due to the hard work, diligence and dedication of staff and students at the College and the outstanding success of the College’s competitors at the most recent competition, the College made the top spot within one year, being crowned ‘Best in the UK’.

The WorldSkills competitions are a global initiative to develop workforce skills and raise technical skills. WorldSkills Interim Chief Executive, Ben Blackledge who was in attendance, was blown away by the College’s consistency in results. He commented:

“To be number one in the UK is amazing and is a huge achievement. And with the College’s success of top three over the past numbers of years, this demonstrates that it’s about being consistent, so this topping of the leader board is no fluke”.

Ben presented the College with a certificate recognising the College’s amazing achievement in becoming the best performing college at the WorldSkills UK National Finals.

WorldSkills UK is a member of the global WorldSkills consisting of 82 members around the globe. The organisation is passionate about utilising the global network to bring the “best and newest ideas” in training standards back to the UK.

On the night Ben paid tribute to the many partnerships within Northern Ireland, from the local government departments, all six further education colleges, to college curriculum leads, tutors and competitors who strive to ensure Northern Ireland remains globally competitive.

Joining officials on the night were 15 successful participants from the recent UK WorldSkills competitions. These young participants had the opportunity to hear how WorldSkills UK seeks to ensure forthcoming competitions such as the Euro Skills in Gdansk in Poland and 2024 WorldSkills international competition in Lyon, France should remain within their targets, as it’s an opportunity to learn from counterparts and provides the best opportunities in life. As Ben commented “there’s always room for improvement.”

At the event was local student Victoria Sloan (Health and Social Care) from Kilkeel. Victoria picked up the coveted gold medal and was accompanied on the night by her very proud dad Ronald Sloan.

Also at the event was Newry student Isaac Bingham who picked up a gold medal in Cabinet Making cheered on his employer John McDonaghy. Fellow student Jason McVerry (Automation) from Belleek achieved a well deserving bronze medal, with Castlewellan student Jamie Gibson being ‘Highly Commended’ in Automation, and Josh McBride from Kilkeel representing the College in Plastering.

Portaferry student, Conor Braniff who was a finalist in Wall and Floor Tiling category has built upon his success by recently being named the 2023 Apprentice of the Year at the Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards. Conor’s mum, Colette commented:

“I would definitely recommend SRC to prospective students. Conor has had a fantastic experience so far. SRC has allowed our son to experience wall and floor tiling at competition level. All SRC staff have been very accommodating given the distance Conor has to travel.”

Brian Doran, Principal & Chief Executive of Southern Regional College further commented:

“On behalf of everyone at SRC I want to salute our WorldSkills participants. You can be extremely proud of your achievements as we certainly are, and I hope that you have benefited from this invaluable experience and unique learning. This experience will stand to you throughout your career and beyond.

You have demonstrated that you're amongst the most talented trainees in the UK and I hope that you will use this experience to gain the confidence to move onto further success because nothing should stand in your way.”

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 19 April 2023

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Our Lady's Grammar School have won the Best Sporting School of the Year award at the inaugural Local Women Sport Magazine - Women's Sports Awards 2023. The competition was the first ever dedicated women in all-sports awards evening in the whole of Ireland and the UK and it took place in the Europa Hotel, Belfast on Friday last, April 14.  

Speaking after the event Fiona McAlinden, Principal of Our Lady's said "We were delighted to be named as Local Women Sport 2023 Sporting School of the Year at an event in the Europa on Friday night.

"When announcing Our Lady's as winners, the judges referred to the school's success across a broad range of sports, including Camogie, Gaelic Football, Gymnastics and Netball.

"I would like to pay tribute to our outstanding PE teachers, as well as our coaches who invest so much of their time, energy and enthusiasm in training our students."

Sponsored by fuel provider Go, the awards are another ground breaker for Ireland’s first and only female sports publication, Local Women Sports Magazine, which has teamed up with Belfast Live as a media partner for the event.

The prestigious awards ceremony was hosted by UTV sports personality and hockey player  Ruth Gorman who also joined the star-studded judging panel. Judges included former Northern Ireland women’s captain Gail Redmond MBE, who works at the Irish Football Association as women’s development manager; Ulster Rugby women and girl’s rugby development manager, Eliza Downey; Dr Katie Liston, former elite athlete and senior sports lecturer at The University of Ulster; BBC sports presenter Nicola McCarthy; Local Women Magazine digital editor Gemma Garrett; Zoe Watson from Belfast Live; Chair of the Sport NI Women in Sport Forum, Arlene Watters; Camog Catriona Channing and sales manager for GO, Laura Loughran. 

Laura Loughran from GO said: “GO is proud to sponsor the Local Women Magazine Sports Awards.  We nurture and admire innovation and we are delighted that, for the first time ever, women in sport will be honoured at an all-female sporting awards night. We certainly have world class female athletes in our country and the standard of entries were exceptionally high. We received hundreds of nominations, so I didn’t envy the judges their task.” 

Belfast Live editor, Sheena McStravick said: “We are delighted to be on board with this fantastic event to shine a light on our incredible female athletes.

“So many women across the country are paving the way and inspiring future generations to go after and achieve their dreams in whatever sport they choose and we quite rightly should be celebrating that. It’s been an amazing year for women in sport and we are excited to see that continue and go from strength to strength in 2023.”

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 16 April 2023

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Saint Colman's College in Newry celebrates its Bicentenary next month and to mark the occasion the college plans to host a series of events and activities during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 Academic Years. The College opened its doors to students on Monday 12 May 1823 in William Street, Newry and since then many thousands of students have came through their doors and have made deep impressions on all walks of life throughout Ireland and indeed the world.

One of the first events to take place will see Archbishop Eamon Martin celebrate Mass for the College Community in Newry Cathedral on Wednesday 10 May 2023. Following Mass, the Archbishop will visit the College where he will bless a commemorative Entrance Sign and meet staff and students.

Two of the larger events taking place are the Bicentennial Gala Ball on 10 June 2023 and the Bicentennial Celebration of Football on 18 November 2023 both in the Canal Court Hotel. As well as these they plan to host Football Tournaments, Musical Productions, Charity events and trips and they also plan to produce a commemorative entrance sign.

The college are offering a range of sponsorship opportunities for businesses, families and individuals as part of their range of events. Check out more information at St Colman's Bicentennial

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 08 April 2023

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Mark Stewart was a finalist in the Outstanding Mentor Award in Northern Ireland’s Apprenticeship Awards, held at Belfast Harbour Commissioners Harbour Office.  The Awards celebrate the positive impact apprentice’s make within the workplace by furthering business goals.  Mark works within the formulation team at Norbrook and mentors students on Southern Regional College’s (SRC) Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) in Applied Industrial Science, a two year foundation degree programme. 

With seventeen HLA routes on offer at SRC, hiring an apprentice is a productive and effective way to grow talent, plus develop a motivated, skilled, and qualified workforce. Mark has mentored up to 15 students on the degree programme.  We caught up with Mark who explained what it is like to be nominated for an award and why you should consider doing an apprenticeship. 

Tell us about yourself and your role in Norbrook?

I have been working in Norbrook for just over 8 years now and am currently in the formulations laboratory team.  Here, we develop new products to drive business forward for Norbrook.

I previously studied at Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queens University, before taking up my role in Norbrook.  The formulations team is a great team to be a part of. We continue to evolve as we learn what the business needs and face challenges head on by learning collaboratively.  It is an exciting and enjoyable journey to be on.

I’m also a dad with two children, an 18 month old and a newborn so it’s pretty busy at present.

What inspires you? 

I like to see apprentices succeeding. I have been involved in the interview process and have seen first-hand candidates’ nerves when they come into the interview. Successful candidates are initially shellshocked being surrounded by all these people wearing lab coats and it is a big learning curve for them.  I like to flatten that curve and make it more manageable.  For me, it’s seeing people’s success and continuing growth. 

How does it feel to be nominated for the Outstanding Mentor award?

It is a great feeling!  It is a great vote of confidence that I am doing the right thing by my employer, and to be recognised at national level it is very pleasing.

What was the process like as a finalist?

I was delighted to receive the news that I was a finalist.  As part of the finalist process, there was an interview with the judging panel.  It was good being able to share my experience of Norbrook and how I work with apprentices to develop their confidence and skills.  In addition, a film production crew came to the workplace and recorded me at work.  This was a surreal experience, very different to what I am used to but a great experience nonetheless.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be? 

Do the apprenticeship – it is a fantastic opportunity as you learn and earn from day one, but also work hard and learn as much as you can from the people who have gone before you.  Show an interest in what you are doing, be engaged, do the legwork and you will travel far!

For information on Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes and how it can benefit your business, see: issuu.com  To speak with a member of the team, email hla@src.ac.uk or phone (028) 3025 9664 / (028) 3839 7778.

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 01 April 2023

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Higher education options at local further education colleges are now wider than ever before and provide an excellent route to promising careers and further study, according to the Principal and Chief Executive of Southern Regional College. 

Brian Doran was speaking to over 100 guests at an event in Southern Regional College Banbridge Campus as part of a wider campaign launched by the Department for the Economy this month to raise awareness of Level 4 and 5 qualifications at Northern Ireland’s six colleges. 

More than 9,500 learners are enrolled on higher education courses at local colleges, a number that is growing.

Courses include Foundation Degrees, Higher National Diplomas, Degrees in collaboration with Universities and Higher Level Apprenticeships giving students the opportunity to combine learning with hands-on experience and more crucially, access to employers. 

Speaking at the event Brian Doran, Chief Executive and Principal of Southern Regional College said “The Further Education Colleges across Northern Ireland offer an array of excellent higher education courses in a range of subjects that support industry need, bolster regional economic development and kick start thousands of careers.” 

“All six colleges offer courses from Higher National Certificates right through to bachelor’s degrees and postgraduate qualifications. The benefits of studying at a local college are clear. We offer highly accessible locations for people who need or want to be closer to home when studying, lower fees, smaller class sizes and enhanced tutor support. The college model supports diversity and that is something we are hugely proud of.”

“We also continue to grow our links with local employers and design our courses in direct response to their needs, meaning that each of the six Colleges are an important player in supporting local economic development and contributing to a balanced economy right across Northern Ireland.”

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 30 March 2023

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A level 2 floor and wall tiling apprentice at Southern Regional College has been awarded the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ at the Department for the Economy’s annual Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards. The awards celebrate employers, apprentices, and champions from a wide range of industries and occupations.

Conor Braniff, fought off stiff competition from across the sector and apprenticeship training providers. 

Conor, who is employed by Tullycross Tiling, is so dedicated to his training that he travels over 80 miles to college each week and his tutors have commented that “his commitment and attendance is outstanding”. His sheer dedication to his course, learning and employment has proved that the skills he is learning and putting into practice are beyond those of others his age. On top of his training and employment, he is also in training to compete in the tiling category of UK Skillbuild final. 

Speaking at a ceremony hosted by speaker and broadcaster David Meade in the Belfast Harbour Commissioner’s office, Mike Brennan, Permanent Secretary at the Department for the Economy, said: “The Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards are an opportunity to appreciate those who have made a significant investment in vocational education. The awards ceremony allows us to celebrate the commitment and the immense capability of our apprentices, their employers and the training providers who support them.”

Brian Doran, Principal & Chief Executive of Southern Regional College commented: “This is a fantastic achievement for Conor who has made a big impact already so early on in his career.  It is particularly inspiring that alongside his apprenticeship he is dedicating time to additional training to allow him to compete at a national level in his subject”. 

“Being awarded Apprentice of the Year, Conor has demonstrated skills and knowledge in his work that go far beyond that expected. A huge vote of thanks also goes to Conor’s lecturing team at SRC, who have nurtured his talent and supported him during his time at college. A significant achievement for all”. 

More information on the Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Awards 2023 can be found on the Department’s website at www.economy-ni.gov.uk

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 20 March 2023

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The SRC campus at Greenbank in Newry played host to students across all of the Southern Regional College campuses for the annual SkillBuild competition in the faculty area of Building, Technology and Engineering (BUTE).  Students pitted themselves against classmates and students from other campuses to attain a placing. Students competing in the areas of electrical and plumbing were in with a chance to win prizes, sponsored by the Northern Ireland based online retailer, Tool Monster. A great addition to any young apprentice’s toolkit!

Overseeing the event were Rachel McKeeman, Director of Industry Training and Support and Gayle Beckett, Project Manager from Construction Industry Training Board, who were impressed by the apprentices’ focus to the task.

Success at the annual SkillBuild competition is the first stage for students to compete at the WorldSkills series.  A series of competitions where students demonstrate their technical and employability skills.  Taking part in these competitions not only raises the standards of student output through competition based training, but success can result in increased employability prospects.  Within recent years, Southern Regional College has enjoyed success within the WorldSkills series, having been crowned ‘Best in UK’ in the 2022 UK WorldSkills competition.

Understandably, the College is keen for students to continue their educational and professional development.  Successful students from the SkillBuild competition will go forward to compete at regional heats.  This involves competing against students from other further education colleges before progressing onto UK heats. 

Last month, two SRC students currently undertaking the Level 2 Diploma Traineeship in Vehicle Body Paint Repair Oisin McKerr from Lurgan and Ben Robertson from Portadown took part in the NI regional competition for Automotive Refinishing in Mallusk.  

At the event, Oisin and Ben undertook various tasks from paint colour matching, plastic panel repairs, paint rectification, along with metal panel preparation and painting.  Competition was fierce with both students performing well under pressure. Oisin obtained the coveted 1st place and Ben joint 3rd.  Oisin has gained automatic qualification towards the last 16 in the UK World Skills heats.  Ben has the opportunity to qualify for the last 16 through completing an online assessment. 

The Newry SkillBuild event covered students undertaking apprenticeships and traineeships in areas from bricklaying, cabinet making, carpentry, electrical, joinery, painting & decorating, plastering, plumbing to wall & floor tiling.  Students will now have the opportunity to compete against peers across Northern Ireland in their chosen profession. 

The event also saw students within the Schools Partnership Programme (SPP) compete in areas of brickwork, joinery, wall & floor tiling, painting & decorating, plumbing pipework, electrical, engineering and motor vehicles 

The SPP enables secondary school students in the 14-16 age group to attend the College for Occupational Studies one day a week over a two-year timeframe.  These students obtain a board and balanced curriculum and achieve qualifications to support the local economic workforce.

List of Results

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 18 March 2023

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Pupils from Abbey Grammar School in Newry are just some of the local young artists who submitted entries to this year’s Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

All entrants are currently having their works evaluated as the judging process gets underway. Winners in the seven age categories, including one exclusively for artworks by young artists with special needs, will be announced in mid-April.

Currently in its 69th year, the Texaco Children’s Art Competition is the longest-running art sponsorship in Ireland. First held in 1955, it is hosted by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited – the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand.

Columba O'Hare

Category: Education

Published: 14 March 2023

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St Paul's High School in Bessbrook is one of several local schools taking part in a Sport for Good Schools Programme, a dedicated mental health athlete mentorship programme delivered by Lidl Northern Ireland as part of the retailer’s established ‘Sport for Good’ campaign which aims to tackle youth mental health head on.  St Mary’s High School, Newry is also taking part.

The programme, developed in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, first launched in 2021 and has since supported more than 5,200 secondary school pupils across Northern Ireland. Survey feedback from last year’s programme revealed that 83% of participants felt the programme boosted their overall confidence and 100% of teachers committed to changing the mental health support programmes in their schools as a result.

Sporting heroes from across Northern Ireland have been specially trained by Youth Sport Trust to deliver workshops that help students to proactively manage their mental health, as they progress into adulthood, through the vehicle of sport and physical activity. The mentors provide students with the tools and encouragement they need to support themselves and their peers in school, at home and in their wider communities.

Students at St. Paul’s High School, Bessbrook received their first workshop this week in the dedicated series of mental health mentorship workshops, delivered by Olympian and men’s field hockey international Eugene Magee.

Hailing from Ballela in Co Down, Eugene made his debut representing Ireland in 2005 and retired from an astounding career international hockey with 295 caps – earning him the title of Irish Hockey’s most capped men’s player. Now, Eugene is passing on his wealth of knowledge and experience to pupils across the county as part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s flagship Community Works initiative, Sport for Good.

Speaking on the initiative Jarlath Burns, Principal of St. Paul’s High School, Bessbrook said “Sport is a significant part of our school identity here at St. Paul’s and we’re very lucky that our pupils are always keen to get involved – either by playing or by supporting the teams. For those who aren’t athletic, this programme has provided a different perspective in showing pupils that you don’t have to be good at traditional sports to get active – you can always go for a walk, run or swim to avail of the benefits that sport participation can have on your physical and mental health. 

“The Sport for Good Mental Health Athlete Mentorship workshops have done a fantastic job in breaking down the stigmas associated with mental health and have provided our students with invaluable life tools to manage challenges they may face as they grow and develop and shown them how sport can play a big role in that.

“Led by some of the region’s top sporting heroes, we’ve been really impressed at the calibre of mentors. It was a delight to see our pupils really engage with Eugene, who has been a true inspiration to them all. 

“On behalf of the entire school community, we would like to express our thanks to the parents and local Lidl shoppers who voted for St. Paul’s High School. I would also like to thank Lidl Northern Ireland and Youth Sport Trust for investing in our community and to their mentor Eugene for delivering this vital programme to help support our pupils with skills for life.”

Commenting on the programme international hockey player, Eugene Magee said “When I was a pupil, my passion for sport and being part of a team really helped me through a lot of the challenges that many students face. Whether I was dealing with the pressure of exams or issues in my personal life, sport was always an escape for me.

“Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good initiative has been a very exciting opportunity for me, especially now that I’ve retired from hockey as it gives me the chance to get back out into the community to show young adults that there is more to sport than the physical benefits.

From working as part of a team, gaining confidence in your abilities and building resilience when things don’t go to plan on game day, these are vital skills that will transfer to their everyday lives.”

Established in 2019, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Sport for Good initiative has supported more than 100 schools and sports clubs, providing over £320,000 in funding to encourage more young people into sport. 

Earlier this year, the retailer announced 25 winning schools - hailing from every county across the region – who were selected for the Mental Health Athlete Mentorship programme following a call out for competition entries in October last year and nominated by local shoppers. Each winning school also received £1,000 worth of brand-new sports equipment.

The sessions are being led by a stellar line up of leading local athletes including four-time Paralympic athletics champion Michael McKillop, Olympic steeplechase athlete Kerry O’Flaherty, and Olympic hockey heroes Shirley McCay and Eugene Magee.

For more information, please visit lidl-ni.co.uk