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St Malachy's Nursery School, Carnagat is open for admissions through the Education Authority Portal from today 10 January.
Children play, learn and grow together at St. Malachy’s. The school provides a safe, happy, family environment for each child. You can be confident that your child will receive the highest standard of teaching from dedicated staff.
The Education Authority Preschool Admissions Portal will open on 10th January 2023 for online applications, age 3-4 year olds.
pupilservices.eani.org.uk
The closing date for applications is 27th Jan 2023
For further information contact Mrs McKinney, school Principal on 02830 268536, or have a look on their Facebook page to see the exciting things the children get up to.
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Excitement is building as Southern Regional College’s BIG Apprenticeship events returns this February. The events will see exhibitors, employers, careers advisors, support organisations and College faculty staff come together to help people forge new careers.
The BIG Apprenticeship events are being held this year on Tuesday 7 February in SRC’s Newry West Campus and on Thursday 9 February in Craigavon’s Civic Centre. Both events are from 5:30pm – 7:30pm and are part of The Department for the Economy’s Apprenticeship Week.
The BIG Apprenticeship Events will provide attendees with information on over 20 apprenticeship routes plus alternative routes to university in the form of Higher Level Apprenticeships, where it is possible to get a degree whilst you learn, with the added bonus of no course fees!
There is a wealth of opportunities available at the College with multiple placement opportunities available for courses starting in September 2023, and more expected, so if you’re looking to change your career or simply unsure of your next steps, why not attend The BIG Apprenticeship event and investigate these further!
Current apprenticeships available include Construction, Electrical, Plumbing, Motor Vehicle, Professional Cookery & Butchery, Business Administration and Hairdressing ....to name a few. With many options available, come on down to the event and speak with employers and College staff to find a career path.
For applicants seeking degrees, the Higher-Level Apprenticeship (HLA) route is for you. HLAs are designed for people who want to get practical experience and be ahead of university counterparts. During the HLA experience applicants build up relevant work experience whilst studying, earning a wage, and avoiding tuition fees.
HLA course offerings include a diverse range of subjects; from Accounting, FinTech, Digital Marketing, Hospitality & Tourism, Sport & Exercise, Construction (Digital Construction and Quantity Surveying), to Engineering (Mechatronic, Electrical & Electronic, Technical Design & Manufacture), to Computing (For Industry, Cloud Computing, Analytics & Security), and Applied Industrial Sciences (Chemical & Life Science pathways).
Newry Mourne Down District Council (NMDDC) is one of the employers working with SRC and the HLA programme. NMDDC currently have several SRC apprentices working within the organisation and gaining their degree through the HLA route. NMDDC chairperson Michael Savage came along to launch the Big Apprenticeship Event in SRC’s Newry campus, and NMDDC will be available at the Newry event to speak with prospective apprentices as they launch their career. Current and past apprentices will also be at the events to speak with attendees commencing their journey.
To pre-register for one of the Big Apprenticeship Events, head to https://www.src.ac.uk and complete the registration form. Events are free to attend.
To view courses and apply for a HLA, head to higher-level.
To view apprenticeship options, check out SRC’s webpage at apprenticeships
College staff will be available on the day to provide guidance and help with applications.
Sylvia Moorhead, Business Skills Manager at Southern Regional College commented “We are delighted to have SRC’s Big Apprenticeship Events back live this year to help increase apprenticeship awareness and give more individuals along with their parents/guardians the opportunity to meet with local employers offering Apprenticeships and Higher Level Apprenticeships. The Events will give attendees the opportunity to attend drop-in sessions to hear directly from Apprentice Ambassadors on their Apprenticeship journey.
The College has a wide range of Apprenticeship and Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes available to meet the needs of our local economy. We look forward to welcoming you to SRC’s BIG Apprenticeship Events.”
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Two Crossmaglen school pupils are the first Playr-fit Elite Athlete Scholarship recipients of the new year. Lewis Bellew and Siofra McCreesh from St Joseph's High School, Crossmaglen were presented with their awards yesterday 17 January.
The main sport for Lewis is Gaelic football and Siofra is a dual athlete taking part in Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie. Both athletes also participate in cross country running and other sports.
A Playr-fit spokesperson said "Being involved in a range of sports gives these athletes many transferable skills in sport and life. We are happy to support these athletes, helping them perform at the highest level in their range of sports and we have no doubt that you will be hearing their names a lot more in the years to come."
The Playr-fit Elite Athlete Scholarship was introduced to financially help students with their extra training expenses and allows them to focus on their sport and studies.
In the current cost of living crisis Playr-fit are making school PE uniforms more affordable for parents. Offering 5 items, a full tracksuit and a full playing kit from just £55.00 or €65.00.
If your school is interested in getting involved in this scholarship program please email sales@playr-fit.com
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A Kilkeel Dentristy student is one of there students to be awarded £1000 as part of the Choice Housing 2023 Prize. The initiative aimed at supporting students from Widening Participation backgrounds to achieve academic excellence and to complete their studies.
The Choice Housing 2023 Prize which is now in its fourth year was launched in 2019 and provides financial support to students in order to facilitate the completion of their studies. The three Queen’s students, who will each receive £1,000 in recognition of their academic attainments are Katie Stevenson from Kilkeel (Medicine, Health, and Life Sciences), who is studying Dentistry, Patrick Gormley (Engineering & Physical Sciences), studying Physics and Nicole Beck (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) currently studying for a bachelor’s in politics.
The financial support is provided to students who have participated in either the Pathway Opportunity Programme or Senior Academy Programme, both key Queen's initiatives delivered by the University’s Widening Participation Unit (WPU).
Choice Group Chief Executive, Michael McDonnell said “This partnership between Choice and Queen’s University has provided much needed support to students who have the motivation and determination to continue their studies but need some support along the way.
“The initiatives managed through Queen’s facilitate broader access to higher education and we are proud to be a part of this commitment to supporting students across the region and where possible, eliminate barriers to education. As a housing association our commitment goes beyond building quality affordable homes, pledging to support the local communities we invest in to allow them to thrive.”
Established in 2013, the Widening Participation Unit comprises the Junior Academy, the Senior Academy and more recently the Pathway Opportunity Programme. WP students may include young people who are eligible for free school meals or Education Maintenance Allowance, those who are care leavers, or adult learners.
The Senior Academy and Pathway Opportunity Programme target young people who have the ability to attend university, but who are least likely to progress to higher education and provides support to enable them to fulfil their potential.
The Choice Prizes are awarded to the Pathway Opportunity Programme or Senior Academy students, who achieve the highest overall mark in Level 1, and who will be continuing to Level 2.
Ted Jensen from Queen’s Widening Participation Unit said “We are extremely grateful to Choice Housing for their continued support of this impactful award. Prestigious prizes such as these enable us to recognise students for their academic achievements, celebrate their success and support them through their studies. Financial support is particularly important for students from Widening Participation backgrounds, and we are continually seeking to increase the support available to these students.
“I wish to congratulate the three recipients and thank Choice Housing for their generous support.”
The Pathway Opportunity Programme aims to increase the number of students from under-represented groups who will go on to study at Queen’s. The Senior Academy Programme raises awareness of higher education in post-primary pupils by developing their academic skills and supporting attainment. Working specifically with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, these programmes are open to all and provide insights into university life.
For further information about Widening Access programmes at Queen’s, please visit www.qub.ac.uk or to find out more about supporting students at Queen’s, please contact Sorcha Mac Laimhin s.maclaimhin@qub.ac.uk
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The next generation of chefs at Southern Regional College in Newry joined students from the Omagh, Dungannon, and Enniskillen campuses of South West College to cook up their own game meat-based meals, after spending a day learning about wild game butchery, preparation, and cookery.
During the sessions, students got to learn about the sustainability benefits of game meat before sampling its unique flavours.
The events were organised by the UK’s largest shooting and conservation organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
BASC Northern Ireland country officer Jonny Orr said the main reason for hosting the educational days was to promote the benefits of locally-sourced, healthy and sustainable game meat to trainee chefs soon to enter the hospitality sector.
He said: “Our aim is that these educational days will empower the students to go into the world of hospitality with the knowledge and confidence to prepare and cook game meat. We want the chefs to have enthusiasm for local produce and to tell its unique and powerful story.”
At the end of each day, the students got to create their own dishes using venison and pheasant kindly donated by Baronscourt Estate in County Tyrone.
Matt Gisby, BASC’s wild food officer, said: “This was the first time many of the students had tried game meat and for some of them, it was definitely a game changer. They came up with some really inspirational and innovative ideas and should all be really proud of their efforts. We are proud to have helped the chefs of tomorrow take something special with them into their future.”
Darren Pitts, lecturer in catering and hospitality at South West College, said: “South West College is privileged to have had the opportunity for this invaluable partnership, working with BASC. The exciting workshop enabled our professional cookery and culinary art students to engage and be creative with pheasant and venison.
“The demonstrations and support given by BASC sharpened the students’ butchery and cooking skills for these different types of meats. During the workshop it was amazing to watch how the students combined new skills along with their existing skills to achieve creative and innovative dishes which will ensure they are ready for the industry.”
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Southern Regional College are the first and only further education college in Northern Ireland to receive formal accreditation status from the Royal Society of Chemistry, and one of just six Further Education providers in the UK with permission to use The Royal Society of Chemistry’s crest!
The College was placed under the microscope during the accreditation process which took a year and a half to complete. Formal written submissions were required together with validation visits from Society partners, not to mention lengthy responses to written and verbal questions. During their visit the RSC noted the quality of support SRC staff gave to students in both their accademic and personal lives.
This accreditation was received for the College’s Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) in Applied Industrial Science, both Life Science and Chemical pathways. Students enrolling on the HLA’s presently work at Norbrook, Almac or Randox four days a week and attend the College on the fifth day. This ensures students gain practical and relevant knowledge within their chosen career path.
These HLA's has been running for eight years at SRC in Newry and Portadown but now students have the added benefit of getting professional accreditation alongside the qualification.
This year there are 17 students on the Applied Industrial Science HLA. After two years at SRC their employer offers them an option to continue studying for a BSc at Ulster University and following that they can even study for an MSc while still employed as an apprentice.
HLAs are open to all adults, not just school leavers. A large proportion of HLA students are adults reskilling or returning to education, as the HLA programme enables a wage to be earned whilst learning. Fees for the programme are fully paid by the Department for the Economy, making HLAs an attractive prospect to minimise student debt. The HLA Applied Science programme is a two-year undertaking with around seventeen students currently in their first year of study. To date, around eighty students have completed the HLA Applied Science course.
The RSC accreditation supports the academic and workplace training that has been carried out by the college and the employer. It also helps students in terms of portability, so if they wish to travel it travels with them. Deirdre Murray, Specialist Lecturer in Science at SRC said "The RSC accreditation is known worldwide so they can apply for jobs all around the world if they want to. Ulster University may not be so well known but the RSC is a huge organisation so they are able to then say, my qualification is worth the paper it is written on, it's been accredited by this worldwide organisation."
Laura Martin, Curriculum Area Manager at SRC added "It's a stamp of excellence by the college. Students or potential students who are going to apply for our HLA's this year can apply with the confidence that we are RSC accreditated and therefore they know they are going to get high quality teaching and learning when they're here."
Prospective students are invited to attend The Big Apprenticeship Event in the College’s Newry West campus on Tuesday 7 February or at Craigavon Civic Centre on Thursday 9 February from 5:30pm to 7:30pm to gain more information and make an application.
For more information on the HLA programmes check out www.src.ac.uk
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In advance of The BIG Apprenticeship events taking place in Newry on Tuesday coming, 7 February, Newry.ie caught up with current students on the Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) Applied Industrial Science programme to chat about the course and the HLA programme.
The College’s Applied Industrial Science programme has both Life Science and Chemical pathways, giving students plenty of career options. HLA’s provide students with the unique benefit of being able to study for a recognised qualification whilst undertaking relevant paid employment with partnering businesses, such as Norbrook, Almac and Randox during the week. Courses are fully funded by The Department for the Economy, allowing students to earn while they learn and achieve professional qualifications without paying higher education tuition fees.
Dominika Simsch from Craigavon, a current student on HLA Applied Industrial Science programme travels to Norbrook in Newry for her paid work experience. The HLA program appealed to Dominika with the balance between getting real life work experience and studying. Simsch said "I like the balance between employment and education. Rather than going to University and just being in education you get to experience what the workplace is like."
The ability to “learn and apply” course content is one of the best things about the program! Students on one of the College’s HLA programmes attend College one day a week and put into action learnings the remaining four days in the work week. "It's like a break from work but then you're learning at the same time so you can apply what you are learning to your job." added Simsch.
Fellow student Alanna Sheridan from Armagh is currently employed with Almac in Portadown through the HLA course. Alanna previously studied a BTEC in Applied Science at the College and had gone to university to further her studies. However, the university route didn’t live up to expectations and Alanna examined courses on offer at the College.
Having previously been a student, Alanna knew "The College was a good place to learn.” The College offers many higher education options enabling individuals to gain a degree, without having to travel further field, at a fraction of the cost. Higher education courses are all validated and accredited ensuring graduates receive a recognised qualification.
Alanna loves everything about the course. “The ability to get out to work and see different things in the lab and how they correspond in class” has proven beneficial and enhanced her learning experience.
For anyone thinking of applying for a HLA’s, Alanna’s advice is to check out course modules to get an insight into what courses’ offer to be sure it fits for you. For Alanna the Applied Industrial Science HLA has proven to be “A very good course and experience”.
Students can use the HLA Applied Industrial Science courses to springboard into a top-up degree with the University of Ulster, which takes less time than traditional degrees. For students studying other HLA options at the College, there is the possibility to complete the top-up degree at SRC.
Degrees and foundation degrees offered at the College include a vast array of subjects from Computing, Cloud Computing, Quantity Surveying, Digital Construction, Electrical and & Electronic Engineering to FinTech, Digital Marketing and Sport & Exercise. For an up-to-date list of course offerings check out SRC’s website at: www.src.ac.uk
SRC recently obtained the honour of being the only college in Northern Ireland with formal accreditation status from The Royal Society of Chemistry for the Applied Industrial Science courses. The College is the only Further Education College within Northern Ireland to achieve this accolade, and one of only six Further Education providers in the UK with permission to use The Royal Society of Chemistry’s crest!
For students like Dominika and Alanna, the recent accreditation status has opened a world of opportunities. Students can travel the world with confidence their qualification carries the weight of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s approval, a more renown and marketable bow to their resume.
Deirdre Murray, Specialist Lecturer of Science at Southern Regional College commented “The recent accreditation for the HLA in Applied Industrial Science provides support to the academic and workplace training carried out within the College and by employers which students can bring with them to workplaces worldwide.”
The Big Apprenticeship
Prospective students are invited to attend The BIG Apprenticeship event at either SRC’s Newry West campus on Tuesday 7 February or at Craigavon’s Civic Centre on Thursday 9 February from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.
Events will be attended by employers for attendees to ask questions on current job opportunities connected to the College’s apprenticeship and higher level apprenticeship course offerings. Careers staff and campus staff will also be available to speak with.
For further information on the HLA programmes, please visit the website at: www.src.ac.uk/courses
Applications for HLA programmes are now open and can be made via the College’s website. It’s time to think differently and consider alternative, more affordable routes to higher level education.
Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) application process
Stage 1 – apply online via SRC’s website and attend the Pre-Enrolment Advice Session (when notified by the admissions team). This may be in person or on Microsoft Teams.
Stage 2 – If a condition offer is received, your application details will be forwarded to SRC’s pool of potential employers.
Stage 3 – Employer interview.
Stage 4 – Upload A levels results on results day, unless they can be uploaded at stage 1.
(Obtaining a place on the HLA is subject to receiving an employment offer from an employer.)
For more information please go to issuu.com
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Over 600 people attended the BIG Apprenticeship Event at Southern Regional College last evening. The Apprenticeship and Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) open evening saw prospective students and parents given the opportunity to hear about available career opportunities with local employers and the College’s many apprenticeship and HLA programmes.
An initiative of The Department for the Economy, The BIG Apprenticeship event is not just big in name, but big in content. Throughout the event attendees were able to hear from current and past apprenticeship students, through drop in ‘My HLA/Apprenticeship Journey’- sessions. This allowed attendees to question current apprentices in detail on their thoughts of apprenticeship routes and courses.
The College career guidance team were available to speak with and guide attendees through the many career routes available. For those who had a clear career route in mind, campus staff were available to help with course applications.
One of the main focuses of the event was to enable attendees to meet with potential future employers. Over 46 employing businesses and exhibitors were at event including First Derivative, Re-Gen Waste and Shelbourne Motors covering a range of sectors from accountancy, beauty therapy, construction, engineering, hairdressing, and transport to science.
Speaking on the night, Jill Cowan, Head of HR at Alternative Heat commented "We really see Apprentices as our future, there is real skills gap in the market, and we need to be ready to address that. Apprentices are ready to go with great qualifications and the right work experience."
Brian Doran, Principal & CEO of Southern Regional College commented "We were delighted to see over 600 young people and their families attend our recent Big Apprenticeship Event at Newry campus. These events are important in showcasing the breadth and depth of apprenticeship training opportunities offered at Southern Regional College from level 2 right through to Degree level.
"Apprenticeships are an exciting option for people young and older, as they gain practical hands-on training while also having the chance to put their skills into practice in the workplace. The Apprenticeship pathway allows people to earn whilst learning at College and in the case of higher level apprenticeships, participants can obtain degree level qualifications without the level of student debt synonymous with full time higher education.
"The College partners with over 700 local businesses in offering Apprenticeship opportunities across a wide spectrum of areas from construction, software development to life science and digital communication. Apprenticeships are co-designed with business and industry thus ensuring that the knowledge and skills that are at the core of every apprenticeship are both up to date and relevant.
Mr Doran concluded "Apprenticeships are increasingly being used by employers, both large and small, as part of their development planning to harness new talent and thus create a loyal and motivated workforce. Our Big Apprenticeship Event is supported and sponsored by Mourne & Down District Council and saw over 46 local employers in attendance to provide information on apprenticeship vacancies within their businesses."
Also in attendance was Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Cllr Michael Savage who commented “Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, through the Labour Market Partnership were delighted to sponsor the SRC Big Apprenticeship Event, which has proved to be fantastic in providing potential apprentices with distinctive career pathways. Given the interest, attendance and buzz, it is clear that apprentices have a great deal to offer our local business community and similarly our employers can offer apprentices a fantastic opportunity in a range of sectors such as engineering, construction, tourism, digital, accountancy, science and sports. Apprenticeship Week has highlighted the fulfilling and rewarding routes available to secure your ideal job.”
To find out more information or make your application, see: www.src.ac.uk
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A proposal by the Education Authority to cut funding for local youth services had been condemned by MLA Liz Kimmins.
Speaking after Sinn Féin reps from across the north met with local youth service providers, the Newry and Armagh MLA said "We met with a number of local youth service providers, including the Bosco and St. Oliver Plunkett's from this area.
"We listened to them about the real impact this will have locally in terms of job losses and a reduction in services available.They have committed to meeting with us again to further discuss any possible support they can get in the time ahead."
Ms Kimmins added "People are struggling with the cost of living and the loss of these services would be a big blow to people across Newry and Armagh. As the mental health champion for the north, Siobhan O'Neill in particular has warned recently, the loss of these services could have a real negative impact on the mental health of young people who had previously availed of the services.
"The DUP should get back to work around the Executive table with other parties to get locally elected ministers in place and support the public against unbridled Tory cuts."
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