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In a perfect launch to a new career Ruth Ferris from Southern Regional College’s Armagh Campus is set to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity after winning a 2-week placement to the United Space School in Houston, Texas.
Ruth Ferris, who lives in Bessbrook and is a former student at Newtownhamilton High School, entered the competition alongside fellow students from the School of Applied Science and Academic Studies at Southern Regional College (SRC) by submitting a 500-word essay and undergoing a challenging interview process.
Nine students were shortlisted and interviewed by SRC Management staff. This shortlist was then whittled down to three finalists with Ruth Ferris announced as winner at today’s celebration event held in the Armagh Planetarium.
The two runner-up students were also announced: Ruairi Daly from Keady, a former student at St. Patrick’s High School and Nicole Gates from Moy, a former student at The Royal School, Dungannon. All of the finalists are currently completing their A Levels at Southern Regional College – Armagh Campus.
Speaking at today’s event was Dougie Davidson from Thales and Denver Humphrey from Arralis.
At today’s event, Brian Doran, Chief Executive at Southern Regional College said “We are very grateful to our sponsors Fusion Space Technologies, Queen’s University Belfast and Thales for their support in ensuring that Southern Regional College continues to provide international and unique career opportunities for our students. Prestigious placement opportunities like these provide a great launch pad for their future careers.”
Southern Regional College is the only academic institution in NI who provides an opportunity for one of its students to attend the prestigious United Space School in Houston, Texas.
The United Space School is an interdisciplinary programme that annually brings together up to 50 students from 25 different nations to study at the University of Clear Lake in Houston. Under the mentorship of engineers, scientists and leaders in the aerospace industry, they come together to design their own ‘Mission to Mars’. Students also participate in a variety of space related activities at the Johnson Space Centre, the University of Houston Clear Lake, Rice University, Space Centre -Houston, the George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The students are hosted by families residing in Clear Lake who work within the aerospace community.
This competition, now in its 4th year at Southern Regional College, was developed in association with Sinead O’Sullivan – a former A Level student at SRC who progressed to Queen’s University Belfast to study Aeronautical Engineering after she participated in the programme herself over 13 years ago.
The two week placements for the winning student is sponsored by Thales and Queen’s University Belfast.
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Young people from Newry, Crossmaglen, Dundalk and Armagh were out in force at the Young Enterprise NI’s annual Trade Fair at Rushmere Shopping Centre last week.
Young Enterprise NI – the leading business education charity – helps bring business to life for young people with its annual calendar of Trade Fairs held at shopping centres across Northern Ireland.
The trade fair gives the students’ companies the opportunity to showcase their products, bring them to market and test their sales skills by trading with the general public.
Rushmere Shopping Centre Manager, Martin Walsh said “We’re delighted to continue to champion this important initiative designed to support and inspire our young entrepreneurs by learning how to make a dent in a highly competitive retail environment.
“Northern Ireland is overflowing with young, innovative talent. It is vital that we provide them with an outlet to showcase their talents and assist them in building upon their knowledge in how to succeed in our current economic climate. Each year the standard gets better and better and at Rushmere Shopping Centre, we are proud to provide a platform to present their efforts.”
Speaking about the trade fair, Carol Fitzsimons MBE, CEO of Young Enterprise said “At each of the trade fairs, the students not only have to impress customers, but also a panel of judges, with a variety of awards up for grabs, including a Social Media award, Best Salesperson and of course Best Overall Company.
“As the trade fairs are taking place across centres in Northern Ireland over the coming weeks, we are extending the invitation to friends and relatives of these young entrepreneurs to come along and support their local Young Enterprise initiative. Each year the standard at the trade fairs improves and we are looking forward to seeing what the student groups have come up with.”
Young Enterprise is a charity, supported by the Department of Education and local businesses. This year’s prizes included support from the Department for Communities, to encourage student companies demonstrating commitment to social innovation across Northern Ireland.
Over 500 young people will be selling their very own products and offering shoppers something different to traditional retailers at various shopping centres across Northern Ireland as part of the Trade Fair tour.
For more information, visit YENI.co.uk to see how you can get involved with Young Enterprise through volunteering and fundraising opportunities.
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Over 30 competitions were held for SRC students from all campuses at the recent annual Inter-Campus Skillbuild Competition organised by Southern Regional College.
The Inter-Campus competition, held at SRC’s Portadown Campus, was the first stage of the renowned SkillBuild Competition, and drew together students from all campuses of SRC. The SkillBuild competition is the largest multi-trade competition in the UK for young students and apprentices. It covers crafts including carpentry, joinery, beauty, bricklaying, hairdressing and plastering. Over thirty skills competitions took place on the day with industry experts judging the work and skills of the students.
Thomas Murnin from Cabra took gold in Brickwork and Jamie Hughes from Rathfriland took gold in Carpentry. Jack Lacey from Banbridge took bronze in Drywall systems and Adam Kernaghan took bronze in Painting and Decorating. Ethan Monaghan came third in CNC Miling and Joel Bell from Moneyslane won the Turning and Miling.
There was also an event for students from our local high schools. Over 100 students from over 20 schools took part in 17 events in crafts such as carpentry, joinery, bricklaying, hairdressing and catering . The competitors came from schools across the Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon and Newry Area Learning Communities. The students attend the College as part of the School Partnership’s Programme where pupils from local schools attend SRC to study a range of vocational and academic programmes.
In the schools competition Dromore High School pupil Ryan Jess took gold in Brickwork. Adam Laffin from Rathfriland High School took gold in Joinery and Banbridge High School pupil James Hunter won the Plastering category.
To find out more about Southern Regional College courses visit their Open Days taking place in early March. For more information check out www.src.ac.uk.
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St Pauls International Projects 2018
Over the next few months four groups from St Paul's High School will be packing their bags full of aid for separate projects all over the globe.
Almost 50 sixth-form students, four teachers, four non teaching staff members and their school Chaplain will be taking part in the school's 2018 projects.
This week Mrs Bridget McConville will introduce new Chaplain, Fr. Seamus White, to the Kenyan project started 15 years ago by Fr Dermot Maloney in collaboration with St Patricks Missionaries, Kiltegan.
Miss Jamie Larkin and six students will travel with them to join host, Fr Martin Barry in Londiani, East Kenya. During their time there they will visit the many schools, clinics, churches and communities St Paul's have sponsored over the years, to see how their funds have been utilised to provide the basics we all take for granted including water storage tanks, running water, toilets (long drops), kitchens, desks, seats, even window panes. Many sweets, pens, football jerseys and footballs are distributed during visits. The Kenyan students are very keen to find out all about the education system here and our customs and they will share their culture through recitations, song and dance.
The group will meet with Sister Placida, a Franciscan sister in Kericho, who runs the 'Live in Hope Centre', a rehabilitation centre for young mothers with HIV, orphaned and homeless boys and also children learning to live with a HIV diagnosis.
This weekend coming Mrs Elaine Cahill, Mrs Maeve McShane and Mrs Patricia McAleavey will accompany 23 students to Brasov in Romania. This is the fourteenth year a large group of students from St Paul's have had the opportunity to visit orphanages, Residential Care Centres, hospitals, Daycare Centres for young adults with Special Needs and more. Massive improvements in the conditions and facilities of the Centres have taken place over the years and there is evidence of a focused educational programme to assist with the integration of young adults with Special Needs in society.
The students will spend a week visiting and interacting with the children and residents, distributing fresh fruit and vegetables, providing essential disposable healthcare products and anything else the centre may require at that particular time, may it be a fridge, bedsheets, curtains or a Robot (Industrial food processor). Last year St Paul's provided Robots for 8 out of 12 places visited. Many bags of children's clothes, football jerseys, babies hats and lots of books, toys and footballs will be distributed throughout the week.
During February Miss Karina Traynor and Mrs Michelle Morgan will travel with another six students to Kirovsk, Russia to visit School 7. In 2013 Newry & Mourne Council invited St Paul's to initiate a partnership with School 7, Kirovsk. Both schools now work together sharing educational experiences and different cultures on their annual exchange visit. Representatives from School 7 visited Newry and St Pauls in 2013, 2015 & 2017 and this will be the third visit to Kirovsk. School 7 is the top performing school in Maths and Physics in all of Russia and is listed in the top 10 Russian schools. It's a very proud community with a very ambitious young generation who see education as an essential route to a better life. They are very impressed when they visit us and see the contrast in provision and teacher pupil relationships.
In June Mrs Marion McMahon and Mr Kevin Kearney return to Prejmer in Romania, with another 12 students to work with the Peter Pan orphanage. The team plans to remove the old broken fence and play area that was built almost 10 years ago for a much younger clientele. They will replace with a new fence, shelter and picnic area suitable for the young residents there. St Paul's students will be expected to work hard with both grounds work and building work. This is the first time the Bessbrook school has taken on a construction role and they hope to adapt and develop this programme for future projects.
A school Spokesperson added "All projects require a vast amount of fundraising from the students and their families reflecting the school motto "Rooted in Charity", the hard work helps to develop the essential life skills required for success in today's society and it is rewarded with the experience gained from the adventure.
"We are very grateful to all the local community who have assisted in supporting the many events that have taken place, to all of those who have sent in very generous donations and to Newry, Mourne and Down Council who have initiated, supported and sponsored our Russian visit."
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Southern Regional College have launched their strategy for a new Health and Wellbeing Hub across all their campuses.
The SRC Health and Wellbeing Hub is the delivery mechanism for a one-stop shop for students to enable them to access all essential students’ services to support their emotional and physical wellbeing during their time at the College.
The College has developed key partnerships with statutory and voluntary agencies across the southern region in the delivery of their range of award winning student services. This Health and Wellbeing Strategy brings together these services for the delivery of key health benefits for the SRC student community.
The Health and Wellbeing Hub will provide a range of services that will include the delivery of an onsite Health Clinic. This clinic, operated by the Southern Health and Social Services Trust and funded through the Public Health Agency, provides a nurse-led service with advice, support and treatment on a range of sexual health and wider health issues.
The Hub will also provide a new drop-in counselling service for students where a counsellor will be available for students to speak to or help them if they are experiencing a crisis situation – no appointment is necessary. This is an additional service being provided for SRC students as counselling is also available for all Southern Regional College students via the 24/7 telephone service as well as face-to-face counselling support. This service will provide free and confidential one to one counselling support to students.
The Health and Wellbeing Hub will also be supported through the delivery of a comprehensive Student Activities programme that will include, health promotion, education, prevention and healthy activities for students.
Lorraine McKeown, Assistant Director for Student Services and Marketing at SRC, said “We are delighted to launch our Health and Wellbeing strategy which is a one-stop shop for our students to access the wide range of health and counselling services available to them, supported with an extensive programme of student activities ranging from anti-bullying to nutritional advice. As a College we place significant emphasis on the range and quality of support services available to our students.”
She goes on to say “The College has also been recently awarded the Matrix Quality Standard Award for Student Services - a first for Northern Irish Further and Higher education colleges. This award epitomises the excellence in the service we provide our students and the launch of the Health and Wellbeing Hub reflects our commitment to excellence in this area.”
If you would like to find out more about the range of services available at the SRC Health and Wellbeing Hub, please visit: www.src.ac.uk
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A Hairdressing student at Southern Regional College in Newry has won an award at the NI Hairdressing Championships
Aoife Rogers from Ardee won 1st place in the Total Fashion Look competition. Aoife studies Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing at Newry Campus.
Another SRC winner was Kyle Redpath who won 2nd place in the Junior Creative Colour competition, 3rd place in the Junior Blow Dry competition and was awarded 3rd place Junior Champion. Kyle is from Portadown and studies Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Barbering at Lurgan campus
The NI Hairdressing Championships is run by the Northern Ireland Hairdressing Association. The competitions were open to all Junior Hairdressers still under training, Apprentices, College students and Job skills.
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Southern Regional College has scooped the highest number of medals of any NI College at WorldSkills UK, securing a top ranking in the national medal league table.
Students brought home an unprecedented clutch of award wins, including two gold medals, one silver, two bronze medals and two ‘highly commended’ awards.
SRC students joined more than 500 of the finest apprentices and students from across the UK competed at the annual Skills Show held in the NEC, Birmingham, to secure their much-deserved win for the region.
The Skills Show is the UK’s largest apprenticeship, careers and skills event. It hosts the national finals of the WorldSkills UK competitions and brings together the UK’s leading employers, colleges and training providers all in one place.
Cathal Murphy from Newry won silver in Wall and Floor Tiling, James Gracey from Dromore took home a bronze medal in Butchery. Ryan Finnegan from Dundrum won bronze in Culinary Arts.
Richard Shannon from Kilkeel was ‘highly commended’ for his standout skills showcased in joinery, while Daniel McBurney from Banbridge gained an equally honourable placement for his work in the Wall and Floor Tiling category.
Victoria Black from Dromore took home a gold medal in Forensic Science and Lauren McMahon from Warrenpoint secured her gold medial after showcasing her credentials in Media Make-up. The two students are now officially number one in their respective skill categories in the whole of the UK.
Speaking on the achievement SRC Chief Executive, Brian Doran, said “Across the six colleges in Northern Ireland, SRC have a long list of accomplished and award-winning students and I’m delighted by the performances of those who attended this year’s WorldSkills UK event. Their sheer hard work and their commitment to excellence in each of their subject and training areas has clearly paid off and I congratulate them wholeheartedly.”
Nearly 150 young people have now been named in the WorldSkills UK official squad and are one step closer to competing against the globe’s best skilled young people.
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An SRC Art student studying at Newry Campus has been selected along with a student at the Lurgan campus as one of the top 5 finalists in the Young Designer of the Year 2018 competition, run by Wedding Journal Ireland Magazine.
Cara McAleenan from Ballynahinch is taking the BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at SRC, Newry and along with Lurgan SRC student Hannah Warwick will each now have to make a wedding dress they designed as part of the competition.
Young Irish designers from all over Ireland were asked to send in a mood board outlining their designs for a wedding dress for the chance to be crowned Young Designer of the Year onstage at the Wedding Journal Show.
The top 5 finalists wedding dresses will be worn by a professional model and showcased on the runways of the Wedding Journal Shows in Belfast and Dublin in January and February 2018.
A celebrity panel of fashion judges will then choose the one winning dress and its designer will be named as the Young Designer of the Year 2018!
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Through a joint venture between Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's Irish Language Unit, Irish language community radio station Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm and Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, school pupils from both the Sacred Heart and Abbey Grammar in Newry were given the opportunity to develop their skills in radio production and make their own Irish language radio programme.
The three workshops offered pupils a chance to develop skills in research, script-writing, interview skills and technical experience in recording sound. The project is hoped to be one of many involving a number of schools in the district over coming years.
The radio programme will be broadcast at 7pm on Wednesday 29 November, and at 2pm on Thu
Trí chomhfhiontar idir Aonad na Gaeilge i gComhairle Ceantair an Iúir Mhúrn agus an Dúin, an staisiúin raidió pobail Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm agus Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofa, Iúr Cinn Trá, fuair daltaí scoile ó Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofa agus Scoil na Mainistreach in Iúr Cinn Trá deis a gcuid scileanna a fhorbairt i léiriú raidió agus clár raidió Gaeilge dá gcuid féin a dhéanamh.
Rinneadh trí cheardlann leis na daltaí scoile a thug seans dóibh a gcuid scileanna a fhorbairt i dtaighde, scríobh scripte, agallaimh agus thug siad taithí dóibh i dtaifeadadh fuaime. Tá súil ag an Chomhairle go mbeidh níos mó tionscadal den tsaghas seo le scoileanna éagsúla sa cheantar sna blianta atá amach romhainn.
Craolfar an clár raidió ar a 7in ar an Chéadaoin 29 Samhain, agus ar a 2in ar an Déardaoin 30 Samhain ar Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm agus beidh sé ar fáil mar phodchraoladh ar www.raidiofailte.com.
rsday 30 November on Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm and will be available as a podcast on www.raidiofailte.com.
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