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A team of students from Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry are joining teams from across the island at the Bank of Ireland Money Smarts Virtual Challenge being held on 16 and 17 April.
Bank of Ireland’s Money Smarts Challenge is designed to help students learn about managing money, while also encouraging them to engage with the idea of financial wellbeing in a fun and interactive way.
The team from Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry have secured their place at the event, with over 300 teams from 80 schools across the island of Ireland taking part. The students will be competing to be crowned a Money Smarts Champion and have the opportunity to win funds for their school.
Speaking ahead of the Money Smarts Challenge events, Shirleen McCann, Senior Community Engagement Manager at Bank of Ireland UK said: “Money Smarts is all about giving students and young people an opportunity to learn about financial wellbeing and money management in a way that’s engaging and relevant to them.
“Financial literacy and being able to make informed financial decisions are vital life skills and it’s really important that we embed them in our young people especially when they are preparing to step into employment and plan for third level education."
Money Smarts is Bank of Ireland’s free financial literacy programme for secondary school students which brings financial literacy into the classroom, to equip students with key life skills, and to encourage positive conversations to ensure young people have the confidence to make informed decisions and can take charge of their own financial future.
Further detail on Bank of Ireland’s Youth Financial Wellbeing is available at: Bank of Ireland UK
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SRC in partnership with Almac Group were crowned winners of the Mentor Award at the Department for Economy’s NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024.
Helen Goodrich, Senior Analytical Team Leader at Almac Sciences, emerged as the deserving recipient of this accolade. Her unwavering commitment and exceptional contribution to the growth and journey of apprentices earned her this esteemed recognition.
Helen plays a pivotal role in fostering the development of SRC’s Higher-Level Apprenticeship Applied Industrial Science students employed within Almac. Beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, Helen is actively involved in the WorldSkills competition series. Each year, Helen supports students throughout their entire competition journey, from encouraging participation, to providing guidance during rigorous training programs.
The award celebrates the essential role mentors play in the seamless integration of apprentices into the workplace. This impact is threefold; from nurturing both professional and technical competencies, to making positive contributions to the business environment.
Rebecca Liggett, current WorldSkills UK Gold medallist in the area of Laboratory Technician and WorldSkills UK 2024 Squad Member commented “Achieving gold at the WorldSkills National Finals was a great experience. Helen travelled to the competition with me, and it was comforting to have her with on the journey with me. She regularly checked in with me during the competition which made the entire process a little easier. I really appreciated this.”
Rebecca is a current Higher Level Apprenticeship student in Applied Industrial Science at the College’s Newry campus. A foundation degree programme which combines workplace learning alongside College tutoring.
Deirdre Murray, lecturer at Southern Regional College added “Empathetic, supportive and thoughtful are insufficient to portray the commitment and personal interest Helen has for all the Higher Level Apprenticeships students she has and currently mentors. Working alongside Helen has been a rewarding and inspirational experience. She is always willing to put in extra time and effort going the extra mile to ensure our Higher Level Apprenticeship students achieve their potential.”
Having come through an apprenticeship programme herself, Helen is passionate and a true advocate of the apprenticeship pathway. Helen commented "It's an honour to have been awarded the NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024 Mentor Award. I'm really proud of the Higher Level Apprenticeship scheme we've been able to build at Almac and the value our apprentices bring to our business. It's a privilege to be part of, and I look forward to continuing to shape the scheme in the years to come"
The College would also like to congratulate Mark Savage from Re-Gen Waste Ltd who was also shortlisted as a finalist in the mentor award. Mark continues to mentor and guide many of our Higher Level Apprentice Accounting Technician students.
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An intensive four week bootcamp has been completed by a group of aspiring chefs from the Southern Regional College in Newry.
Throughout the bootcamp, students honed their skills, crafting a variety of mouthwatering dishes from scratch. The concluding celebratory event served as a platform to exhibit their established expertise, leaving guests impressed with their culinary creations.
Fully funded by the Newry Mourne and Down Labour Market Partnership the bootcamp saw eleven participants successfully complete the programme, culminating in a showcase celebratory lunch at SRC’s Graduate Restaurant at the Newry East Campus.
Acknowledging the invaluable support from establishments like Killeavy Castle Estate, The Whistledown Hotel, and The Canal Court Hotel, participants were provided with practical placement opportunities to further polish their talents. Some even seized employment offers directly from these placements. Other participants aimed to utilise this experience to expand their skill set, with some participants expressing aspirations of establishing their own small café or restaurant venue in the future.
Meanwhile, other participants seek return to the College to expand their hospitality and catering qualifications which range from patisserie and confectionary to recreational courses in festive food, fish dishes, Italian and Mediterranean dishes.
Teresa Armstrong participant of the programme commented “I have thoroughly enjoyed this four-week programme so much so that it has inspired me to continue learning. I plan to enrol onto the level 2 patisserie and confectionary course offered within Southern Regional College to further enhance my knowledge.”
Jeffrey Smyth, Business Development Executive at Southern Regional College’s Business Support and Innovation Team said it was a privilege to be involved in coordinating the programme. "Seeing students gain confidence in cooking top-tier dishes, navigate an industrial kitchen, and refine their culinary expertise was truly remarkable. The exceptional quality of the dishes they created spoke volumes, and it was heartwarming for loved ones to witness their accomplishments during the graduation ceremony.”
Kytrina Mullan, Skills and Employability Officer for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council added “I was thrilled to attend the celebration event at SRC and to sample the fantastic range of fare produced by participants of the Chef Bootcamp Employability Academy. Newry, Mourne and Down Labour Market Partnership were delighted to provide this opportunity for individuals with an appetite to gain new skills and consider the hospitality sector as a viable career option, while giving local employers access to suitably qualified potential employees.”
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It was a special day for St Paul's High School, Bessbrook yesterday 24 April when the school's first principal and a former art teacher made a visit to present a pencil drawing of the ‘old St Paul’s’.
Michael Warde was principal of the school an incredible 30 years from it opened in 1966 until 1996 and she was accompanied by Maureen Smyth who taught art at the school. The pencil drawing was done by Mrs Smyth’s son, past pupil Andrew Smyth.
Current principal, Dáithí Murray welcomed them to the school along with some staff who taught there during Mr Warde’s time, and some staff who were past pupils during his many years at the helm. Chair of the Board of Governors, Mrs Eileen Fearon, was also there.
The library at the school was named in the former principal's memory and the drawing will be displayed there in the appropriately named Michael Warde Library.
Mr Warde was very pleased to be introduced to pupils on his walkabout and praised staff for ‘keeping the atmosphere in St Paul’s alive.’ He eagerly sought out images of his own children on the walls for winning team netball and soccer accolades. Mr Warde also said he always appreciates past pupils approaching him and marvelled that the ‘bold ones’ always made time for him.
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The first cohort of Royal College of Nursing nursing cadets from Northern Ireland have completed their cadet programme. The programme aims to develop young people aged 16 to 25 years for life and give them skills and experiences which would help a future career in health or social care.
A total of 22 students from Southern Regional College undertook their observation placement elements at Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).
Lee Campbell, Southern Regional College Principal and Chief Executive, said “Southern Regional College is proud to have been able to work alongside the Royal College of Nursing and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to deliver the Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme for the first time in Northern Ireland. Students have gained a wealth of theoretical knowledge of the health and social care sector and have been able to experience the vast range of careers available in health care in Northern Ireland. They have had the opportunity to undertake exceptional placement opportunities with the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, Hazardous Area Response Team and the Patient Care Service. It has been both a rewarding and invaluable experience for our students and we look forward to continuing to provide this opportunity to more students in the future.”
Placement activities included:
Comments from some of the cadets included “The scheme has been amazing, and I hope to see others get the same experience. I've learnt so much from the sessions and developed an understanding of how health and social care functions.” and “The scheme has also made me step out of my comfort zone and I feel a lot more confident in myself now. The support while on the scheme was super-beneficial and Sara helped me along as I had struggled with mental ill health. Thank you so much for the experience.”
Professor Dave Clarke, Head of the RCN Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme, Royal College of Nursing said “We were so excited to launch the scheme in Northen Ireland and were overwhelmed by the response to our call for students. We are all very proud of the cadets who were successful in applying for the course and who have gone on to complete the programme.
“The RCN Prince of Wales Nursing Cadets scheme is making a real difference to the lives of young people, opening doors to careers in health care and teaching vital skills for their future. “
The RCN aims to have further cohorts in Northern Ireland in the future.
Michael Bloomfield, NIAS Chief Executive added “The passion of the young people was evident for all to see. NIAS staff who facilitated the various on-site visits and placements across the Service couldn’t have spoken more highly about the cadets. They displayed enthusiasm and a great willingness to learn about the work of the ambulance service with a number of them stating that, following their visits, they would really consider a career with us.”
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Isaac Bingham, a past carpentry apprentice from Southern Regional College in Newry is set to take part in WorldSkills in Lyon, an event otherwise known as the Skills Olympics. Isaac has previously seen glory at WorldSkills UK taking home the gold medal and will be keen to capitalise on this success in France.
He is part of Team UK who are all aged under 25 and they will be competing in the competitions which take place from 10 -15 September, in disciplines including cyber security, renewable energy, digital construction, cooking, hairdressing and painting and decorating.
Lindsay Bronte, Organisation Development Manager at Southern Regional College said “I am absolutely delighted that Isaac has been selected to represent the UK in Lyon 2024. Isaac’s talent was evident at an early stage of his studies with the college and that talent combined with his dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to self-improvement has been rewarded with this recognition. I wish him well for what will be an intense period of preparation over the next few months and event itself in September”
WorldSkills UK, a four nations partnership between education, industry and UK governments, is responsible for selecting, mentoring and training Team UK. Pearson, the world’s leading learning company is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Lyon 2024.
WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will host over 1500 young people from 65 countries, who will compete in 62 different skill disciplines.
Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “WorldSkills Lyon 2024 - think Olympic Games – where the prize is the world-class skills that UK employers are crying out for.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Isaac Bingham and all of the exceptional young people in Team UK; they are fantastic role models. Together with Pearson, we will use their participation at WorldSkills to boost the prestige of technical and vocational education, inspiring many more young people to take up technical and vocational training across the UK to help drive investment, jobs and economic growth.”
Max Whitlock OBE, Triple World and Olympic Champion Gymnast, Six-time Olympic Medallist and former BTEC student said "Huge congratulations to the remarkable 'skills Olympians' selected to represent the UK at the upcoming WorldSkills competition. Their passion and hard work will guarantee that UK skills will shine bright on the global stage this September. My support goes out to every member of Team UK as they prepare to take on the world in Lyon!"
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Southern Regional College (SRC) held a memorable evening earlier this week at the Graduate Restaurant at Newry East Campus to commemorate a successful year in Hospitality and Tourism.
The department’s staff and students have secured a multitude of awards and accomplishments which include gold, silver, and bronze medals at IFEX, finalist recognition in the FutureChef Competition, Lecturer of the Year and Student Management Potential Award at the Institute of Hospitality (IoH) Awards, and success at the NI Travel and Tourism Awards. The ceremony saw each recipient being recognised and honoured for their achievements.
Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager for Hospitality and Tourism at SRC, served as the master of ceremonies, welcoming esteemed guests Aaron Logan, Northern Ireland Regional Chair of the Institute of Hospitality, Stephen Brothers, Executive Chef, Ballyedmond Castle & Corby Castle, Dean Coppard, Executive Chef, Omniplex Ireland and Eugene Rooney, the Conference & Banqueting Manager from Killeavy Castle Estate. During the ceremony, Eugene delivered an inspiring address to guests, encouraging students to take pride in their accomplishments and embrace opportunities for growth by exploring the vast landscape of hospitality.
Achievements include:
|
Student |
Achievement |
Awarding Body |
|
Annabelle Hughes |
Gold Medal - Risotto Chef of the Year NI & Bronze Medal in Culinary Arts at WorldSkills |
IFEX |
|
TJ Cashel O’Farrell |
Gold Medal- Culinary Ability Award |
IFEX |
|
Ross Smyth |
Silver Medal- Junior Duck |
IFEX |
|
Darragh Byrne |
Silver Medal- Young Seafood Chef of the Year/ Best in Class |
IFEX |
|
Sophie Keenan |
Silver Medal- Contemporary Hot Starter |
IFEX |
|
Rory Kavanagh |
Silver Medal- Junior Poultry |
IFEX |
|
Ben Webber |
Bronze Medal- Junior Duck |
IFEX |
|
Thomas McCrink |
Bronze Medal- Contemporary Dessert |
IFEX |
|
Sam Thompson |
Bronze Medal- Junior Poultry |
IFEX |
|
Lubo Mulkerns |
Finalist at the FutureChef Competition |
Future Chef |
|
Claire Ward |
Student Management Potential Award |
Institute of Hospitality |
|
Sinead Larkin |
Finalist in the NI Travel & Tourism Student of the Year Awards |
NI Travel and Tourism Awards |
|
Staff |
Achievement |
|
|
Keith Campbell |
Lecturer of the Year Award |
Institute of Hospitality |
|
Sinead Boyle |
Runner up for the Lecturer of the Year Award |
Institute of Hospitality |
|
Caroline Chambers |
Institute of Hospitality “Hearts in Hospitality” Award |
Institute of Hospitality |
Matt Turner, Head of Faculty for Professional Services at Southern Regional College commented:
"I'm thrilled to celebrate the College's exceptional achievements in Hospitality and Tourism this year. The dedication and commitment shown by both our staff and students has been truly remarkable. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists; it's incredibly rewarding to see all their efforts being recognised”.
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Newry Southern Regional College art student Eugena Woods has created a piece of stunning artwork to mark the 30th anniversary of the twinning of two towns, Ruelle-sur-Touvre in France, and Banbridge. Entitled ‘Celebration of Fusion’ it incorporates fused glass and textiles.
On the design, Eugena was keen to tie in the histories of the towns. The glass represents the conflict that both Banbridge and Ruelle-sur-Touvre have experienced in their respective pasts. The glass is transparent allowing the viewer to see through and observe the towns’ mutual achievements over the last three decades, since the twinning in 1994.
The sunburst design printed on linen, is a nod to the historic linen manufacturing industry in Banbridge. It represents the energy and spirit of this union, what has been achieved so far and the potential for future possibilities. The strong vibrant colours and dynamic shapes represent the multicultural nature of the two communities.
This piece is a fusion of the past and present, honouring the importance of why town twinning was developed after the Second World War, and represents how both towns have been enriched by their relationships and understanding of their respective cultures.
The 30th anniversary of the town’s twinning has seen local residents availing of French lessons, cookery demonstrations and French film viewings, to deepen the cultural connection between the two towns.
Eugena is a former primary school teacher who took up a recreational course in textiles at Southern Regional College. Whilst on the recreational course, Eugena became aware of the Foundation Art and Design Level 3 Diploma in Newry and has thrown herself into the course wholeheartedly. Whilst always having an interest in art, Eugena never pursued her artistic flair until now. Fancying a change in direction, Eugena took a career break from teaching, and you are now likely to find her at the glass kiln at the College most days fusing glass.
Speaking on her art piece celebrating the twinning of the two towns, Eugena commented “I am honoured that my artwork has been chosen to celebrate the 30th twinning anniversary of Banbridge and Ruelle-sur-Touvre. I love working with fused glass and textile art. When I bring these materials together something new emerges. What a perfect opportunity then to use this fusion to create this celebration piece”.
Chris Hobson, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College commented “Eugena’s work is breath of fresh air. The way she brings elements together using hard and soft really works. The weaving of elements really makes it a unique piece and something worthy for the 30th Anniversary twinning”.
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Students from St Mark’s High School, Warrenpoint made a visit to the Fofanny Water Treatment Works for a NI Water open day to help them learn more about the journey water takes from source to tap.
Staff from all areas of NI Water’s business - scientists, environmentalists, and water process supply technicians - were on hand to showcase the behind-the-scenes workings and processes that go into cleaning water and keeping it safe in an ever changing environment.
The event was part of NI Water’s new Quality Water campaign that highlights the significant, often unseen role our scientists and water quality experts play in ensuring the water NI Water provides meets strict quality standards all year round.
Commenting on their day Frank from St Mark’s High School said “The event was good because it helped me understand where water comes from before it reaches my tap.” Ella from St Mark’s High School added “Today was helpful because it helped me understand all the filters water has to go through to make it safe to drink.”
Gary Presho, Water Supply Area Manager East said the hands-on event was an opportunity for the public to understand how their water is treated and safely tested before it is supplied to their taps at home and the pupils also got a chance to get involved in some key experiments with their scientific team.
Chris Hazzard MP said “Water is a very precious commodity. To see how it comes in to Fofanny Water Treatment Works and how it’s treated and then sent back out to us to be able to use it safely in our homes, it was fantastic.”
Harry Harvey MLA said “It’s absolutely amazing what they can do here at Fofanny Water Treatment Works. Every time I turn on the tap now and get a drink of water I will be thinking more about the water treatment process.”
Cllr Declan McAteer added “I found the whole process exceptionally interesting and I certainly enjoyed every minute of the visit.”
McAdam Design sponsored the bus for some schools to attend the open day events.
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