Write a comment
Out of a total of over 500 applications across seven award categories, Southern Regional College (SRC) lecturers Caroline Kerr and Sara Louise Gilpin have been revealed as winners of NCFE’s Aspiration Awards, ‘Educator of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’.
Caroline has been revealed as the ‘Educator of the Year’ winner. The award recognises Caroline for her dedication and innovation in education and driving forward change within the childcare sector. As a specialist lecturer at SRC and Secretariat for the Department for Economy’s Childcare and Youth Work Sector Partnership, Caroline has worked tirelessly to ensure national standards are aligned with changing needs within the childcare and youth work sector.
In her role Caroline has developed new childcare modules ensuring learners receive relevant and up to date learning experiences and has shared best practices amongst students and colleagues alike. Caroline’s actions have ensured the College is at the forefront of excellence in childcare of youth work education. The award recognises the monumental impact Caroline has made within the College and sector.
Colleague Sara Louise Gilpin received the prestigious ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’. Having originally qualified as a Children’s Nurse working within infectious diseases, emergency medicine, general children’s wards, and specialised care for children with cerebral palsy, Sara’s career has involved being the first in many avenues.
From being one of the first research nurses for Children and Young People, Sara developed new courses in healthcare practice, the equivalent of the first year of nursing degree programmes, in partnership with the Open University at the College, and was pivotal in the introduction of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Nursing Cadet Scheme in Northern Ireland. Beyond this, Sara is a Service User representative on the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (Regional Quality Forum), and volunteer for the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS), where she is frequently consulted for her expertise in policy development and service improvement.
Achievements and accolades aside, Sara and Caroline are well loved by both students and staff. Their enthusiasm and passion for learning and helping others to learn, make them undoubtedly exemplary role models to aspire towards.
Commenting on Caroline’s award, Lisa Browne, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College said: “In every aspect of her role as Early Years Specialist Lecturer and Sector Partnership Secretariate, Caroline has demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive positive change. Her commitment to improving standards, supporting learners, and engaging with key stakeholders has positioned her as a true leader in the field – one whose contributions will continue to shape the sector for years to come. There were many outstanding applications for this award, and each deserves recognition, being selected as finalist is an honour, but winning is such a humbling achievement.”
Echoing the sentiment Anna Martin, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College added in respect of Sara: "Sara demonstrates exceptional dedication to student support, pastoral care, and career planning—consistently going above and beyond her role. She has played a key role in promoting new pathways into nursing and healthcare careers. Both students and colleagues have greatly benefited from her extensive knowledge, experience, and passion, as well as her tireless efforts to tackle inequalities and champion underrepresented voices."
Alongside these big wins, learning support staff member Shelagh Findon was recognised as a finalist for the award of ‘Support Staff of the Year’.
Write a comment
The wait is over for. Following months of preliminary and regional qualifiers, the finalists for this year’s SkillBuild national final have been announced. Competing this year at the 2025 SkillBuild national final is seventeen-year-old Tandragee student Alan Holubowitz within the Wall and Floor Tiling category.
Alan, a Level 2 Wall and Floor Tiling Diploma Apprentice at Southern Regional College’s Greenbank campus, is one of eight national finalists, having achieved one of the top scores among all competitors in this year’s competition.
Having won the Northern Ireland 2025 regional competition in Wall and Floor Tiling in May this year, Alan had to wait it out until all regional competitions had concluded. Results from all regional competitions were quality assured and moderated by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), before Alan was announced as a finalist at this year’s national competition.
Commenting on Alan's success Lee Campbell, Principal & CEO of Southern Regional College said: “Congratulations to Alan on being announced as a finalist at this year’s SkillBuild National Final. Reaching this stage of the competition is a testament to his exceptional technical skills, precision, and dedication to his craft. It’s a significant achievement, and one which we will continue to encourage all our students to strive for.”
Alan will now compete at the SkillBuild National Final scheduled for 19-20 November at Arena MK in Milton Keynes amongst the UK’s best construction trainees. SkillBuild is the UK largest and longest running construction skills competition, overseeing competitions in 10 areas: bricklaying, carpentry, drylining, furniture & cabinet making, joinery, painting & decorating, plastering, roof slating & tiling, stonemasonry and wall & floor tiling.
Write a comment
Six students from the Newry campus of the Southern Regional College have qualified for the finals of the prestigious WorldSkills UK national competition, set to take place from 26–28 November 2025 in South Wales. A further two from the SRC Portadown campus have also qualified.
The exceptional students will showcase their talents across five of 47 competition areas, demonstrating excellence in a range of technical and professional skills. They are part of a select group of 417 finalists chosen from nearly 7,900 entrants nationwide who competed earlier this year for a chance to represent their College and employers at a national level.
Students competing at the national finals are:
|
Name |
Hometown |
Course |
Campus |
Competition Category |
|
Matthew Conn |
Waringstown |
Engineering (Mechatronics) Level 5 Foundation Degree, Higher Level Apprenticeship |
Newry |
Automation |
|
Phillip Fee |
Dromore |
Engineering (Mechatronics) Level 5 Foundation Degree, Higher Level Apprenticeship |
Newry |
Automation |
|
Joseph Cullen |
Portadown |
Vehicle Accident Repair Body Principles Level 3 Diploma Apprenticeship |
Portadown |
Automotive Body Repair |
|
Jack Harvison |
Dungannon |
Vehicle Accident Repair Paint Principles Level 3 Diploma Apprenticeship |
Portadown |
Automotive Refinishing |
|
Andrew McVarnock |
Newry |
Professional Cookery Level 3 Diploma Apprenticeship |
Newry |
Culinary Arts |
|
Leon Ruddy |
Bleary |
Professional Chef Level 2 Traineeship |
Newry |
Culinary Arts |
|
Carter McKnight |
Moira |
Engineering (Mechatronics) Level 5 Foundation Degree, Higher Level Apprenticeship |
Newry |
Mechatronics |
|
Ross Graham |
Banbridge |
Engineering (Technical Design & Manufacture) Level 5 Foundation Degree, Higher Level Apprenticeship |
Newry |
Mechatronics |
This year marks the first time the national competition has been held in South Wales having previously been held in Greater Manchester. Students who preform exceptionally at this year’s national competition may get the chance to represent the UK at the global “skills Olympics” competition in Japan in 2028.
Ben Blackledge, CEO, WorldSkills UK said: “Congratulations to this year’s WorldSkills UK National Finalists. Our competitions test learners’ skills against global industry standards, providing a powerful platform to showcase their talents. Over two intensive days of competition they will gain valuable skills and confidence which will turbo charge their careers and make the UK economy more competitive.”
“With employers all over the UK crying out for high-quality skills this is a fantastic opportunity for hundreds of learners to show they are ready for work. I can’t wait to see the finalists in action.”
Lee Campbell, Principal & CEO of Southern Regional College added: “Congratulations to the eight SRC students who have been selected as finalists for this year’s WorldSkills UK national competition. These students have been selected from thousands of entrants to represent our College, their employers and Northern Ireland on a national stage. To have reached the national finals is a commendable achievement and the College looks forward to supporting them on this phenomenal journey to the national stage later this year”.
Write a comment
Former SRC student Patrick Sheerin is heading to Herning, Denmark this September to compete in EuroSkills. The European competition series of WorldSkills will see top talent from across Europe descend upon Herning to compete for medals in 38 skills categories. Patrick is a past student at Southern Regional College (SRC), having commenced his WorldSkills journey whilst undertaking his foundation and top-up degrees at the Newry and Portadown campuses.
Patrick will compete in the industry 4.0 category alongside teammate and current Newry SRC student Caolan McCartan. The dynamic duo were handpicked to represent Team UK at EuroSkills, earlier this year amongst other SRC students John Doherty (mechatronics), Jason McVerry (mechatronics) and Jonathan Gough (electrical installation).
Patrick is no stranger to WorldSkills competitions having previously competed in the UK competition series in automation, back in 2021, securing a silver medal; mechatronics in 2022, where he achieved a bronze medal, and following a brief hiatus in 2023 to complete his engineering degree at SRC, he returned to the UK competition series in 2024 winning the gold medal in industry 4.0 alongside Caolan.
But what is industry 4.0, mechatronics and automation about? As Patrick explains they are all closely related, with each category being a step up or building block from the previous.
“Simply put, automation is the use of systems to control processes, mechatronics is about building everything yourself (mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer technologies) and programming it. Industry 4.0 is about integrating components and software into an existing system and making it run smoothly.”
“Industry 4.0 gives the best simulation of a real working environment. In reality, you don’t just arrive at a site and run the same programme you know off by heart. It’s more about installing new software, adding a touchscreen, uploading everything to a cloud system, and ensuring it works across the factory — all while running simulations to check everything functions properly before going live and potentially causing damage.”
Having been part of the WorldSkills UK series across several competition categories, it’s fair to say that Patrick sees the benefits the competition provides.
“I would definitely recommend the WorldSkills Competition series to students. Not only for the chance to travel and compete at the highest level—because, at the end of the day, it’s a competition, and if you’re competitive, there’s nothing better.”
He continued, “But also there’s the learning experience. The amount of additional skills you gain while training for the competition is incredible. Beyond the technical skills, you develop personally too.”
“Within the automation, mechatronics and industry 4.0 categories you need to learn to work as a team. If you don’t, you’re at a serious disadvantage because you’re up against others who do work well together. Plus, it teaches you how to handle pressure and stress - nothing creates pressure like a timer or deadline. Lastly, your communication skills improve, as you need to communicate effectively with your teammate.”
Patrick has been employed by AJ Power in Craigavon since 2019 when he started his Engineering (Mechatronics) foundation degree as a higher level apprentice. Describing his job role as very broad, on a typical day you could find Patrick working on R&D projects, product innovation, new product implementation and production line queries. However, this varied role doesn’t feel like a job, “It’s like the saying goes, if you enjoy your job, you’ll never work a day in your life”.
Reflecting on his WorldSkills experience to date, Patrick is keen to experience more. With ambitions of being named as part of Team UK for the global WorldSkills international competition for Shanghai 2026, a WorldSkills series dubbed the ‘Skills Olympics’. He added:
“I think you’d be foolish not to try. There’s no point in doing something unless you’re going to do it properly. I’ve signed up for it, I’ve committed to it, so I may as well give it my best. I’d be honoured to make the team.”
Patrick is also keen for more students to consider entering WorldSkills competitions, with local, regional and national competitions happening all year round. He encourages students to take the plunge:
“Just give it a try. You’ve got nothing to lose. You won’t come out any worse than you went in. If anything, you’ll come away with a new understanding of how complex, intricate, or detailed systems can be – and a better appreciation for what people in industry are actually doing in their roles.”
“At the end of the day, assumptions are one of the worst things we can make, especially in industry. As soon as you assume something, it’s almost guaranteed to be wrong. So just give it a go - it does no harm.”
Write a comment
With students receiving their GCSE and A-Level results over the next two weeks, the region’s six Further Education (FE) Colleges are encouraging young people to explore the wide range of options available to them in both further and higher education.
Each year, thousands of learners take their next steps with the support of the FE Colleges, which offer high-quality education and training in a varied vocational and academic areas. Whether you’re aiming for university, employment, or developing a specific skillset, there is a route for you.
SRC Newry Events
SRC's Open Campus Event is taking place this year on Friday 22 August from 5pm - 7 pm on the Newry and Armagh campus. This event is a chance for students to drop in and speak with lecturers across all subject areas.
Enrol in person at the Newry campus between 6:00pm and 8:00pm on any of the following dates. No appointment needed, just drop in.
Thursday 14 August 2025 (A-Level Results Day)
Monday 18 August 2025
Thursday 21 August 2025 (GCSE Results Day)
Tuesday 26 August 2025
Wednesday 27 August 2025
What Are My Options?
Students receiving results this August may be uncertain about their future. FE Colleges provide a range of pathways tailored to suit diverse needs, including:
College Careers Advisors are available throughout the summer to provide personalised guidance on which option may be best based on individual results and career goals.
Waiting for results can be a stressful time, but it’s important for students and their families to know that there are always options available. Northern Ireland’s FE Colleges provide support, advice, and quality learning opportunities that help build bright futures.
Write a comment
Abbey Grammar School Principal, Mrs Gina Savage has warmly congratulated all this year’s school leavers on their excellent results, highlighting the strong partnership between pupils, parents, and staff that lies at the heart of the Abbey’s tradition of achievement.
She praised the commitment, determination, and resilience shown by the students, many of whom overcame immense personal challenges, making their success all the more remarkable.
Mrs Savage said "As our leavers take the next steps into university, higher-level apprenticeships, or employment, we wish them every success in the exciting journeys ahead,” adding “They leave the Abbey not only with impressive qualifications, but also with the character, resilience, and ambition to thrive in whatever path they choose.”
Euan O'Neill from Dromintee was the top A Level achiever gaining 4 A*. Euan has been accepted for St Andrews in Scotland where he will study Applied Maths.
Mrs Savage commended the Lower Sixth students for their exceptional AS results, providing a solid foundation for future success. She expressed her gratitude to parents and the wider Abbey community for their unwavering support, and to the dedicated staff whose hard work and care have helped every pupil strive for and reach their potential.
Write a comment
Our Lady’s Grammar School in Newry are celebrating the wonderful success of their A Level students following results day on Thursday.
A total of 40% of A Level grades in Our Lady’s were awarded at A*/A, 74% at A*- B and 93% at A*- C. Twenty seven students in the year group attained the equivalent of 3 or more A*/A grades.
Commenting on the results, Principal Mrs Fiona McAlinden, thanked the teachers for their dedication and commitment to ensure that every student met her full potential and all of the school staff and parents for their support.
Mrs McAlinden said “We are delighted for our students who in addition to excelling academically have demonstrated resilience and compassion and will move into the world as, in the words of our Mercy foundress Catherine McAuley, “shining lamps, giving light to all"."
x
Write a comment
Sacred Heart Grammar School pupils received their AS and A Level results on Thursday past 14 August, with another set of well-deserved grades. Nearly 90% of pupils received 3A*-C Grades.
School Principal Shane Comer said “We are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating with our latest group of Sacred Heart students as they receive their A-Level and AS results. With 86% of pupils receiving 3A*-C Grades, this reflects the hard work, resilience, and determination of everyone involved.
"We also remember that grades do not define you. They are just one part of your story. What truly matters is your character, your effort, and the journey you have taken to get here. Whether today brought the results you hoped for or not, you have so much to be proud of."
Mr Comer added "As you start the next chapter, whether that’s university, another year with us, work, or something else entirely, we wish you all the happiness and success in the world. Congratulations to each and every one of you.”
Write a comment
Six local students are embarking on the opportunity of a lifetime this month, as they travel to the United States to take part in the prestigious Study USA scholarship programme.
A total of 60 students from Northern Ireland are taking part in the programme, which gives participants the opportunity to spend a full academic year at an American college or university.
Managed by the British Council on behalf of the Department for the Economy, the students will be placed at institutions across 24 states from Texas to Washington, and Florida to Nebraska.
Past pupil of St Paul's High School, Bessbrook, Shanice McParland will spend her year at Edgewood College, Wisconsin.
Shanice a Business Studies student at Ulster University said: “I decided to apply for Study USA because I thought it was an amazing opportunity to study in America. When I was offered a place on the programme, I couldn’t turn it down, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m so excited to see what it entails. I’m most looking forward to living the American college lifestyle and making new friendships in the dorms and classrooms.
“I think this experience will really help build my confidence, especially in the classroom through engaging in smaller classes. It’s also a great opportunity to make new connections while I’m in the US. When I return home, I plan to finish my final year and possibly go on to a postgraduate degree in Accounting to pursue that career path.”
Meanwhile, Tara Phillips, who went to Our Lady's Grammar School, is currently studying Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast. She has secured a spot at North Carolina Wesleyan University in North Carolina.
She added: “I’ve always loved travelling and trying new things, so when I found out about the Study USA programme, I couldn’t say no. The chance to live and study in a completely different part of the world really excited me. I know this experience will help me stand out professionally, but it’ll also push me to grow personally. Moving so far from home is a big step, but I’m ready for the adventure.
“I’m really excited to meet new people, explore new places, and study subjects I wouldn’t normally get to at home. I’m hoping to get involved with clubs and teams on campus, and I can’t wait to travel to different parts of the U.S. while I’m there.
“As a second-year psychology student, I’m looking forward to trying something completely different. Studying in the U.S. will give me the opportunity to explore new subjects and see how psychology connects with other fields, especially business, which really interests me. I’ve heard amazing stories from past participants about how much they grew, gained confidence, and made lifelong memories, and I think this year will do the same for me. Living in a new country, meeting people from all over, and getting involved on campus will definitely push me out of my comfort zone — but in a good way. I know I’ll come home more independent, resilient, and with a broader outlook on life.”
The Study USA programme receives significant support from partner institutions in the United States, with annual funding exceeding more than €2 million. The generous scholarship package includes accommodation on campus, a full meal plan, tuition fees, book allowance, flights and a £1k bursary.
Launched in 1994 to support the Northern Ireland peace process, Study USA has been running for over 30 years.
Praising the programme’s long running success Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: “The Study USA programme offers an invaluable opportunity for students to grow academically, professionally, and personally. It also plays a crucial role in expanding students’ horizons and shaping future leaders as well as promoting positive perceptions of the north. I wish our students taking part this year all the very best on what I’m sure will be a great experience.”
Mary Mallon, Head of Education, British Council Northern Ireland, added: “Study USA offers students a truly life-changing opportunity - one that goes far beyond academics. As well as gaining valuable experience in the classroom, they’re encouraged to immerse themselves in a new culture, build lasting friendships and really make the most of everyday life in the US.
“From joining clubs and societies to volunteering and connecting with local people, students gain new perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. These are the kinds of experiences that build confidence, adaptability, and global awareness - qualities that are hugely important in today’s interconnected world.
“We’re incredibly proud of this year’s cohort and confident they will embrace every opportunity, represent Northern Ireland with pride, and return home with fresh ideas, new skills and memories that will last a lifetime.”
Applications for the 2026–27 programme open next month. For more information, visit: nireland.britishcouncil.org/opportunities/study-usa
Study USA continues the British Council’s mission to build connection, understanding and trust between people in the UK and worldwide through education, arts and the English language. To learn more, follow the British Council Northern Ireland on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
 |
 |
 |