SRCzine April 2024

APRIL ZINE

“ We rise by lifting others

”

- Robert Ingersoll

SRC Celebrates WorldSkills Medal Winners

The College hosted a special evening celebrating its outstanding performance as the UK’s best in WorldSkills for the second consecutive year. The celebration took place at the Graduate Restaurant at the Newry East Campus.

WorldSkills UK is a partnership between education providers, industry and the UK government to champion skill sets and raise industry standards.

The competition celebrates the best of young talent and even provides young people with the opportunity to progress to European and WorldSkills competition series.

Lee Campbell, Interim Principal and Chief Executive, spoke of her immense pride that the College had reached the pinnacle in the ‘Skills Olympics’ for a second year and commended all those in attendance for contributing to that success.

Delivering her speech at the ceremony, she said: “From amongst thousands of competitors hailing from all corners of the United Kingdom, our students have showcased their talents at an unparalleled level, bringing home an impressive array of medals. Our students secured an outstanding 5 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals, a testament to their dedication, perseverance, and sheer skill.

“Southern Regional College has consistently been within the UK’s top three ranking colleges in these UK wide competitions over the past number of years. In 2022 we set ourselves the target of reaching the number one spot within five years. Little did we know that through the hard work, diligence and dedication of staff and students at the College we would achieve this within one year being crowned top college in the UK in 2023. And now to make it to the top for the second consecutive year is simply remarkable.”

She also paid tribute to the tireless dedication of the staff as well as the unwavering support of parents and guardians in encouraging all the young people who took part.

WorldSkills UK successful competitors alongside SRC Development Manager Lindsay Bronte

Medals were then presented to all finalists by SRC’s Governing Body Chair, Dr Thomas Moore. The event was hosted by SRC’s Development Manager Lindsay Bronte who plays an instrumental role in overseeing all College skills competitions.

Ross Graham, Automation Gold Winner said: “There was a lot of hard work and time spent preparing for the competition. It means a lot to get gold and to celebrate this amazing achievement. The competition itself really enhanced my skills and the lecturers within the College spent a lot of time in helping me to prepare. They are always trying to push me that one extra step which has been evident through the competition results.”

Ross is now aiming to progress onto the Engineering BEng Level 6 Top Up Degree.

Gold medallist in Beauty Therapy Practitioner

Mykenzie Cartmill

Mykenzie Cartmill, Beauty Therapy Practitioner Gold Winner said:

“It’s great to be recognised for my achievements. I put a lot of hard work and effort into trying to secure the gold medal. This journey has given me more confidence to one day have my own salon or possibly have the opportunity to teach within the College.”

Remarkable Marketing Awards 2024

Congratulations to the College’s Marketing, Communications and Student Recruitment team who have been shortlisted in two categories for the Remarkable Marketing Awards.

The awards ceremony is taking place on Friday 31st May in Belfast at the Europa Hotel.

Wishing the team the best of luck!

Employer Shane Sloan from ReGen Robotics with Gold medallist Ross Graham

Harry Agnew Secures Second Place in Welding Competition

Congratulations to Harry Agnew, who achieved second place in Welding at the Inter College Engineering Competition.

The Inter College Engineering Competition was hosted at South Eastern Regional College’s Lisburn campus, and saw participants from different colleges compete in each division.

Harry is a Level 2 Engineering Fabrication and Welding student. During the competition he showcased his hard work and skill which allowed him to place second in his category against other students.

Congratulations Harry on this achievement!

Patryk Niedoba Awarded Montgomery Award

Congratulations to Wall and Floor Tiling student, Patryk Niedoba, for being awarded the Montgomery Award for Wall and Floor Tiling.

This was in recognition for receiving a gold medal at the UK WorldSkills finals. Accompanied by his lecturer and skills expert, Peter Farelly, Patryk attended the annual craft presentation at Goldsmiths Hall in London, courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers.

Well done!

Harry Agnew receiving his award for securing second place in Welding at the Inter College Engineering Competition

Patryk Niedoba receiving the Montgomery Award for Wall & Floor Tiling

SRC and Almac Celebrate Mentor Award Win at NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024

Last month, SRC in partnership with Almac Group were crowned winners of the Mentor Award at the Department for Economy’s NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024 at the Titanic Museum Belfast.

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.

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 programmes.

Dr. Deirdre Murray, 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 2024 Mentor Award at the NI Apprenticeship Awards. 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”

Also, congratulations to 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.

Pictured is Paddy Raff, Comedian and host alongside Barry Neilson, Chief Executive NI CITB presenting Helen Goodrich with her mentor award.

SRC & Irwin M&E Clinch SME Award at NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024

SRC in partnership with Irwin M&E were delighted to secure the esteemed “Small to Medium Enterprise Award” at a glittering awards ceremony at the Titanic Museum in Belfast last month.

The NI Apprenticeship Awards serve as a platform to honor the remarkable accomplishments of apprentices, training providers, employers, and mentors. The Small to Medium Enterprise award recognises the excellence and originality demonstrated by employers, in partnership with training providers, in delivering toptier Apprenticeship training.

With a partnership spanning over 25 years, SRC and Irwin M&E have played a pivotal role in implementing exemplary apprenticeship training programmes, particularly in the fields of plumbing and electrotechnical. Irwin M&E’s steadfast commitment to investing in the apprenticeship model is evidenced by the employment of over 40 apprentices within the company, who contribute significantly to its success and expansion.

Through close collaboration, SRC and Irwin M&E introduced inventive training methodologies aimed at enhancing the apprentices’ learning experiences. By incorporating modern technology and real-world applications, the training provided is engaging, relevant, and highly effective.

Commenting on the award, Keith Stewart, Managing Director at Irwin M&E said,

“It is important that we invest in our apprentices learning experience to ensure we maximise their potential both now and in the future. This award, in partnership with SRC, is recognition for the dedication and effort both parties put into our Plumbing, Electrical & IT Apprenticeships. We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Award by the Department for the Economy.”

Lee Campbell, Interim Principal and Chief Executive expressed gratitude for this recognition, stating,

“I am delighted that SRC in partnership with Irwin M&E have been awarded the Small/Medium Enterprise Award as part of the NI Apprenticeship Awards 2024. This accolade is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. I am immensely proud of our partnership and extend my gratitude to Irwin’s unwavering commitment and contribution in creating apprenticeship opportunities locally.”

Pictured is Laura White and Keith Stewart from Irwin Mechanical & Electrical who scooped the Best Small to Medium Enterprise at the 2024 NI Apprenticeship Awards alongside Lee Campbell and Denise Cornett from SRC.

Inspire Inclusion in Gender Equality

International Women’s Day (IWD) on 08 March 2024 is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

The College celebrates IWD by exploring our continued commitment to inclusion in our role as a public educator and employer.

The College along with many other institutions have signed up to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and have committed to reporting annually on the progress we make in contributing to the achievement of all 17 goals and in particular goal number five ‘Gender Equality’.

College Strategy – “Working together to achieve more”

Education – “Putting the learner first “providing women and girls with access to quality education and training.

“The Further Education sector has an essential role in facilitating and supporting our communities to achieve these sustainable goals across the globe” Sustainability Framework.

Reports from all signatory institutions are collated to provide a summary report of how both the Higher and Further Education sectors are contributing to the SDGs globally which is presented each year to the UN High Level Political Forum.

We recognise the role of education in enabling students to develop the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours needed for sustainable development, ensuring they are equipped to meet the rapidly changing demands of the world.

SRC offers a wide range of courses which are open to all. We work closely with local businesses and within the community to ensure courses match the skill set of industry and we provide opportunity for those who have missed out on education, for example Women Returners.

We secured funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to the value of £3 million to deliver a new innovative employability project with the Clanrye Group, Women’s Aid and Community Advice Newry, Mourne & Down to provide training, employment and wraparound support and promote females into education and employment.

We challenge gender stereotypes by promoting courses to females which would traditionally attract more male applicants, such as butchery, plumbing, tiling etc.

Policy - Striving for excellence, recruiting, retaining and developing female talent

Our policies and procedures are governed by Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act and we commit to have due regard to promote equality of opportunity. The commitment starts with our recruitment and selection policies which ensure we implement fair and consistent practices.

The College offers a range of health and wellbeing resources and family friendly policies to support employees such as our recently introduced menopause policy and dedicated menopause section within the staff intranet. We also provide accredited management training for new and aspiring managers.

The College is committed to promoting women in leadership roles and the College actively encourages women to take up management positions.

Women’s Success - forging women’s economic empowerment

The College’s organisational structure mirrors the diverse backgrounds of Northern Ireland society. Internally our biggest shift this year has seen female representation within the College’s Executive team skyrocket and females now make up 75% of that team.

The Skill Up ‘Get into Bartending’ Course was a Success!

Five of our students completed a 2-day course, mastering skills from pouring the perfect pint to crafting delicious cocktails. With this achievement, they gained the City & Guilds Level 2 Principles of Customer Services qualification.

This accomplishment was part of the Get Into Hospitality series, an initiative to upskill and reskill new and current employees within the Hospitality Sector. A huge thanks to Ma Berry’s Portadown for being excellent hosts and to course instructor Seamus Roony for passing on his expertise!

SRC students “raised the bar” after successfully completing the ‘Get Into Bartending’ course.

First Derivative FinTech Analyst Academy

Representatives from First Derivative alongside staff from SRC, pictured with 12 successful participants who completed the Academy!

Congratulations to all the participants who completed the latest First Derivative FinTech Analyst Academy! The Academy, in collaboration with First Derivative and fully supported by the Department for the Economy’s Assured Skills Programme, provided an intensive 8-week programme.

This programme delivered top-tier training, empowering 12 participants to gain invaluable expertise in Excel, Power Bi, Python, and Project Management.

Following successful completion, participants underwent interviews for positions at First Derivative.

Tap into the expertise of industry leaders as our webcasts cover a broad spectrum of topics, including Digital Tourism, Food, Engineering, I.C.T, eCommerce, and more!

Upcoming webcasts include: AI & Tourism with Kieran Swail and Simon Kennedy on 08/05/2024.

Introduction to Using the Insta Flow Gimbal for Creating Content with Kieran Swail and Cathal McDonnell on 15/05/2024.

Don’t panic if you missed previous sessions as you can stay up to date at your convenience by clicking on the image!

Upcoming Events

Staff Changes

Role Changes or New Starts

Name Contract Description Location Department

Olga Babanschi Permanent Learning Support Assistant Newry Learning Support

Barbara Campbell Temporary PT Lecturer - Life Coach/Mentor Newry Professional Services

Linda Cassidy Temporary PT Register - Fitness/Personal Training Newry Professional Services

Karen Cosgrave Temporary Monitoring and Placement Officer Newry Skills Training

Conall Donaghy Temporary MIS Officer Portadown MIS

Janet English Powell Permanent Stock Controller Newry Professional Services

Klara-Jean Hamill Temporary PT Lecturer - Photography Newry Computing Design & Academic Studies

Michael Holmes Permanent Head of Quality and Pedagogy Newry Quality & Pedagogy Unit

Mairead Hughes Temporary Finance Business Partner - External Engagement Newry Finance

Victoria Irwin Temporary Monitoring & Placement Officer Portadown Skills Training

Alison Kelly Temporary Learning Support Mentor Banbridge Learning Support

Michelle Khan Temporary Assistant Director of Finance Newry Finance

Killian McEvoy Permanent Monitoring and Placement Officer Newry Skills Training

Joanne McGuigan Temporary Director of Finance and Planning Portadown Executive Team

Christine Morrow Temporary PT Lecturer- Cookery Portadown Professional Services

Fiona Watters Permanent Learning Resources Assistant Armagh Careers and Learning Resources

Leavers

Aaron Duggan Permanent Lecturer - Health and Social Care

Karen Templeton Permanent Lecturer - Health & Social Care

Banbridge Health & Science

Banbridge Health & Science