SRCzine March 24

“

Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look.

”

- Jodi Picoul

Team SRC Serve Up The Medals

SRC Students Shine at IFEX Competition

Student Achievement

Annabelle Hughes

Gold MedalRisotto Chef of the Year NI

TJ Cashel O’Farrell Gold MedalCulinary Ability Award

Ross Smyth

Darragh Byrne

Sophie Keenan

Rory Kavanagh

Ben Webber

Thomas McCrink

Sam Thompson

Silver MedalJunior Duck

Silver MedalYoung Seafood Chef of the Year / Best in Class

Silver MedalContemporary Hot Starter

Silver MedalJunior Poultry

Bronze MedalJunior Duck

Bronze MedalContemporary Dessert

Bronze MedalJunior Poultry

SRC students joined renowned hospitality, foodservice and retail experts at this year’s heavily anticipated IFEX trade event. IFEX is Northern Ireland’s premiere showcase for the food, drink, hospitality, and retail industry. The event saw competitions taking across senior and junior divisions to find the best in class in foodservices plus inspiration from all the latest trends within food and service industry. Students from the College served up nine medals across a range of competition areas including seafood, risotto, poultry, and duck.

To prepare for the competition students trained outside class time alongside their professional chef lecturers and mentors in the weeks leading up to the competition. To be successful, students were required to produce two servings of their dish within a short period of time, from as little as 40 minutes. The only competition prep students were allowed to undertake in advance of the competition day was peeling of vegetables, no chopping was permitted under tight competition rules. This meant students were feeling the heat in the kitchen, and not just from the boiling pots and pans!

Students taking part in the competition ranged from Level 2 Traineeship and Level 2 Apprenticeship Professional Chefs, Level 2 Vocational Catering, Level 3 Day release and Level 3 Apprenticeship Professional Chefs students.

A special mention goes to Annabelle Hughes. No stranger to professional competitions, having been a finalist in last year’s WorldSkills UK competition, Annabelle upped her game to take the gold medal and title “Risotto Chef of the Year NI”. Annabelle will progress to represent Ireland in the “Gallo Risotto Chef of the Year” in June. Speaking on her competition success to date, Annabelle said,

“I enjoy competing in cookery competitions because I learn so many things from participating in them. The IFEX competition has been a wonderful experience –I can practice specific skills and receive constructive feedback on my cooking techniques and the food I make. My dish for IFEX was a fennel, cured trout, pickled cucumber and citrus risotto dish. I choose this specific dish because the flavour of fennel and trout is a nice addition in a rich risotto. The ingredients really come together to create a risotto that I really enjoy and thankfully the judges did too.”

We extend our congratulations to all the students for their hard work and commitment both in preparation and during the competition, it truly paid off!

Engineering Excellence: Level 3 Students Shine in Automation Competition

Making a Difference!

The College is thrilled to share that two donation stations have been located at our Armagh and Newry East campuses in support of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice!

These stations are located by the courthouse wall in Armagh and in the carpark at Newy East, both stations are ready to accept your donations!

This is the perfect time to clean out your wardrobes and lend a helping hand by donating unwanted items such as clothing, shoes, curtains, towels, bed sheets, and blankets. Every contribution counts!

With the potential to raise up to £250 each week when filled, these donation stations could collectively raise £10,000 over the course of a year! Let’s unite and continue our mission of making a positive difference to the lives of those in need.

Our Level 3 Engineering students participated in an automation competition after six weeks of training. The students performed at a very high standard and will be invited to join SRC’s automation teams for the 2024 cycle of UK WorldSkills.

Course Lecturer Sean MacDiarmada commented, “I’m extremely impressed by their performance and humbled by their dedication and hunger to master what is a very high-level engineering task.”

There were close contenders for the top spot, however, the overall winner of the competition was Ethan Park. Well done!

Pictured are our Level 3 students Gabriele Kurlianskaite, Ethan Park, Adrian MatysNiak-Stalski, and Lisa Brannigan.

Southern Regional College Students Compete for SkillBuild Glory

The annual SkillBuild competition at Southern Regional College got underway at the start of February as competitors from various trades and disciplines showcased their talents and skills. Contestants from across the College’s campuses competed against peers, to be in with the chance to make it to the regional competition. The regional competition is set to take place on Tuesday 21st May at South West College’s Enniskillen campus.

Categories participating in the SkillBuild competition included brickwork, cabinet making, carpentry, joinery, wall & floor tiling, painting & decorating, plastering, plumbing pipework, electrical installation, and light motor vehicle.

Success at the inter-campus competition is the first step towards competing on the WorldSkills stage. Successful competitors at SkillBuild will be benchmarked against competitors from Northern Ireland’s other Further Education Colleges by the Construction Industry Training Board. The results will determine who will represent the region at national and international competitions.

Now there’s anticipation as we await the announcement of which local students will progress to the regional competition. SRC students hoping to progress to the regional stage include:

Brickwork in action

L2 Painting & Decorating Apprenticeship

Plastering Thomas Maguire L2 Plastering Apprenticeship

Plumbing Pipework John McKee L3 Domestic Plumbing & Heating Apprenticeship

Wall & Floor Tiling Dean Frazer L2 Wall & Floor Tiling Traineeship

Brickwork Ruairi McAvoy L2 Bricklaying Apprenticeship

Cabinet Making Ollie Jardine L2 Carpentry & Joinery Traineeship

Carpentry Junior Swain L2 Carpentry & Joinery

Electrical Installation Kyle Livingstone L3 Electrotechnical (Electrical Installation) Apprenticeship

Joinery Lughaidh O'Donnaile L2 Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship

Motor Vehicle Light Brody Duffy L2 Light Vehicle Traineeship

Plastering Aiden McCabe L2 Plastering Apprenticeship

Plumbing Pipework Jordon Nummy L2 Domestic Plumbing & Heating Apprenticeship

Rachel Dorovatus, Director of Industry Training & Support at CITB NI attended the competition and praised the participants for their high standards of skills. Rachel commented:

“We are continuously impressed by the standard of skills demonstrated by the apprentices and trainees who participate in the Inter Campus College Competitions. Congratulations are extended to all participants with special recognition for those who excelled in their categories. Their outstanding performance may pave the way for them to further showcase their talents at the upcoming SkillBuild NI Regional Competition in Enniskillen this May.”

Gareth Mone, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College further commented:

“Our Inter campus SkillBuild competition involved over 80 competitors across construction, motor vehicle, body & paint, and welding trades.

We welcomed visitors from CITB NI and judges to our Greenbank Campus. Again, the standard of work was extremely high, and we hope to have many of our students progressing to the regional finals in May.”

Good luck to all!

Painting & Decorating Kirsty Leigh Stewart

Motor Vehicle in action

Painting & Decorating in action

Media Student Lands BFI Academy Spot

You may see seventeen-year-old Ben Roberts name on the big screen in the coming years. Ben has been successfully accepted for a National Film and Television School Academy Residential with the British Film Industry (BFI) and is jetting across to England to complete an eleven-day sound specialism residential later this month.

Ben is one of sixty-six successful students aged 16-19 from across the UK undertaking a craft residential specialism. Craft residential specialisms include directing, producing, screen writing, cinematography, sound, editing and production design. To gain his place, Ben submitted personal and educational references alongside evidence of his skill set. Skills obtained from his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Media, a course equivalent to three A-levels, at the College’s Armagh campus and a BFI short film project which he undertook from late September to December 2023 at the Amma Centre in Armagh.

Ben is in the first year of his course at SRC. Despite his young age, Ben has had a fascination with digital imaging and film, seeking out the Level 3 Media course following advice from his career’s teacher at Craigavon Senior High School. At GCSE stage, Ben kept his options open by completing a diverse range of subjects, from Business Studies, IT, Digital Imaging, Cooking and Pastries to the usual Maths, English, and Science subjects. This allowed Ben to follow a career path which he is passionate about.

In College, Ben is learning skills in Adobe Photoshop, plus collaborating with other students to produce audiobooks, from scripting to the production stage, using professional audio production (Tascam) equipment and editing audio tracks using Audacity software.

For the role of sound production, Ben will have responsibilities for assembling, operating, and maintaining technical equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix, or produce sound. He will need to select sound choices for dialogue and real time sound, plus special effects, and musical soundtracks. The upcoming residential promises to push Ben beyond his comfort zone. The fast paced eleven day short residential will bring its own challenges, but Ben is ready for it and the career opportunities it will bring.

Ryan O’Hagan, Lecturer at Southern Regional College commented:

“The BFTS craft residential is an extraordinary opportunity for young talent to develop their skills and build a career in the film industry. Congratulations to Ben as he pursues the opportunity to take part in sound production in the upcoming residential, where he will be taking part in masterclasses delivered by top film makers. We look forward to learning about Ben’s experiences when he returns to the classroom in April.”

Media student, Ben lands BFI Academy spot in hope to become an upcoming film and television producer

International Women’s Day

SRC were delighted to support the International Women’s Day lunch at Killeavy Castle on Friday 8th March. This year’s theme was #InspireInclusion and guests had the opportunity to engage with a diverse panel of local business representatives alongside the esteemed keynote speaker, Dearbhail McDonald, a Global Eisenhower Fellow & Award-Winning Journalist, Broadcaster and Author.

Hands Up For Completing The Chef Bootcamp In Style

Our 11 Chef Bootcamp candidates hosted a celebratory lunch last Friday at our Graduate Restaurant where they showcased their culinary skills by preparing a diverse array of delicious dishes from scratch, demonstrating the expertise they acquired over the four-week programme.

This programme, fully funded by the Newry Mourne and Down Labour Market Partnership, provides a unique opportunity for aspiring chefs to obtain industry-relevant qualifications and kickstart their careers.

Thanks to the support of Killeavy Castle, The Whistledown, Canal Court Hotel, Kilmorey Arms, Kilmorey Care, Gather & Brew, The Leafy Green, Slieve Donard Hotel, The Mourne Country Hotel, Quinns Newcastle and VR Fire & Smokehouse who offered practical placement opportunities to allow candidates to further enhance their culinary talents, with some participants even receiving employment offers as a direct result of their successful placements.

Well done to all involved - we look forward to seeing your names appear in the spotlight within the Hospitality industry!

SRC staff Rachel Little, Sara Coppard, Margaret McNamee, Ann Marie Hughes, Lorraine McKeown, Tracy Rice, and Sylivia Moorhead pictured with Newry Chamber’s President and CEO Edwina Flynn and Michael Savage at the International Women’s Day event at Killeavy Castle.

Engineering Employer Engagement Event

On Friday 1st March the College hosted an employer engagement event for our existing apprentice employers.

Employers included Re-Gen, Alternative Heat, Exact Group, and Rockwell Collins. This event provided a platform for employers to discuss SRC’s engineering programmes, spanning from Level 2 Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Level 3 Advanced Technical Awards,

Level 4 & 5 Higher Level Apprenticeships in Mechatronics, Technical Design & Manufacture and Electrical & Electronic Engineering to the Level 6 BEng Top Up Degree.

Attendees also had the opportunity to witness some of our Level 3 students preparing for the WorldSkills Mechatronics competition selection.

#ThinkDifferentlyThinkApprenticeships

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 10/04/2024.

Introduction to Using the Insta Flow Gimbal for Creating Content with Kieran Swail and Cathal McDonnell on 24/04/2024.

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

Pictured is Margaret McNamee, Tracy Rice, Andrea Kearney, Patrick Mulholland, Nicole Hyland (Alternative Heats), Glynn Gee (Re-Gen Waste), Jennifer Heaney (Collins Aerospace), Ronan Callan (Exact Group), Sylivia Moorehead and Natasha McLaughlin (Re-Gen Waste) at the Employer Engagement Event hosted by the College.

Upcoming Events

Who’s Who

Name: Abbie Muldrew

Job role: Business Development Executive

Campus: Portadown

What enticed you to be a Business Development Executive?

I studied Business Economics, and while working in economics for a few years, I found that I really enjoyed working directly with clients. This made me interested in transitioning to a role in Business Development.

What does your job role entail?

I am involved in the co-ordination of government funded training programmes, as well as bespoke training, tailored to the needs of various employers across Northern Ireland. As a BDE I sell the resources and expertise of SRC to businesses, with the aim of generating new opportunities and contributing to SRC’s growth.

What is the most fulfilling part of your role?

The opportunity to engage with various businesses across Northern Ireland at networking events. By representing SRC and showcasing our offerings, helps raise awareness and create connections that often leads to meaningful business opportunities.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A Zookeeper.

What’s the last book/movie you read/watched?

Book – The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Movie – Anyone but You

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Always try to embrace change - challenges are opportunities for growth.

If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?

Margot Robbie.

Staff Changes

Role Changes or New Starts

Name Contract Description Location Department

Sam Eakin Temporary PT Lecturer - Essential Skills Out Centre Computing Design & Academic Studies

Brian Daly Temporary Lecturer in Chemistry Armagh Computing Design & Academic Studies

Conall Donaghy Temporary Monitoring & Placement Officer Portadown Skills Training

Geoff Ewart Temporary PT Lecturer - Fin Tech Newry Professional Services

Megan Farnon Permanent Marketing Officer - Web and Digital Banbridge MCR

Carmel Fearon Temporary PT Lecturer - Health & Social Care Banbridge Health & Science

Shirley-Anne Foster Temporary Lecturer Health & Social Care Lurgan Health & Science

Pamela Frazer Permanent Invigilator Portadown Examinations

Joanne Gallagher Temporary Learning Support Co-Ordinator Banbridge Learning Support

Gerard Houlahan Temporary Key Worker Step Up Portadown External Engagement

Ann Marie Hughes Permanent Assistant Director Human Resources & Development Newry Human Resources and Development

Alison Kelly Temporary Learning Support Mentor Banbridge Learning Support

Claire Lois Lively Temporary PT Lecturer - Counselling Newry Health & Science

Rachel Logue Temporary PT Lecturer - SPP Health & Social Care Lurgan Health & Science

Stacey Macartney Permanent Invigilator Portadown Examinations

Carmel McCafferty Permanent Invigilator Newry Examinations

Ashling McGinn Permanent Reader/Scribe Banbridge Examinations

Petra McGuirk Permanent Deputy Head of Human Resources Newry Human Resources and Development

Connor McKernan Temporary PT Lecturer -Tiling Newry Building Technology & Engineering

Karen McLoughlin Permanent Invigilator Newry Examinations

Caoimhe Mulgrew Temporary PTL - Media Armagh Computing Design & Academic Studies

Danguole Petrikiene Temporary PT Lecturer - Dressmaking Armagh Computing Design & Academic Studies

Dennis Quinn Temporary PT Lecturer -CAD Armagh Building Technology & Engineering

Raymond Sloan Permanent Director of Client Services Newry Executive Team

Jacinta Toner Temporary PT Lecturer - Essential Skills ICT Newry Computing Design & Academic Studies

Ruth Trimble Temporary Campus Services Administrator Newry Campus Services

Matthew Trouton Permanent Course Administrative Officer Portadown MIS

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