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- Peter T. McIntyre “
Confidence comes from not always being right but not fearing to be wrong
Students, staff, friends and family from across Southern Regional College’s campuses gathered at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on Friday 10th May to celebrate student accomplishments within each of the College’s four faculty areas through awards for ‘Student of the Year’, ‘Rising Star’, ‘Classmate of the Year’, ‘Student Recognition’, ‘Star Fundraiser’ and ‘Employer Choice’.
Guest speaker at the event was Adele Loughran, Global Operations Manager at EOS IT Solutions based in Banbridge. Adele is a past student having completed her Foundation Degree in Computing Network Systems in 2016. Since completing her foundation degree, Adele’s career has skyrocketed, and she was on hand to offer advice to current students seeking out opportunities within employment.
Adele commented:
“Over the years, I received great encouragement, and this gave me the drive to take on more opportunities and challenges. I found myself constantly raising my hand for more exposure to different areas of the business and by doing so I progressed from the basics to managing the end-to-end Operations of a Global Supply Chain program.”
With a message of constant evaluation and seeking out opportunities, Adele was keen to encourage students to reach for their potential. Adele further commented:
“I would like to congratulate all of you on your achievements, nominations and awards you have received today. And as this part of your journey with SRC is coming to an end and you are considering your plans for the future, I wish you the best of luck. Your road is your choice, believe in yourself and grab every opportunity as it presents itself.”
Lee Campbell, Interim Principal & Chief Executive commented:
“These awards recognise many facets of excellence –from those who have excelled academically, to those whose commitment to personal and professional development has been astounding, all of which displays an unwavering determination to succeed. Congratulations to each and every one of our award recipients today. You have demonstrated exceptional character and determination. Your achievements are a source of immense pride for us all.”
It was a fantastic event to commend the hard work, exceptional skills, and unwavering commitment of our students.
Some award winners include:
PRSE Student of the Year & Student Recognition
Annabelle Hughes
CDAC Student of the Year Robertas Vickus
BUTE Student of the Year Chloe Johnston
HESC Student of the Year Cliodhna Kearney
Employer Choice Jamie Neill & Ryan O’Hare
Rising Star & Student Recognition
Sam Thompson
Star Fundraiser Ava Hamill
Classmate of the Year Niamh McCann
SRC together with The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) was proud to celebrate the achievements of cadets in Northern Ireland on Saturday 27th April at the Banbridge campus.
The 22 students from SRC were the first cohort of cadets from Northern Ireland to have completed the RCN Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme.
During the scheme the cadets worked with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), as well as the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services/Hazardous Area Response Team, observing the vital work they do.
The scheme makes a real difference to the lives of young people, opening doors to careers in health care as well as teaching important skills for their future.
Congratulations to Anastasiya Kovtun who received the ‘Young Apprentice of the Year’ award at the inaugural NI Young Professionals Awards!
Anastasiya is currently enrolled on the Higher Level Apprenticeship in Applied Industrial Science in collaboration with her employer Almac.
Anastasiya has had many successes in her educational journey, she is also a UK squad member representing the College and the UK at WorldSkills in Lyon 2024!
She will complete her course with several years of industry experience and her achievements will allow her to stand out in the world of employment.
Well done to Anastasiya on this achievement!
Anastasiya Kovtun receiving her award at the NI Young Professionals Awards ceremony.
Congratulations to those who have been named as finalists in three categories for the Aspiration Awards.
• Ava Hamill for the Learner of the Year Award
• Caroline Kerr for the Educator of the Year Award
• Early Years Team for Centre of the Year Award.
Winners will be announced next month! Best wishes to everyone!
Dental patients will be in safe hands with any of Southern Regional College’s 2024 class of dental nursing students. The College’s second year Level 3 Dental Nursing National Diploma students aced their final exams with a 100% achievement rate, a spectacular achievement.
The College’s dental students are renowned for their success. Past student Gemma Forsythe was awarded the Best Dental Nurse in the UK, a year ago. This success is not a coincidence as lecturers on the course are all experienced general dental practitioners with some lecturers also having experience in oral surgery dental nursing, dental practice management, and sit on the national examining board as dental nurse examiners.
The Level 3 Dental Nursing National Diploma equips students with knowledge and skills to provide exceptional patient care. Students learn dental anatomy, oral health, common dental procedures, as well as infection control, and dealing with dentistry medical emergencies.
These students come from dental practices across Northern Ireland, hopeful of replicating their predecessors’ exam and career success. With a rising demand for dental healthcare, students can look forward to a rewarding career with ample career progression and development opportunities.
Carmel Murray, Head of Faculty for Health & Science commented:
“I am beyond delighted to see our Level 3 Dental Nursing students exceptional results. Students have put in a vast amount of work to demonstrate their technical ability and I commend them for their efforts, it has paid off! All students have a bright career ahead of them. The College is proud to have nurtured so many skilled dental nursing professionals and we look forward to witnessing their continued success.”
Congratulations to all on this amazing achievement!
On Tuesday 30th April SRC held a memorable evening at the Graduate Restaurant at Newry East Campus to celebrate 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.
The ceremony welcomed distinguished guests from the hospitality industry including Aaron Logan, Northern Ireland Regional Chair of the Institute of Hospitality, and Eugene Rooney, the Conference & Banqueting Manager from Killeavy Castle Estate who delivered an inspiring talk to the students.
Matt Turner, Head of Faculty for Professional Services 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.”
Student Achievement
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 Awarding Body
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
A group of talented young apprentices and students will compete at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, also known as the ‘Skills Olympics’.
Team UK will be heading for glory on the world stage in Lyon, France, just hours after the Olympic flame in Paris is dimmed.
All aged under 25, the members of Team UK will be competing, from 10 -15 September, in disciplines including cyber security, renewable energy, digital construction, cooking, hairdressing and painting and decorating. From Northern Ireland, five students from the region are set to take part in Skills Olympics. This includes Isaac Bingham, a past carpentry apprentice. Isaac has previously seen glory at WorldSkills UK taking home the gold medal and will be keen to capitalise on this success in Lyon.
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.
Team UK has been training hard for this once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country in their chosen career. The UK has been taking part in the WorldSkills Competition since 1953 and the event is used by governments around the world, economists, and global business leaders as a litmus test to measure preparedness to optimise future economic growth. WorldSkills Lyon 2024 will host over 1500 young people from 65 countries, who will compete in 62 different skill disciplines.
Lindsay Bronte, Organisation Development Manager added:
“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 the main event in September.”
Well done & congratulations to Isaac, wishing him all the best in September!
SRC student Lee Johnston will be getting the real NASA experience in Houston, Texas this summer after winning a coveted place in the United Space School (USS) competition.
The 18-year-old Year 1 Applied Science student from Lurgan will join a team of students from all over the world who will study at the University of Clear Lake, which is next to the NASA Johnson Space Centre.
The United Space School competition was established by the Foundation for International Space Education (FISE) a private foundation with the mission to provide space-based education to international pre-university students, while offering an introduction and orientation to the aerospace industry.
Lee says he is excited for the opportunity to go to Houston, which he describes as on his ‘bucket list’. He is particularly keen to learn about Mars after doing research projects on the planet during his course.
Lee’s goal is to eventually work at the European Space Agency, and he says this experience will be a huge help for him in gaining a career in astrophysics.
Laura Martin, Curriculum Area Manager, Faculty of Health and Science commented:
“Lee is among of a handful of people in UK and Ireland who have been selected for this opportunity. This educational experience will not only enhance his academic and personal growth but will also distinguish him professionally, setting him apart from others.”
The students at the United Space School will be designing their own ‘Mission to Mars’ under the mentorship of engineers, scientists, and leaders in the aerospace industry. Every day the aspiring astronauts will learn some fascinating space-related subjects such as how zero gravity affects the human body; how propulsion systems work or the laws of space. Then students will be assigned to four different teams for the Mission to Mars, each with a different objective: Mission Control; Mars Operation & Logistics; the Mars Transit team; Mars Habitation team and finally Mars Exploration.
Well done to Lee on this achievement and we wish him the best of luck as Lee flies out to Houston to attend the United Space School on 14 July!
Last month, Leap students from Armagh, Newry and Banbridge attended the IFA Inclusion Football Tournament at Belfast Met College. A great day was had by all!
Well done to Sports Academy students Aaron Murney, Sean Fitzpatrick, Diarmuid Mathers and Evan McGuinness who began their coaching roles in a primary school setting under the guidance of an official Down GAA coach!
Also, a huge shoutout to Ellen and Seth McCartney from the Sports Academy for their dedication to coaching soccer after school hours all year round. These students earned their coaching badges through the Sports Academy this year, and it’s great to see them putting their new skills acquired to use!
Sports Academy students, Aaron, Sean, Diarmuid and Evan all set to start their coaching roles
Well done to Ellen & Seth McCartney for dedicating their time to coaching soccer all year!
Armagh team celebrating their victory!
Congratulations to the Armagh team on their cup final victory over Lurgan! Armagh took the lead with an outstanding solo effort and secured their win in the second half, finishing with a final score of 3-1. Well done, Armagh!
The College was thrilled to have Dr. Michael Walker visit the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma students at the Armagh Campus! The students got a first-hand look into the world of Forensic Science.
In 2020 Dr. Walker received an honorary professorship from Queen’s University Belfast. His presentation to students provided an insight into the work of Crime Scene Investigation.
A fantastic chance for staff and students to interact directly with a subject specialist in Forensic Science. Dr. Walker’s presentation focused on evidence examination and reporting, sparking engaging discussions about his involvement in cases.
Students were enthralled to learn of specific cases in which scientific analysis of evidence led to successful prosecution and in other cases defence and acquittal. A huge thank you to Dr. Walker for sharing his expertise with our students!
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma students pictured with guest speaker Dr. Michael Walker and Paul Johnston, Lecturer for the Faculty of Health of Science.
SRC representatives Tracy
and
with Higher and Further Education partners at the Connected workshop, ‘Reset and Build Impact.’
Connected, collaborating with Ulster University hosted a collaborative workshop for their Higher and Further Education partners centred around the theme ‘Reset and Build Impact’. This was the second collaborative workshop of its kind and Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement and Brenda Kelleghan, Innovation & Technology Manager at the College were delighted to attend and represent SRC.
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!
Karise Hutchinson from Illuminaire facilitated the workshop which focused on defining impact, measuring it, reflecting on the impact of past projects, and identifying key areas for future development.
The event encouraged participants to explore ways to maximise and enhance the benefits.
Final webcast includes: AI & Tourism with Kieran Swail and Simon Kennedy on 12/06/2024.
Don’t panic if you missed previous sessions! All the webcasts are available on the Business Support & Innovation YouTube channel!
SRC are delighted to host a Business Breakfast on Thursday 30th May at Newry East campus between 8:30am-10:30am.
Attendees will have the chance to hear from keynote speaker Brian O’Connor, Director of Mintel Ireland on how consumers in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and further afield view the increased usage of AI in their daily lives and how they interact with businesses and brands.
Mintel will highlight how AI is being utilised by businesses to drive growth and innovation.
You will also hear from local businesses who availed of support from SRC and the positive impact it brought to their business.
Name Contract Description
Victoria Bennett Permanent Invigilator
Cara Brennan Temporary PTL - Beauty
Amy Carson Permanent Music & Performing Arts Production
Edel Crawley Permanent Invigilator
Laura Henning Temporary PT Lecturer - Beauty Therapy
Martin Kennedy Permanent Senior Estates Technician
Jason Moles Temporary Programme Manager - Step Up
Tracy Tookey Temporary PTL - Occupational Studies
Matthew Trouton Temporary MIS Officer
Aislinn White Temporary HR Business Partner
Lindsay Armstrong Permanent Secretary to Governing Body
David Bonilla Moreno Temporary Lecturer - English
Christian Gildea Permanent Project Based Learning Officer
Leon Maria Hughes Temporary Programme Manager - Step Up
Catherine Quinn Permanent Invigilator
David Wright Permanent Technician Demonstrator
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Newry Human Resources and Development
Newry Executive Team
Armagh Health & Science
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