NORTHERN Regional College Higher Education students have been celebrating their hard work and new-found skills at the college’s recent graduation ceremonies.
The graduating students completed courses in areas including education, sport, health and social care, counselling, business and management, engineering, and computing across NRC’s six campuses at Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey.
Higher education qualifications achieved included access diplomas, Level 4 and 5 certificates and diplomas, University of Ulster entry level certificates, foundation degrees and post graduate certificates in further and higher education.
Congratulating students on their success Trevor Neilands NRC principal and chief executive highlighted the valuable role of higher education qualifications in equipping students with the skills required by employers across the private and public sectors.
Stressing the need to widen participation at this level he said: “With the increased costs of accessing education, higher education programmes offer an economic pathway to achieving third level qualifications. At NRC we offer small class sizes and close industry links, relevant skills development and a flexible delivery programme to suit those combining work with education.”
Karen Logue from Randalstown graduated with a CMI Level 7 diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from Acumen, NRC’s Excellence in Leadership and Management Programme at the Newtownabbey campus.
A full-time GP practice manager and mother of three, Karen went back to study after a 20- year break. Karen began her career in hotel management in which she has a Masters degree.
As practice manager at the Oriel Surgery in Antrim she was keen to develop her strategic management skills.
“This was something I wanted to do for me and I was keen to gain a qualification which would help my career and also prove to myself I could still do it,” she said.
“I enjoyed the way the course was delivered by our tutors Roy Humphries and Vivien Greenlees, particularly the roleplay and scenarios we worked through. I now have a very relevant qualification and a good network of other practice managers from the course. I’ve already recommended it to many of my colleagues.”