MINISTER for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry has praised South Eastern Regional College (SERC) on winning a prestigious Beacon Award for ‘Effective Use of Technology in Further Education’.
To celebrate, ahead of the national awards ceremony, SERC held a local awards presentation to showcase the areas for which they were recognised.
Award sponsor Jisc presented SERC with a £5,000 cheque which will be used to further enhance technology and aid student learning.
The National Presentation Awards Ceremony will take place on February 10 in Westminster, with Nick Boles MP, Minister of State for Skills, presenting the awards.
The college received the Beacon Award in November for a project which helps students gain Essential Skills.
The award for Effective Use of Technology in FE was given for the BLADES programme, which helps students to gain literacy and numeracy and ICT skills, as well as enhancing their digital literacy skills. It received the award from the Association of Colleges, the membership organisation for further education colleges.
The awards celebrate colleges which demonstrate excellent teaching and innovative thinking in the further education sector in creating positive opportunities for both staff and students.
Congratulating the college, Mr Farry said: “I commend SERC on the prestigious achievement of this Beacon Award for ‘Effective Use of Technology in FE’ through the BLADES programme.
“This innovative initiative helps learners to re-engage in Essential Skills programmes through harnessing the advantages of technology and a blended teaching approach, including game-based learning.
“The BLADES programme closely aligns to my Department’s Essential Skills strategy to help people develop vital literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, which are important not only for economic growth but also benefit personal progression and help to enhance workplace performance.”
Dame Pat Bacon, Chair of the Beacon Awards, said: “SERC is an outstanding representative of the excellent work happening in colleges across the country.
The staff ought to be very proud of achieving this award and the students and community should be equally proud that their local college continues to deliver to the highest standards of anywhere in the UK.”