Companies Upskill
LOCAL companies have taken steps to boost their competitiveness by upskilling in sustainability know-how.
Representatives from 17 businesses from Belfast, Carrickfergus, Lisburn and Newtownabbey council areas completed the BITES (Business Improvements Through Environmental Solutions) programme which is part financed by the councils, Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.
SERC Celebrates links
THE theme of this year’s graduation ceremony at South Eastern Regional College celebrated the SERC’s links with industry.
“Employers have informed us that a qualification is not enough anymore and students need to have much more in terms of skills and experience. In response we have developed educational partnerships with local companies including Coca Cola, Takker, Montupet, AB Pneumatics, Diageo and Royal Mail to help students gain vital employability skills,” said Ken Webb, SERC principal and chief executive.
Teacher Review Chair
Dr Pasi Sahlberg has been appointed as Chair of the panel of international education experts to take forward the review of teacher training infrastructure.
The establishment of the panel is the second stage of the review into the teacher training infrastructure. The first part of the study comprised of a report released in May which involved an objective analysis of the financial stability, the various funding streams and sustainability of the two university colleges.
The Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry said: “I made a statement to the Assembly earlier this year outlining my concerns that the system for the education of teachers in Northern Ireland was not sustainable. The second stage will examine the options for a more shared and integrated delivery and funding system which will be financially efficient, sustainable and affordable.”
Dr Sahlberg, who is currently Director General of National Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation in the Ministry of Education and Culture in the Finnish government, will chair the independent panel of experts. Details of the independent panel members will be announced shortly with the Panel presenting its findings in 2014.