Meccano bridge makes students world beaters
ENGINEERING students from Queen’s University have set a new world record after building a 100ft footbridge in Belfast — made entirely from Meccano. Designed and built by a group of third year Civil Engineering students and local school children, the temporary Meccano bridge, which spans more than 100ft across Belfast’s Clarendon Dock, was unveiled on Saturday. The ambitious year-long project was the brainchild of academics and students from the...
Writers in pioneering Afghan project
BELFAST’S creative writers are helping to give Afghan women a voice by teaching poetry to aspiring women writers. They include former Poet Laureate Sinead Morrissey, who recently took part in a three-day workshop at to teach poetry to 20 aspiring Afghan women writers in Kabul via Skype. The pioneering project, entitled Afghan Women Spread the Word, is the brainchild of Julia Paul, a broadcast lecturer at Queen’s University...
OU Consultation
THE Department for Employment and Learning has published a public consultation document in relation to a proposed change in methodology for the Open University (OU) allocation. Historically, students studying at the OU have been counted as being at an English institution, as that is where its administrative centre is. However it is now planned to...
Chambers Unite
‘LET’S do business’ — that’s the message to local government in a new action plan released by the chambers of commerce network across Northern Ireland. The plan makes more than 20 recommendations that aim to reduce the cost of doing business and potentially lead to the creation of thousands jobs across the province in the construction, retail, tourism, manufacturing and service sectors. It is the first time that chambers...
Early Learning
EDUCATION Minister John O’Dowd is urging parents to get involved with their child’s education, as he launches the next phase of the Education Works advertising campaign. The campaign highlights the vital role parents and carers can play in helping their child do well at school and improve their life chances. It signposts parents to the nidirect website for ideas for games and activities to do with their child. ...
Business summit focuses on leadership
BUSINESS leaders from across Northern Ireland are joining forces with the Institute of Directors (NI) and Queen’s University to develop a strategy to change local leadership culture. Taking place today, the Strategic Leadership Summit, led by the IOD NI and the William J Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen’s, is the first of its kind to take place in Northern Ireland and is designed to help uncover new...
Trust in drive to recruit more nurses
THE Southern Health and Social Care Trust is hosting a recruitment day to enhance its nursing workforce. Taking place on Friday, October 2, in Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown, there will be interviews on the day, offers made, and pre-employment checks completed. The trust is hoping to attract applications from registered nurses along with year two and year three students. The trust’s Executive...
Tech firm’s new recruit celebrates ‘golden ticket’
BELFAST tech firm TotalMobile has taken on its latest recruit in the second year of its No Fees Degree scheme. The initiative employs trainee software developers while they complete a part-time degree, in a package worth up to £100,000 over five years. Chris Gormley from Belfast will take up a position at the Pilot Point-based company as a software developer intern this month at the same...
PR Firm’s Accolade
PUBLIC relations consultancy firm JPR has become the first in Northern Ireland to have four employees with a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Director Chris Harrison is the latest to be awarded the Fellowship, joining colleagues Jane Wells, Rosemary Allister and Joris Minne who also hold the honour. The accolade is awarded by the Fellowship Nominations Committee in London for outstanding contribution to the CIPR and...
Sizzling Sausages
A NORTHERN IRELAND firm are celebrating after scooping an award for their sausages. Asda’s Extra Special Chipolatas, produced by local firm Finnebrogue, won the ‘Best Sausage Product’ at this year’s annual Supermeat & Fish Awards. The prize-winning product shifts almost 50,000 packs per week in Asda stores and has seen an enormous increase of 60% in the past year.As a result in the expansion Finnebrogue has explained and taken...