Fact Finding Visit
Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry has undertaken a fact-finding trip to Germany as part of his review of apprenticeships and youth training. He said the visit would allow him to explore initiatives and programmes used in Germany which could be applied to Northern Ireland to ensure that apprenticeships and youth training programmes here...
Six Form Centre
Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has given the go-ahead for a sixth form centre at Beechlawn School, Hillsborough. He said: “In making my decision I was mindful of the needs of the vulnerable young people at the school for whom further education or alternative training provision are not the most suitable option after year 12. “The...
Partnership helps keep firm at the top of recycling pile
Multi-million pound SME Wright Recycling, Newtownards, has teamed up with its local college to boost its skill base. As one of the leading waste management companies in Northern Ireland, recycling over 30,000 tonnes of waste annually, it wanted to establish a more sustainable approach to business. Thanks to funding from the Department for Employment and...
College scoops prestigious cooking song
A team from South West College has beaten stiff competition to clinch one of the UK’s most prestigious student catering awards, the Nestlé Toque d’Or. Dungannon girls Colleen McCann and Lauren Beavers wowed judges, including celebrity chef James Tanner and Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison, during a gruelling four day grand final. The competition saw them...
700 families set to benefit from upskilling initiative
An up-skilling programme is to be rolled out to over 700 families in the autumn following the success of its pilot this year. Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry made the announcement as he paid tribute to achievements of families involved in the Community Family Support Programme (CFSP) pilot. The CFSP pilot is a...
Young people to give record label job a spin
A unique course is offering unemployed young people the key skills needed to gain employment in the music industry. Open to all 16-24 year olds not in employment or education, the AccessThruMusic course is offered through the Prepared to Work Project run by Armstrong Learning NI. The ten day course offers participants the opportunity to...
Ryan shows great spirit to win top award
A UNIVERSITY of Ulster student has been named the winner of the inaugural Entrepreneurial Spirit award. The winner, Ryan Nixon, from Ballynahinch, set up a Facebook campaign; Bullying by Social Networking Awareness (BSNA), to help victims of cyber bullying. The award, developed by the University of Ulster Business School in partnership with the Northern Ireland...
Mentors ‘Vital’
COUNSELLING in school can have a significant positive impact on young people’s mental wellbeing. That was the message from Education Minister, John O’Dowd, as he launched a report by Children’s Law Centre advisory group youth@clc into young people’s views on counselling in schools. Speaking during a launch event in Parliament Buildings, the Minister said: “Professional...
Raising Skills
JO Smythe from Department of Learning and Employment has been appointed Skills and Employment Liaison Officer for the North West. The Liaison Officer will work under the auspices of the One Plan Skills Directorate and will play a crucial role in co-ordinating local and regional activity to ensure maximum benefit from the investment made in...
How To Decide… On Postgraduate Study
Consider Your Options Before Going Further WHAT IT INVOLVESMuch like undergraduate courses, postgraduate courses can be undertaken full-time or parttime, and range in price depending on your chosen institution and discipline. There are two types of course available: taught and research degrees. Taught programmes traditionally consist of lectures, coursework and, depending on your chosen subject,...