The first year of the South-East Cross Border Alliance (SECBA) project at Southern Regional College (SRC) have marked an exciting start, with individuals from businesses and organisations across the region taking advantage of fully funded opportunities to upskill, reskill and develop industry-relevant skills.
Supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), SECBA is helping to address skills needs by providing flexible, accessible training that empowers individuals to enhance their knowledge, build confidence and support their ongoing professional development.
Throughout the past year, the SECBA team has collaborated with employers and learners to promote opportunities and provide support from initial enquiry through to course completion. Participants from a range of organisations including Errigal Group, Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA), and Lisburn City & Castlereagh Council have engaged in a range of courses, demonstrating a shared commitment to lifelong learning and workforce development.
Learners have accessed a growing portfolio of fully funded courses, including Applied Maths for Laboratory Science, Artificial Intelligence, Power BI, Data Analytics, Technology and Sporting Performance. Designed with flexibility in mind, these courses enable participants to develop skills while balancing existing work and personal commitments.
The feedback received from learners has been extremely encouraging, highlighting the value of gaining new knowledge with the flexible teaching format, increasing their confidence, and learning skills that support both their current roles and future career development. Seeing individuals embrace new opportunities and achieve their learning goals highlights the value of the SECBA project.
Building Connections Across the Region
Collaboration has been at the heart of the SECBA project throughout its first year. The team has actively represented Southern Regional College at employer engagement events, Google AI Works for Ireland, and networking opportunities, helping to promote the project while building strong relationships with businesses and partner organisations.
Looking Ahead
The momentum continues with over 300 applications already received for the coming year as SECBA expands its programme of fully funded courses across a wide range of high-growth sectors. SRC have expanded their ICT courses on offer to include ICDL Excel, AI for Industry, Creating Basic Database systems to manage information, Cyber Security, Database Design and Development for Cloud throughout the 2026/2027 academic year.
Whether you are looking to develop digital skills, gain a recognised qualification or support the growth of your organisation, SECBA offers flexible learning opportunities designed to meet the needs of today's workforce.
Contact secba@src.ac.uk for further information.
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