Economy Minister Gordon Lyons recently launched a new Assured Skills Collaborative Welding Academy at Southern Regional College, with 12 training places.

Successful applicants to the Academy will receive industry standard welding training that will provide them with the skills to take up potential welding roles with companies in Armagh, Craigavon and the surrounding area.

This is the second in a series of three welding Assured Skills Academies with Southern Regional college, with a further one planned for the current financial year.

Northern Ireland is to get a world-class skills boost thanks to a revolutionary scheme aimed at attracting inward investment and generating economic growth.

The Centre of Excellence from WorldSkills UK, in association with NCFE, is the brainchild of Belfast-born Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE, a former Deputy Director General of the CBI.

(L-R) Principal and Chief Executive of Southern Regional College, Brian Doran; Deputy Secretary Skills and Education for the Department for the Economy, Heather Cousins; Principal and Chief Executive of Belfast Metropolitan College, Louise Warde Hunter and Chief Executive of World Skills UK, Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann.

SRC is delighted to welcome its first female plumbing lecturer, Colleen Rafferty, onto its team at the Greenbank Campus.

Misconceptions about gender specific roles are gradually diminishing with a growing number of women choosing a career in construction. Colleen Rafferty, a former student of SRC, is leading the way and inspiring young girls to follow in her path.

Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons, recently launched Skill Up, a new initiative to deliver free training places, in an investment of up to £23million.
Supported by the Northern Ireland Office, Skill Up will fully fund the local further education colleges and universities to deliver approximately 15,000 training places in over 250 subject areas for qualifications ranging from Level 2 up to Level 7.

Engineering student Daniel Forde, has been awarded the inaugural title of ‘Overall SRC Student of the Year’ at the recent SRC Student Recognition Awards. This award was generously sponsored by awarding body ‘OCN Northern Ireland’.

Daniel Forde, Overall SRC Student of the Year received his award from Michelle Currie, Head of Marketing, Communications & Student Recruitment, SRC.