SRC Student in VQ Day Awards

James Niblock, a Southern Regional College student from Mayobridge, has been recognised for outstanding achievement at an awards ceremony held in Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

James has changed direction in his education, moving to a Level 3 Diploma in Applied Science at SRC’s Armagh Campus, having previously studied an Apprenticeship in Installing and Commissioning Electrotechnical Systems. James now hopes to move onto a Level 4 HNC in Applied Biology. VQ Day is a UK-wide celebration of the achievement of the millions of people who gain a vocational qualification every year and recognises and celebrates the value of vocational qualifications.

In his keynote speech, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry, praised all of the VQ Learner of the Year finalists: “Skills form the backbone of any economy and all the finalists should be justifiably proud of their achievements and look forward to successful careers in their chosen field.”

Dr Farry also stressed the importance of vocational qualifications to the local economy: “Vocational qualifications have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that Northern Ireland has a better skilled, modern and dynamic workforce to drive our economy forward. The finalists are an embodiment of the flexibility of vocational learning in the workplace. They demonstrate the power of learning to change and improve lives, and the value of qualifications to employers, to ensure that their employees have the right skills for the job.”

He added, “All employers who hear about VQ Day should recognise the value of vocational education and training to support business success and growth. A well-qualified workforce will reap dividends in the future if you invest in training today. Today we celebrate the ways in which vocational education and training, in all its diversity, delivers benefits for learners, employers and Northern Ireland as a whole.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on Jun 25 2012. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry