South Eastern Regional College (SERC) participated in the Future Workforce Summit 2026, hosted by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce at the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, on Thursday 15 October.
Further Education Northern Ireland (FENI) was one of the supporting sponsors of the major event which brought together business leaders, policymakers, educators and young people. The summit explored the theme of Next Generation Workforce, focusing on the skills, opportunities and partnerships needed to build a thriving economy and support future talent across Northern Ireland.
The event featured keynote contributions from Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald; Gordon Parkes, Chairman of the Green Skills Delivery Group and People & Culture Consultant, NIE Network; Marguerite Shannon, Senior Economist Ulster University Economic Policy Centre; and Frances Ruane, Chairperson of Ireland’s National Competitiveness and Productivity Council and Non-executive Board Member of the NI Civil Service.
Heather McKee, Deputy Principal for Planning, Performance and Engagement at SERC was part of a panel discussion entitled Creating the Conditions: What the System Needs to Get Right. The session brought together representatives from education, business and the third sector to discuss how collaboration can strengthen skills development and create greater opportunities for the workforce of the future.
Heather spoke about the work SERC is doing to encourage adult returners to take that first step back to education and our partnership with Clanrye Group which involves a community supermarket alongside access to gentle chats about education. Heather highlighted that returning to education might take someone many attempts, and that it was vitally important the right support and an open door was in place at every attempt. She emphasised the need for more collaborative work between the sectors to help young people navigate pathways to employment or further studies and to actively engage those that need support along the way.
The programme also featured a panel of young people sharing their experiences of entering the workforce through apprenticeships, further and higher education, and employer-led development programmes. Faith Finney, a Higher Level Apprentice Quantity Surveyor with Grahams, who is completing her course with Southern Regional College, contributed to a discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing young people as they embark on their career journeys.
Throughout the summit, speakers highlighted the importance of aligning education and training provision with employer needs, supporting growth sectors and ensuring that young people have access to meaningful pathways into rewarding careers.
