The event was organised by SERC’s Engineering, Training Organisation and Marketing teams, and featured local businesses including Donite Plastics, Curve Training & Consultancy, Electronic Automation Engineers, The Exact Group, Brett Martin, Dental Medical Ireland, Randox, Thales and Diageo Belfast Packaging. Employers had the opportunity to speak to visiting students from schools including Fort Hill Community College and Blessed Trinity College, along with SERC’s own students from Bangor, Downpatrick and Lisburn campuses who were keen to learn more about apprenticeships.
The event was also attended by Department for Education Head of Sectoral Partnerships Catherine Magee, and SERC Deputy Chief Executive Colin McGuckin, who got a chance to speak to students and employers. In total, nine representatives from the attending employers were SERC HLA students, offering prospective apprentices insights not only into working for their company, but also into the SERC learning experience.
SERC Principal Lecturer Aine McGreeghan comments, “This was the first engineering event of its type at SERC. We were really encouraged with the representation from local employers, and the event was well attended by prospective future apprentices. It enabled potential apprentices to connect with local industry representatives and gain an insight into the types of engineering roles that are out there presently. We are incredibly thankful for the support from local industry, as strong partnerships between the local FE colleges and industry are critical to ensure we are helping to develop the skills required for the local economy.”
