Alan Ritchie

“My primary reason for doing the course at SERC is the legislative requirement - PAS 2035 – for businesses such as mine to have a Level 5 Retrofit qualification in order to bid for certain public sector tenders.   I have a personal interest in retrofit and the fact the course was fully funded at SERC, made great business sense to upskill."

“I thought I knew quite a bit about the subject, but I have picked up a lot more through the course including some small things, through chatting amongst my peers, which have proved invaluable.”

“The course is manageable but there is a bit of juggling for work and family.  It comprises ten units, completed over 12 months, with a day in the classroom each month and an optional tutorial. We have course work to do on every unit and a few practical exercises. Since all participants are mature student and all working in industry, there is a bit of flexibility on the course.  There is a good broad range of people from different sectors, including plumbers, electricians, architects and builders."

"I would encourage anyone in the industry to consider the course, for the opportunity to have a wider understanding of the subject. The tutors really know their material and there is a nice synergy of thought and discussion. The Holywood campus has been very handy, and it has been easy to get to, and the facilities are great.”

“I am a big fan of FE colleges.  My company, C60 Design, has involved students on placement from FE colleges and they have always worked well for us. The FE colleges are often our first stop when considering short courses to upskill or reskill our staff.”