Further Education NI launches FE for Me

The six regional Further Education Colleges have launched a new campaign, ‘FE for Me’ that celebrates further education in Northern Ireland.

The campaign aims to promote the contribution that the NI colleges make to the economy in Northern Ireland as well as its role in promoting social inclusion.  

It comes as the Department for the Economy has launched its 10X Skills Strategy to invest in the skills and talent of the Northern Ireland workforce. A core component of that strategy is the role that is played by the six regional Colleges.  

The campaign commenced with a launch event yesterday, Wednesday 2 June 2021, involving a panel discussion with leading figures in further education and industry, chaired by Belfast Met lecturer and former broadcaster Lynda Bryans.  

Speakers included Louise Warde Hunter, Principal and CEO of Belfast Met, Brian Doran, Principal and CEO of Southern Regional College, Mary Meehan, Deputy CEO of Manufacturing NI, John Harkin, CEO of Alchemy Technologies and Shauna Daly, a current student at South West College.   

Ken Webb, Chair of the Further Education Colleges Principals’ Group, and Principal and Chief Executive of SERC said, “The launch of our ‘FE for Me’ campaign is another important step in our journey to showcase the unique offer of Further Education in Northern Ireland. We are particularly encouraged to see the launch of the 10X Skills Strategy, and this renewed focus on upskilling our workforce and investing in our talent pool. This will be crucial to rebuilding and growing our economy in a post-pandemic world.

“Our ability to create courses in collaboration with industry, means that our learners leave college with the professional and technical qualifications they need to go straight into well-paid jobs and promising careers. Our accessibility means we are open to all kinds of learners from school leavers to those looking to re-skill or re-train."     

“As we look to rebuild our economy, our programmes will be vital for employers who require a skilled workforce with the technical skills and expertise to meet the challenges of the future."     

“In addition, our six colleges are diverse communities that reflect modern society. We have a dual purpose to support both social inclusion and economic growth. This allows us to support the most disadvantaged communities by ensuring equal access to learning opportunities that lead to individual self-confidence and promising career pathways.”