Nine Shortlist Places for SERC in Open College Network Awards

Nine (9) SERC students, staff and teams have been shortlisted for the Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN) Learning Endeavour Awards, which will take place at Titanic Belfast on Tuesday, 25 June 2024.

OCN is an educational charity and awarding body that advances education by developing qualifications for adults and young people throughout NI.

The shortlist for the annual awards, now in their fifth year, includes nominees from all over Northern Ireland and SERC have shortlist places in five of the eight categories. Downpatrick Campus students, Matthew Brennan (17, Annacloy) and Preston Galbraith-Kelly (17, Downpatrick), both from the Level 3 Mechatronic Engineering; and, Daniel McCann, (36, Downpatrick), who completed the Be Your Own Boss enterprise programme, have all been shortlisted in the Further Education Learner of the Year category.

James Curry, (26, Banbridge), a Level 3 Fire & Security Apprentice at SERC’s Professional Skills Centre in Dundrod, employed by Beacon Fire & Security, and Tom Brett, (18, Bangor), a Level 2 Traineeship NI in Engineering student at Bangor Campus, have been shortlisted for the Traineeship/Apprenticeship Learner of the Year.

Dylan Cressey, (19, Dunmurry), an Essential Skills Literacy and Numeracy student at Lisburn Campus, has been shortlisted for the Essential Skills Learner of the Year.

Deputy Head of School and Culinary Arts Lecturer, Paul Mercer, has been shortlisted for the Inspiring Tutor/Teacher Award; and both the Culinary Arts and Hospitality and the Energy and Renewable teams have been shortlisted in the Advancing Learning Through Innovation category.

Martin Flynn, Chief Executive of OCN, said, “These awards celebrate the dedication, hard work, and outstanding achievements of our learners and the invaluable support provided by our centres. The shortlisted learners and organisations reflect educational excellence in Northern Ireland and their commitment to lifelong learning. Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted – your passion and perseverance are truly inspiring, and we look forward to celebrating your accomplishments at the awards ceremony.”

Main pic above: Downpatrick Campus students, Matthew Brennan (17, Annacloy) and Preston Galbraith- Kelly (17, Downpatrick), both from the Level 3 Mechatronic Engineering have been shortlisted in the Open College Network NI Learning Endeavour Awards in the Further Education Learner of the Year category.

Inset pic: SERC Deputy Head of School and Culinary Arts Lecturer, Paul Mercer, has been shortlisted for an Inspiring Tutor/Teacher Award and the Culinary Arts and Hospitality team at the College have been shortlisted for an Advancing Learning through Innovation Award in the Open College Network Northern Ireland Learning Endeavour Awards which will take place at Titanic Belfast on Tuesday 25 June 2024. (L-R) Paul Mercer, with representative from SERC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality team, Elizabeth Major, Brian Magill, Clare Gillen and Paul Monaghan.