Students Shine at Project Based Learning Showcase

A student from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) has lifted first place for Innovation in the FE Project Based Learning (PBL) Showcase, which was hosted by North West Regional College in their Derry/Londonderry Campus recently.

Gina Black’s Create A Ripple project wowed the eight judges in the annual event, which sees students and apprentices from all six further education colleges pit their projects against each other for top spots in four categories – Sustainability, Innovation, Social Impact and Entrepreneurial.

Gina (28, from Bangor), completed the Level 2 Innovation and Enterprise in Practice qualification through Dream Big at SERC’s Lisburn Campus.  Her project, which includes an App, supports independent local business growth and presence and is primarily for consumers to browse local businesses in their area and beyond.

William Duncan (23, from Downpatrick) a Level 3 Manufacturing and Engineering student at Downpatrick Campus was runner-up in the Sustainability category with his project Park Plan.  This is essentially an affordable sensor device that connects drivers via an App to data on availability of car parking spaces.   

The two other teams representing SERC were from Bangor Campus.   They included Gabby Harrison, Jack Tolerton, Erin Horner and Eve Saunders from the Level 2 Hospitality and Catering with their Food Poverty Project in the Social Impact Category; and Kirsty Welsh, Toby Ellesmere, Paige King, Rachel Barr and Emily Millis from the Intermediate Foundation Learning course for Green Minds in the Entrepreneurial category.