Press Release

Date: Friday 7 March 2008 (NR/08/08)

Skills Development is the Focus of Awards Presented by CCEA

Northern Ireland awarding body CCEA, (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) have celebrated local learners who completed some of its skills based, work related and lifelong learning qualifications.

The special award ceremony ‘Celebrating Achievement’ held at CCEA’s headquarters in Belfast recognised not only the outstanding achievement of the learners but also the commitment of individual teachers and centres to skills development in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the event, CCEA Acting Chief Executive Neil Anderson commented:

It’s important that we recognise the value of skills based qualifications such as Essential Skills and Occupational Studies. These qualifications are designed to equip young people and adults for life and work and to meet not only the needs of the learner, but of society and the economy as a whole.

Over the last number of years at CCEA we have vastly increased our portfolio of vocational qualifications most recently adding BTEC Firsts and Nationals. We are committed to working with schools and colleges to ensure their effective delivery.

I am delighted to present these awards to those teachers and centres that share our commitment and I congratulate the learners here today who have excelled in achieving these qualifications.

Award categories are; Key Skills Learner of the Year; Key Skills Exceptional Achievement Award for Teachers and Lecturers; Essential Skills Centre of Excellence; Essential Skills Learner of the Year; Essential Skills Exceptional Achievement Award for Teachers and Lecturers; Occupational Studies Learner of the Year (various categories); Occupational Studies Centre of Excellence; Key Stage 3 IT Pupil of the Year; Work Related and Lifelong Learning Award (various categories).

Additional Information

Celebrating Achievement Winners 2007

Key Skills Learners of the Year 2007
Grace Harte, Loreto Grammar School, Omagh
Mary Carmel Kearney, Loreto Grammar School, Omagh
Edel Ross, Loreto Grammar School, Omagh

Key Skills Exceptional Achievement Award for Teachers and Lecturers
Noel Dornan, Ballymena Academy
Glenn Grant, Ballymena Academy
Linda Hunter, Ballymena Academy

Essential Skills Centre of Excellence
Workers’ Educational Association

Essential Skills Learner of the Year
Johnston Beggs, Workers’ Educational Association
Roberta Miller, Workers’ Educational Association
Robin Robinson, Workers’ Educational Association

Essential Skills Exceptional Achievement Award for Teachers and Lecturers
Sue Cathcart, Workers’ Educational Association

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Construction
Craig Douglas, Fort Hill College

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hospitality and Catering
Charlene Gearon Fort Hill College

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Media
Adam Lohoff, Fort Hill College

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Vehicle Studies
Jamie Hamilton, Northern Regional College, Antrim

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hairdressing and Beauty
Kate Lumaban, Northern Regional College, Antrim

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Construction
Conor McCann, Northern Regional College, Antrim

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Construction
Matthew McDowell, Northern Regional College, Farmlodge

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Vehicle Studies
James McIlwaine, Northern Regional College, Farmlodge

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hairdressing and Beauty
Annie McAuley, Northern Regional College, Magherafelt

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Construction
Jonathan McPeake, Northern Regional College, Magherafelt

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Care
Sarah Martin, Northern Regional College, Magherafelt

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hairdressing and Beauty
Stacey Bamber, Northern Regional College, Trostan

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Engineering
Caolan Lindsey, Northern Regional College, Trostan

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hospitality and Catering
Tara McKillop, Northern Regional College, Trostan

Occupational Studies Learner of the Year in Hospitality and Catering
Clara Patterson, Southern Regional College

Occupational Studies Centre of Excellence in Digital Technology
Southern Regional College

Occupational Studies Centre of Excellence in Construction
Northern Regional College

Key Stage 3 IT Pupils of the Year Award
Barry Gribben, St Patrick’s High School, Keady
Mairead Savage, St Patrick’s High School, Keady

Work Related and Lifelong Learning in Drug Awareness
Malachy McBurney, Workers’ Educational Association

Work Related and Lifelong Learning in Performance Skills
Anne McGinty, Workers’ Educational Association

Work Related and Lifelong Learning in Working in the Community
Jacqueline McGowan, Workers’ Educational Association

Work Related and Lifelong Learning in Creative Crafts
Billy Nesbitt, Workers’ Educational Association

Work Related and Lifelong Learning in Employment Skills
Martina Owens, Workers’ Educational Association

 

Media enquiries to Frances Logue on (028) 9026 1298, Mobile 07747 560516. E mail flogue@ccea.org.uk


ENDS

 

Note to Editors

CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.

CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"

What we do

CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.

Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.

Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.

Awarding Qualifications

– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.

- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.