Apprenticeship accolade for BMC student Claire

Claire Watson, 20, completed her Training for Success Routeways programme in June and was recognised for her achievements and progress with the Training Award (Level 1).

As part of her three year training programme, Claire was placed at the Carrickfergus branch of Sainsbury’s and hopes to gain full time employment following the completion of her Supported Learning course.

The unique awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of Belfast Met’s learners, staff and partner organisations involved in the delivery of training programmes at the College.

Twenty successful students, aged between 17 and 27, received awards recognising their achievements through their current or recently completed ApprenticeshipsNI, Programme Led Apprenticeship or Training for Success programmes. Five students received Runner Up or Highly Commended awards, with an additional 22 students recognised as finalists.

The student award categories included the Apprentice Award, Training Award, Work Placement, Essential Skills and Endeavour Award with winners spanning a range of vocational areas such as hospitality, construction, engineering, hairdressing, IT, financial services and motor vehicle.

The winning students demonstrated high levels of achievement, outstanding commitment, dedication to learning and perseverance through challenging circumstances.

Marie-Therese McGivern, Principal and Chief Executive at BMC, congratulated the award winners. “It is with great pride that I congratulate each and every one of our student finalists, and particularly those winners, who have worked so hard to reach their goals and take the next step in attaining a relevant job within their chosen industry,” she said. “We wish our Apprenticeship and Training students every success in their futures, and hope their learning journeys with us continue for years to come.

“We would also like to thank and congratulate the highly committed organisations who, through joint training programmes with the College, are playing an important role in providing the talent to fill future jobs.

“The training programmes BMC offers are a fantastic way of equipping our learners with relevant skills and qualifications that are essential for their career prospects.”

The annual awards ceremony also recognised nine partner organisations who have shown a sustained commitment to providing trainee and employment opportunities for Belfast Met learners.

Belfast Met currently has 900 individuals engaged in work-based learning across sectors as diverse as construction and engineering to hospitality and service industries.