Lisburn Students Add Value to Local Business
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 29 June 2011
Reference: E&L 03/11/12
The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning held its weekly meeting today at the Lisburn campus of the South-Eastern Regional College (SERC). Before the meeting the Committee had the opportunity to meet with the students and representatives of local businesses at a breakfast meeting hosted by the College.
The breakfast provided the young people with an opportunity to showcase the industry projects which are an integral part of their courses and which are designed to improve their employability skills. These range from working with local engineering companies to the provision of back-up services for the 2012 Olympics.
Committee Chairperson, Basil McCrea MLA said: “There is a great opportunity for students and businesses to benefit from industry based projects as part of further education. The transfer of knowledge between students and local business, and the reciprocal transfer from business back to the College, can add real value. This morning we heard how an engineering student at the college developed a solution to a production problem facing a local business.
“The opportunity to put theory into practice like this is great experience – it provides students with skills which will improve their employability. Businesses also benefit as the students can bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to projects.
“The Committee is very interested in initiatives such as the ones we have heard about here today. We were delighted to be able to combine this breakfast with holding a Committee meeting outside Parliament Buildings.”
ENDS
