Minister congragulates `final five`
Monday, 23 March 2009The Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey has honoured five Northern Ireland National Training Award winners who represented Northern Ireland at the UK final in London in December last year.
Sir Reg hosted a reception in Parliament Buildings to mark the success of these finalists and he highlighted the significance of winning a much coveted National Training Award. He said: “Winning a National Training Award is a tremendous achievement. It is the only award which provides government endorsement and validation of your training programmes as well as raising morale among employees and employers. It is recognition that you have shown an outstanding commitment to training and development and in reaching the UK finals, you have shown that you are among the very best.”
The Minister continued: “In the current economic climate I cannot emphasise enough the need for us to continue training our people and harness their skills. It is important that we encourage people to gain skills and qualifications in areas that are going to be of maximum importance as we prepare for an upturn in the economy.”
The event recognised the achievements of Patrick McCann, Moy Park, Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Belfast Metropolitan College and the partnership entry made up of Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Associates with Mallusk Enterprise Park and the college of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.
The Minister also thanked the judges who had devoted much time and effort in judging the entries for the 2008 competition. He said: “I offer my sincere thanks to our judging panel who have given up much of their own time to judge each and every entry. The process is a long one and they have been meticulous in ensuring that the very best in Northern Ireland training is recognised and rewarded.”
The 2009 National Training Awards competition closes on 25 April 2009 and it is not too late to enter. Further information and advice about the entry process can be obtained by visiting the National Training Awards website
Notes to Editors:
1. The National Training Awards Northern Ireland ceremony took place on 14 October 2008 in the Culloden Hotel with 22 Northern Ireland winners receiving recognition. Five of these winners also received National winner status and went on to the UK National ceremony in London.
2. The UK National ceremony took place in the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on 11 December 2008.
3. The National Training Awards were introduced in Northern Ireland for the first time in 1986 and provide a mechanism for rewarding and promoting employers, individuals, partnerships and training organisations who have achieved outstanding success in the application of training.
4. The competition is organised and promoted by UK Skills and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland. There are seven award categories as follows: Large Employer; Medium Employer; Small Employer; Training Provider; Partnerships; Regional, and Individuals.
5. The Regional winners for 2008 were:
Large Employers
Moy Park
Department for Employment and Learning
Dale Farm
BT Ireland
Capita Business Services Ltd
Medium Employers
Action Cancer
Small Employer
Oakwood Integrated Primary School
Training Providers
Belfast Metropolitan College
RNIBNI
Educational Guidance Service for Adults
Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust
Arts and Business
Partnerships
Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Associates, Mallusk Enterprise Park and College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)
Barnardos and Northern Ireland Prison Service
BT Ireland and U & I Training Concepts Ltd.
Individuals
Patrick McCann
Donna Hyland
6. Five Northern Ireland winners also received National Winner status and went on to the UK National ceremony. They were: Patrick McCann, Moy Park, Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Belfast Metropolitan College and Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Associates with Mallusk Enterprise Park and the college of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
7. All media enquiries to Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on telephone 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned
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