NRC and Ryobi’s education and business partnership recognised in the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Awards for 2018.
NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY PRESS RELEASE – 17 October 2018
Northern Regional College triumphs at 2018 Chamber Awards
Alessandro Niola (Learning and Development Officer at Ryobi); Ruth Walker (Assistant Head of Department at NRC) and Ellvena Graham (President of NI Chamber)
Northern Regional College (NRC) has been crowned a winner in Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Chamber Business Awards for 2018.
The college was awarded the ‘Education and Business Partnership’ award for Northern Ireland for its innovative and distinctive approach to employer engagement and business partnerships.
The Chamber Awards is a highlight of the business calendar, showcasing the pivotal role local businesses play in the UK’s continuing growth story. NRC will now compete against other regional winners in the national finals in a bid to win the top UK business accolade in their category and also the chance to scoop the top title as overall National Chamber Awards winner 2018.
The national winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Chamber Awards Gala Dinner on 29 November 2018 at the Tobacco Dock in London.
Northern Regional College is the main provider of further education and training across a diverse geographical area with campuses in Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey. The College supports the local economy by providing a wide range of services to the business community, including consultancy, training and upskilling.
Business development training programmes, which can be tailored to meet the particular needs of individual businesses, are developed and delivered by the College’s Business Development team and industry-specific technical and academic staff.
Vincent Taggart, Vice-Principal Teaching & Learning at Northern Regional College, said:
“We are delighted that the College’s innovative and distinctive approach to business engagement has been recognised in this way, highlighting our successful track record in employer engagement and building business partnerships.”
He continued: “We are particularly proud of the relationship the College has developed with Ryobi. Over the past 10 years, some 500 Ryobi apprentices and staff have benefited from the bespoke training provided by the College.
The award also reflects the commitment of Ryobi – and the many other businesses we work with – to developing the skills of their technicians, engineers and managers. This undoubtedly contributes to their business success, as well as helping to support and grow the wider Northern Ireland economy.”
Ellvena Graham, President of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said:
“Northern Regional College has a number of long-standing relationships with the business community, which are impressive in terms of longevity, and in relation to the breadth of activities that it has encompassed during this time.
With student employability and business engagement at the heart of its approach, the college and its staff possess the flexibility and adaptability required in today’s economy where change is prevalent. I wish them well at the national finals in London.”
A full list of winners is as follows:
* Best Use of Technology – McAvoy Group
* Customer Commitment Award – Outsource Solutions
* Digital Communications Campaign of the Year – EUROSPAR NI
* Education & Business – Northern Regional College
* Employer of the Year – FinTrU Ltd
* Export Business of the Year – Fortress Diagnostics
* High Growth Business of the Year – FinTrU Ltd
* Small Business of the Year – Lava Group
* Workplace Wellbeing Award – Outsource Solutions
Highly Commended awards were also claimed by Anaconda Equipment (Best Use of Technology); BLK BOX (Employer of the Year and High Growth Business of the Year); Brookvent (Exporter of the Year); Glandore (Small Business of the Year) and The Henry Group (Workplace Wellbeing Award).
For further information please contact:
Christopher Morrow
Head of Communications & Policy
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Tel: 02890 244113 / 07808 789163
Email: christopher.morrow@northernirelandchamber.com