ALMOST 9,000 students will benefit from a higher education exhibition held next week.
Taking place in the King’s Hall Pavilions, Belfast on March 4 and 5, the UCAS Convention is the largest higher education event in Northern Ireland. Over 8,700 sixth form and further education students are expected to visit with almost 150 exhibitors taking part. Minister for Employment and Learning Stephen Farry said: “This event provides students with an excellent opportunity to find out more about higher education. Although it is mainly geared towards students in year 13 and those in further education, anyone with an interest in studying within higher education will find the event useful.”
The Department of Employment and Learning’s Career Ser-vice will be present on both days as will universities and colleges from across the UK and Ireland.
The minister continued: “My department’s careers service will be providing guidance on topics such as key growth areas for careers. Information will also be available on foundation degrees.
“I am committed to ensuring that the people who are most able, but least likely, to participate in higher education are given every encouragement, opportunity and
support to achieve the necessary qualifications to apply to, benefit from and succeed in higher education, regardless of their background?’
Meanwhile, 50 new highly skilled jobs are to be created when the London-based Intelligent Environments Europe Ltd sets up a software engineering operation in Belfast.
Announcing the jobs, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: “Once again Northern Ireland has been chosen as the optimum location by an internationally successful IT company looking to expand.
“This is due to our cost-com-petitive, business-friendly en-vironment, our pool of skilled IT graduates and professionals, and the support offered by Invest Northern Ireland:’