Skills are the key to empowering workforce, says Minister
SKILLING up the workforce must be at the centre of any drive to capitalise on opportunities during Derry’s City of Culture year in 2013, according to Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry. He was addressing delegates at the fifth Golden Bridges Conference in Boston where the theme centred around ‘Community, Culture and Commerce’ and...
Ambitious family kitchen firm creates 23 new jobs
A NORTH Antrim kitchen manufacturer is creating 23 news jobs with the aim of doubling its turnover in three years. Rasharkin-based company Woodland Kitchens is investing almost three-quarters of a million pounds in its 65,000sqft facility, with InvestNI coming in with £130,000. The company designs and manufactures a range of cabinets for the kitchen, bedroom...
£900k boost for Queen’s engineers
QUEEN’S University has been awarded £900,000 to help turn science into jobs. The money, awarded by the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, will boost the Northern Ireland engineering sector by helping the university create more successful companies, grow industrial collaboration and foster entrepreneurship. It is part of a £60m total investment spread across 31 UK universities...
How to be a… Speech and Language Therapist
There are many roads into speech and language therapy. Some choose to study an under-graduate course, straight after their A Levels, others study post-graduate and some return as mature students. South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust Speech and Language Therapist, Leigh McGowan initially attained a degree in psychology and began working in the...
Going for gold at home and scientific success abroad
QUEEN’S QUEEN’S University is this week exploring alternative funding options for local companies. The University’s successful venture spin-out company, QUBIS Ltd, and The Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s, have organised the ‘Why settle for Bronze, when the Gold is out there?’ event to allow business leaders to learn from funding specialists, and each other, about...
BT recruits engineering apprentices
Thirteen new engineering apprentices have been recruited by BT in Northern Ireland. The successful applicants join a skilled engineering workforce responsible for growing and maintaining the network infrastructure that delivers broadband, data and voice services for Northern Ireland homes, businesses and public services. The latest intake of apprentices, ranging in age from 18 to 30,...
Take your career in the right direction
James Callander’s job is to find top talent for senior positions. At just 31 he is already managing director of FreshMinds Talent, the recruitment business, so he knows first-hand what it takes to rise rapidly up the career ladder. His secret was to join a growing company in a growing market which enabled him to...
Write on… Nailing the cover letter
There are basically three types of letter relating to a search for employment: a cover letter, a letter requesting further details and/or an application form and a speculative letter. Anne Richardson from the Department for Employment and Learning’s Careers Service explains… If an advertisement asks that you apply in writing then you would send...
How to be a… Speech and Language Therapist
There are many roads into speech and language therapy. Some choose to study an under-graduate course, straight after their A Levels, others study post-graduate and some return as mature students. South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust Speech and Language Therapist, Leigh McGowan initially attained a degree in psychology and began working in the...
What’s it like to study… Politics
Tim Oliver studied BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Hull, and is now studying a PhD there Politics students are frequently accused of being a politician in training. Ignore those people who level such charges – doing politics at university opens up so many doors to a rich variety of careers, from...