12 September 2000
LIFELONG LEARNING IS KEY TO ECONOMIC SUCCESS - FARREN
Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Dr Sean Farren today attended the Aisling Bursary Awards Ceremony at Culturlann in West Belfast where he presented the first three of nineteen awards.
Under the Bursary scheme, set up by the Andersonstown News and the West Belfast Partnership Board to spotlight education as a key element in the development of the West Belfast, 14 different businesses contributed at least £1000 to assist local students enter or continue in further and higher education.
Speaking at the event Dr Farren said: "Today is an example of what can be achieved through partnership arrangements and highlights the important contribution that businesses can make in their local areas. I congratulate these businesses with the vision and foresight to invest in this important direction.
"We must do all that we can to bring about a culture of Lifelong Learning, vital to the economic development of Northern Ireland and the personal development of everyone.
"The skills and employability of our workforce are key components in ensuring that we can compete with, and indeed beat, our leading international competitors. The qualifications to which the students receiving awards today aspire are a small but crucial step in that direction.
"I congratulate you all and wish you every success, not only in your course of study but also with your future careers."
Entering her 2nd year in a BA in Fashion and Textile Design at the University of Ulster, Caragh Ni Cholmain on receiving her bursary from the Minister said: "This award will be extremely useful to me in purchasing materials essential for my course. I look forward to developing my own business in West Belfast and utilise language and culture to promote its regeneration."
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