EGSA received their award during a glittering ceremony in the Culloden Hotel on 14 October, hosted by Jenni Falconer, GMTV presenter and National Lottery host.  The award was presented by Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary, Department for Employment and Learning.  Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning, praised the commitment of the entrants to training and development and highlighted the importance of a well trained, skilled workforce to Northern Ireland's economy.

EGSA's award, in the Training Provider category, recognised their innovative 'Realising Your Potential' programme. The programme was delivered in partnership with the Widening Participation Unit, Beeches Management Centre and 5 Health and Social Care Trusts, who were responding to the UK wide Agenda for Change Initiative. 

'Realising Your Potential' aims to enable workers, who consider themselves to have a job rather than a career, to become aware of the developmental and learning opportunities available to them, focuses on the relevance of learning to their lives and ultimately encourages them to invest in their working futures.

Paul Donaghy, Head of the Widening Participation Unit, Beeches Management Centre, said;

“Realising Your Potential…is…a useful tool for widening participation in learning and enabling support staff to access existing and emerging opportunities.  It is providing me with the additional evidence I need to demonstrate that there is a real appetite for learning among this section of the work force: it just needs to be awakened”.

To find out more about the National Training Awards, click here...

To read more about 'Realising Your Potential', click here...

Picture 1:
L to R: Laurence Twinam, EGSA; Jenni Falconer, National Training Awards host; and Ann Osborne, EGSA.

Picture 2:
Back Row L to R: Paul Donaghy, Widening Participation Unit, Beeches Management Centre; Ann Osborne, EGSA; David Bingham, DHSSPS; Katrina Molloy, EGSA; and Nicola Thompson, EGSA Board Member.

Front Row L to R: Eleanor Gill, EGSA Board Member; Martin Howell, EGSA Board Member; Carol Dodds, Northern Health and Social Care Trust; and Heather Ellis, Southern Health and Social Care Trust.