The official launch of an unique cross-border initiative between secondary schools in Louth and the North has been announced. The Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project, led by Louth & Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre (BURC) and funded by the International Fund for Ireland, will see five secondary schools from Louth partnering with five high schools from Belfast and one from Armagh over the coming school year. At the recent launch in the Portview Trade Centre in Belfast, the attendees were welcomed by Aisling Cartmill, training and development officer with BURC, and the participating schools were announced by Fiona Kindlon, director of schools for LMETB.
The LMETB schools are Bush Post Primary School, Riverstown, Dundalk; Coláiste Chú Chulainn, Dundalk; O’Fiaich College, Dundalk, Scoil Uí Mhuirí, Dunleer and St. Oliver’s Community College, Drogheda.
The Northern Ireland schools are the Belfast Boys Model School, Belfast Royal Academy, Bloomfield Collegiate, Belfast, Dundonald High School, Belfast, Mercy College Belfast and St. Patrick’s Grammar School, Armagh.
Also at the launch were Sammy Douglas, DUP Councillor and High Sheriff of Belfast, Sadie Ward McDermott, head of FET at LMETB along with other senior representatives from LMETB, BURC, the International Fund for Ireland and the participating schools.
Martin O’Brien, chief executive of LMETB and Brendan Mackin, director of the Portview Trade Centre gave an online welcome to the attendees, demonstrating their support for the project, thanking the schools for taking part and wishing them every success in the year ahead.
Martin O’Brien said, “The Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project will enable, support, and encourage students participating to see career pathways from school into the areas of advanced manufacturing and digital technologies. Furthermore, it will create opportunities for students to learn about each other’s traditions, values, and perspectives through joint projects, workshops, and cultural exchanges. It will empower students with the skills, knowledge, and cultural awareness needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.”
LMETB and BURC have a long history of working in partnership to support communities to access opportunities in education and training. The Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Programme delivers further opportunities for young people to work in partnership across borders and communities to share experiences, break down barriers and provide an innovative opportunity for training in advanced technologies. It is supported by LMETB’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) in Dundalk and Queen’s University Belfast Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC).
Fiona Kindlon, director of schools at LMETB said “The building of relationships between employers and schools as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project will further increase awareness of the employment potential locally in the region for all students. It will provide opportunities for students to liaise with local employers and businesses in their area.”
The Project will include a training programme for teachers in areas such as 3D printing, additive manufacturing, design thinking, introduction to robotics; cross community school visits, ideas generation, project development and group work and an end of year exhibition with interactive workshops, guest speakers and networking opportunities for students to connect with professionals in the area of advanced manufacturing.
LMETB has already delivered a similar project within several of its schools, followed by a successful cross-border pilot during the previous school year.
