Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

essential skills. know how to get ahead.

Wednesday 23 March 2011 marked the fourth year of the Essential Skills Awards with the event taking place in Hillsborough Castle.

Essential Skills awards

The awards are designed to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in literacy, numeracy and ICT learning.

In addition to the six regional award winners, Overall Learner of the year and Highly Commended awards there were also awards for ICT Learner of the year, Trade Union Learner of the Year and an Outstanding Contribution to Learning award.

Overall Essential Skills Winner 2011

Sarah Travers; Catherine Bell and Marieanne O;Shea

BBC's Sarah Travers and the Department for Employment and Learning's Deputy Secretary, Catherine Bell, join Marieanne O'Shea as they celebrate her success at Hillsborough Castle. Marianne overcame a number of obstacles, including family commitments and illness on her learning journey. Despite this, her enthusiasm and dedication for study resulted in her achieving an Essential Skills ICT level 2 qualification.

Winners of Essential Skills Awards 2011

Category Winners Name Leading Organisation
County Antrim Mark Roberts Springvale Learning
County Armagh Martin O'Neill Southern Regional College
County Down Marieanne O'Shea South East Regional College
County Fermanagh - (joint)

Leo Naan

Mary McElroy

Southern College

Southern College
County Londonderry Maureen Hill Northern Regional College
County Tyrone Wilma Graham First Steps Women's Group
Trade Union Learner of the Year Robert Thornton Unite
ICT Learner of the Year Gloria Feenan O'Neill South East Regional College
Essential Skills Champion

Nessa Skeffington (Tutor)

Jayne Walkingshaw

South West College

Education Training Inspectorate
Essential Skills Quality of Provision Award The Link Works, Newry The Link Works, Newry