Wet Trades Employer Engagement Evening at SERC’s Lisburn Campus

South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is hosting a wet trades employer engagement evening at 6.30pm to 8.00pm on Thursday 15 January 2026 at the college’s Lisburn Campus following the success of two wet trades engagement events hosted at the college’s Newtownards and Downpatrick Campuses.

The event aims to raise awareness of the provision of wet trades training – bricklaying, plastering, tiling and construction maintenance - available at SERC, and to forge stronger connections between the college and industry.

Left to right: Victoria Boyd, Head of Training Programmes and Apprenticeships at SERC with local bricklaying employers, Jem Chamus, (Newtownards), and Barry Ritchie (Portaferry), with Francis Rice, Principal Lecturer, SERC.

placeholder image — Left to right: Victoria Boyd, Head of Training Programmes and Apprenticeships at SERC with local bricklaying employers, Jem Chamus, (Newtownards), and Barry Ritchie (Portaferry), with Francis Rice, Principal Lecturer, SERC.

Participants, from a range of construction trades and specialisms, will be able to network whilst exploring opportunities to collaborate in supporting trainees through work placements and apprenticeships, share industry trends, showcase projects, and highlight the skills most in demand across the industry.

Victoria Boyd, Head of Training Programmes and Apprenticeships, will outline the programmes on offer and the funding incentives available to employers.

She said: “We were delighted with the interest from local employers in our first sessions and hope the Lisburn event will attract local employers and allow us to showcase the opportunities available and to demonstrate the quality of our courses and the enthusiasm of our students.

“Employer engagement is vital for building strong partnerships and, by working together, we can ensure our trainees continue to gain the knowledge, practical experience and qualifications they need so they are work-ready, and employers have access to the skilled talent required to meet industry demands.”

John Ambrose, Deputy Head of School of Built Environment at SERC, added: “We are keen to enhance the perception of wet trades as, together, they make up the cornerstone of the construction sector, and with the right training and qualifications, offer many employment opportunities.”

SERC’s wet trades employer engagement evening is at 6.30pm to 8.00pm on Thursday 15 January 2026 at the college’s Lisburn Campus. For further information on contact Terry Holland, Curriculum Manager, [email protected] or call 07712622242.

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