Transport Foundation Degree sets Armagh man John on road to success
Featured image caption: John McCourt from Armagh, with his family celebrating his achievements on the Foundation Degree in Transport and Supply Chain Management at South West College’s recent Higher Education Graduation Ceremony
An Armagh man was recently honoured for his exceptional accomplishments in the field of Transport and Supply Chain Management at South West College’s Higher Education Graduation ceremony.
John McCourt was delighted to be presented with the ‘Best Overall Student Award’ in Transport, which was sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) committee of NI.
As one of the first graduates to complete this newly-introduced qualification, John expressed his delight in receiving this highly esteemed-award, emphasising the significant positive impact the course has had on his professional development.
Enrolled as a Higher Level Apprentice at the South West College Dungannon campus, he found himself in a unique position to enhance his career while maintaining full-time employment at McKee Transport Ltd.
This meant he could gain his foundation degree on a part-time basis, without acquiring any debt.
Speaking on his journey, John said: “Completing my Higher Level Apprenticeship in Transport & Supply Chain Management at South West College provided me with the opportunity to both earn and learn. I went to college one day each week and I was in my workplace, McKee Transport Ltd., the remaining four days of the week.
“This enabled me to put my theory I learned in class straight into practice. In addition to this, I could obtain a higher education qualification at no cost and debt free.”
He added: “The modules I studied provided me with in-depth knowledge and an insight into logistics processes and procedures which I was able to implement into my workplace. In my course I was educated in emerging technologies in the transport and logistics sector which will prove useful in the future for the industry.
“The college Lecturers and my employer were extremely supportive and encouraging in balancing academic study with full-time employment. I believe the achievement of this qualification will enable me to progress in my career in the Transport and Logistics industry.”
Based on his positive experience, John urges other individuals and those contemplating their next steps to explore the wide range of university-level study opportunities available at their local Further Education College.