Upskilling is a necessity in every business. For Alan Ritchie, an architect, upskilling at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) offered the key to bid for certain public sector tenders, along with the flexibility to juggle work and family life.

Alan (48), is owner and director of C60 Design, based in Belfast. The architect business employs 10 people. Alan is currently completing the OCN NI Level 5 Extended Certificate in Retrofitting Domestic Properties at SERC’s Zero Carbon Centre at Holywood Campus.

Alan said, “My primary reason for doing the course at SERC is the legislative requirement – PAS 2035 – for businesses such as mine to have a Level 5 Retrofit qualification in order to bid for certain public sector tenders. I have a personal interest in retrofit and the fact the course was fully funded at SERC, made great business sense to upskill.

“I thought I knew quite a bit about the subject, but I have picked up a lot more through the course including some small things, through chatting amongst my peers, which have proved invaluable.”

Alan continued, “The course is manageable but there is a bit of juggling for work and family. It comprises ten units, completed over 12 months, with a day in the classroom each month and an optional tutorial. We have course work to do on every unit and a few practical exercises. Since all participants are mature student and all working in industry, there is a bit of flexibility on the course. There is a good broad range of people from different sectors, including plumbers, electricians, architects and builders.”