Owen Crozier - Programme Manager
Owen joined School Employer Connections in December 2002. He attended the College of Technology in Belfast for four years obtaining a professional qualification with the Textile Institute. He has worked for three textile companies in a variety of management roles varying from Quality Control to Production, Warehousing to Cost Accounting as a Work Study Officer. He is also qualified as a NVQ Assessor.
Owen's job involves recruiting organisations to provide work experience placements. He then plans and organises these placements, liaising between the employer, the student and the teacher. Owen helps to prepare employers to host students by planning the content and structure of the placement. He takes students through an induction programme to better inform them about their placement. Owen oversees the evaluation of the programme so its success can be monitored and, overall, his work allows students to experience and learn about the world of work, which will hopefully have a positive impact on students' career aspirations.
Owen says "School Employer Connections enabled me to achieve a long held ambition to put something back into the community. By assisting and developing work experience opportunities for students who may not otherwise be aware or avail of them, I can be part of a process that influences students to focus on a suitable career."
Owen can be contacted at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Vivienne Kerr - Programme Manager
Vivienne Kerr joined School Employer Connections in September 2006. Prior to her appointment she completed the LCCI Private and Executive Secretary's Diploma before going on to achieve her LLB Law and Business at the University of Ulster. Vivienne’s previous places of employment include Altnagelvin Hospital, Foyle Health Trust, Musgrave Park Hospital and Ulster Museum.
Having moved from the post of Class Programme Manager to Development Officer in 2008, Vivienne says "I enjoy seeking new opportunities for School Employer Connections. My role involves developing programme ideas, securing funding, developing relationships with partners and promoting the organsiation. Working as part of a small team in the School Employer Connections office means that we all work very closely together. The enthusiasm we each have for our work is greatly enhanced by the ability to bounce ideas off each other. The support we get from local businesses has ensured that our programmes have developed strong foundations which will enable us to go from strength to strength.”
Vivienne can be contacted at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Martina Balfour - Programme Administrator
Martina previously worked with Stream International for 9 years. During that time, Martina worked her way up from Technical Support Representative, resolving technical issues whilst providing excellent customer service, to Quality Lead, identifying training needs whilst still providing the same exceptional customer service. Martina completed her employment with Stream as Team Leader, managing a team and ensuring targets were met. Martina developed skills to motivate agents to individually achieve their potential
Martina says “it’s exciting working for an organisation that is so passionate about helping young people think about their future realistically, providing them with contacts within the workforce and making sure that it is a valuable experience.”
Martina can be contacted at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
