Awards Day for Loughry Campus food students

Date published: 23 June 2026

Awards were presented to Further Education students, including Level 3 Extended Diploma full-time students, alongside Level 2 and Level 3 Food and Drink Apprentices from leading employers such as Cranswick Country Foods, Kerry Omagh and Lakeland Dairies. 

The campus also recognised 35 industry professionals who achieved accredited CPD qualifications in areas including packaging technology, food innovation and meat technology. 

Staff were delighted to welcome back to the college, as Guest Speaker, Alex McAllister from the Kerry Group. Alex first studied at Loughry Campus for a Level 3 qualification in Food Nutrition and Health before progressing on to the degree programme from which she graduated in 2016 with a First-Class Honours Degree in Food Technology.

Addressing the audience, Paul McHenry, CAFRE Director, emphasised the exciting opportunities available within the food sector shaped by rapid change in areas such as sustainability, technology and food security. With over 96% of CAFRE graduates progressing to employment or further study, students were encouraged to continue developing their skills, embrace lifelong learning and aim high in their careers. The Director also outlined CAFRE’s ongoing investment in curriculum development, facilities and industry partnerships to ensure programmes remain relevant and forward-looking. Concluding his address, Mr McHenry urged the students to: “Remain adaptable, work hard, embrace opportunities… and always strive to be the very best that you can be.”

In his speech, Fintan McCann, Head of Food Education at Loughry Campus highlighted academic excellence. Ellen Nelson achieved an outstanding triple Distinction-star grade in her Level 3 Extended Diploma course. Leading achievement in the Work-based programmes were Apprentices Pei Hsuan Reynolds and Nathan Molloy. Students also demonstrated innovation, with a team of four full-time Extended Diploma students winning the Avondale Foods sponsored product development challenge for their development of a new sustainable product, ‘Blueberry Chia Seed Pudding’.

Strong partnerships with industry continue to underpin student success at Loughry Campus. The annual careers fair welcomed 28 companies engaging with students sharing placement and employment opportunities. This year the Industry Support Programme awarded £35,500 to Higher Education students studying on Foundation and Honours Degree courses at Loughry Campus. The college’s state-of-the-art facilities and industry collaboration ensure learners are well prepared for careers in in the food industry.

Mrs McAllister presented the awards and prizes to the students and then spoke to the students and their supporters about her life at Loughry Campus and career to date. Alex delivered an inspirational speech noting, “… the food industry offers not just a place, a future, this industry is vital to our economy, our communities and the continued growth of the Northern Ireland food sector.” Alex reflected on her own career noting that those sitting beside you, from the class of 2026, will become “colleagues, customers, suppliers and collaborators throughout your career… I remember being told as a student that your ‘network is your net worth’ and that has proven true time and time again. What stood out then and still stands out now is how strong the connections are between CAFRE and the food industry. Those relationships opened doors for me, and if they haven’t already, will open doors for you too.” 

Alex encouraged students to “stay open, be open to opportunities, open to learning, open to trying something you didn’t expect to enjoy… growth happens when you step out of your comfort zone and this industry will give you plenty of chances to do that.”

Ellen Livingston offered a vote of thanks to the platform party on behalf of the students and highlighted that beyond academic success this year, Loughry students contributed significantly to campus life and the wider community, raising £2,000 for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and supported charitable initiatives including the Christmas Shoe Box appeals and Food Bank collections.

Reflecting on the year, Mr McCann reaffirmed the college’s commitment to developing highly skilled, work-ready graduates equipped to contribute to the future of Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry.

If you are or know of a young person leaving school after Year 12 this summer, encourage them to discover course opportunities at Loughry Campus. We’re holding a course insight day on Wednesday 5 August 2026, for more information visit the events section of the CAFRE website.