South West College (SWC) hosted a special celebration on Friday 27th June to recognize the achievements of 8 local women who recently completed the Women Returners Programme. The programme, funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE) through the Skills Fund aligns with the Minister’s Economic Vision to support women in Northern Ireland re-entering the workforce.

Participants completed a Level 2 Certificate in Business Administration and as part of the course enjoyed work placements with local employers, Teletstack, Terex, AMD Financial, First Steps Women’s Group, SWC, McVeigh Engineering, and Lisnaskea Primary School. The women received a training allowance, travel and childcare assistance to support their completion of the programme.

The programme included workshops such as resilience building led by Bespoke Communications and interview skills delivered by Haughey Recruitment. Inspirational talks, including one by Rosie Wildwood—a former Assured Skills Student who progressed to a Higher-Level Apprenticeship and picked up an Apprentice of the Year award. The programme has received positive feedback from participants who have secured jobs, are attending interviews and returning to education.

“The Women Returners Programme has been a transformative journey for so many of our participants. Watching women regain confidence, develop new skills, and step back into the workforce with renewed purpose has been truly inspiring. Their success stories are a testament to the power of targeted support and the incredible potential that exists when opportunity meets determination.


Nicola Quinn
Head of Business and Industry Support

If you or someone you know is ready to take that next step, we encourage you to explore how the programme can support your return to work.”

For further information on the programme visit www.swc.ac.uk/womenreturners