Open College Network Northern Ireland

Open College Network Northern Ireland Our Mission is to engage, enrich and equip learners for life In addition, OCN NI are also regulated by Ofqual to award similar qualifications in England.

The Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN NI) is a UK recognised Awarding Organisation based in Northern Ireland. We are regulated by CCEA Regulation to develop and award regulated professional and technical (vocational) qualifications from Entry Level up to and including Level 5 across all sector areas. We are an educational charity and an Awarding Organisation that advances education by developing nationally recognised qualifications and recognising the achievements of adults and young people. We work with centres such as Further Education Colleges, Private Training Organisations, Voluntary & Community Organisations, Schools, SMEโ€™s and Public Sector bodies to provide learners with opportunities to progress into further learning and/or employment.

Day 1 at School Summit NI! ๐ŸŽ“A huge thank you to all the learners and teachers who stopped by our stand today to chat wit...
05/10/2026

Day 1 at School Summit NI! ๐ŸŽ“

A huge thank you to all the learners and teachers who stopped by our stand today to chat with us about OCNโ€™s range of qualifications and opportunities.

It was fantastic meeting so many of you, and weโ€™re looking forward to another great day tomorrow.

See you for Day 2! ๐Ÿ‘‹

02/10/2026

Have you nominated for the AONTAS STAR Awards yet? ๐ŸŒŸ

The STAR Awards celebrate the incredible impact of adult and community education across the island of Ireland, recognising initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for adult learners and communities.

As proud sponsors of the Social Inclusion Award, we would encourage all organisations, groups and projects making a difference through adult learning to submit a nomination.

Whether your initiative is large or small, if it supports adult learners, AONTAS want to see it celebrated.

Nominations close on Friday 30th October 2026 at 5pm. โฐ

Full details: https://www.ocnni.org.uk/news/nominate-your-adult-learning-initiative-for-an-aontas-star-award-2027

01/10/2026

We are currently seeking External Quality Assurers (EQAs) across a range of subject areas, including:

๐Ÿ”นPlumbing
๐Ÿ”นEngineering
๐Ÿ”นWet Trades
๐Ÿ”นWoodworking
๐Ÿ”นAnimal Care
๐Ÿ”นGreen Tech
๐Ÿ”นSustainability
๐Ÿ”นArtificial intelligence (AI)

EQAs play a vital role in supporting OCN centres to implement effective quality assurance processes.

If you are interested in joining our team of EQAs, please send your CV and covering letter to [email protected].

Find out more: https://www.ocnni.org.uk/work-with-us


OCN joined learners, tutors, and lecturers at Ulster Universityโ€™s York Street campus to celebrate the achievements of le...
30/09/2026

OCN joined learners, tutors, and lecturers at Ulster Universityโ€™s York Street campus to celebrate the achievements of learners from Supporting Communities who recently completed their OCN endorsed course in Community Development.

From the recent learning cohort, five individuals have secured places on Ulster University's BSc (Hons) Community Development degree, marking the next step in their educational journey.

Learn more about the celebration event:
https://www.ocnni.org.uk/news/ocn-learners-at-supporting-communities-progress-to-ulster-university-undergraduate-degree-programme

At the Usel. (Ulster Supported Employment Limited) Skills for Life & Work Graduation Ceremony last week at Belfast Harbo...
29/09/2026

At the Usel. (Ulster Supported Employment Limited) Skills for Life & Work Graduation Ceremony last week at Belfast Harbour Commissioners Office, OCN's Business Development Executive, Andrea, joined learners, staff and supporters to celebrate the achievements of this year's graduates.

Andrea said:

"The graduation was filled with joy, celebration and pride. Congratulations to all the learners on their achievements. OCN's Developing Skills for Life qualifications help learners build confidence, develop independence and gain the practical skills needed for the workplace.

Through training and support, the programme helps people prepare for employment and take positive steps towards their future goals. We wish all learners every success in the next chapter of their journey."

Learn more about the Skills for Life & Work programme at USEL: https://www.usel.co.uk/skills-for-life-work

Great conversations at the UUP Conference on Saturday. Thank you to Leader Jon Burrows, Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong, R...
28/09/2026

Great conversations at the UUP Conference on Saturday.

Thank you to Leader Jon Burrows, Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong, Robbie Butler, Lord Rogan, and other party members who stopped by our stand to learn more about OCN and how education and skills can help build a more inclusive and successful society.

Learn more about OCN: https://www.ocnni.org.uk/

25/09/2026

"Never in a million years did I think I would be standing anywhere like this receiving an award."

Christina McAvoy, from Poleglass Community Association Sally Gardens, received the Third Sector Learner of the Year award at OCN's 2026 Learning Endeavour Awards.

Christina's journey is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of community learning.

Through her determination, resilience and commitment to personal growth, she has transformed challenges into achievements.

Her story demonstrates how learning can build confidence, open new opportunities and empower people to reach their full potential.

Watch Christina share her story. ๐Ÿ’œ

We were delighted to attend the SDLP Conference at the Crowne Plaza Belfast and meet with party leaders, including Clair...
24/09/2026

We were delighted to attend the SDLP Conference at the Crowne Plaza Belfast and meet with party leaders, including Claire Hanna MP and Matthew Oโ€™Toole MLA.

It was a valuable opportunity to discuss OCNโ€™s role in supporting learners, communities, employers and the wider economy across Northern Ireland.

OCNโ€™s qualifications continue to help address skills gaps, support lifelong learning and contribute to key economic priorities.

As conference season continues, we look forward to attending the UUP Party Conference this Saturday at Crowne Plaza.

OCN is proud to support the Aisling Education Bursaries that aim to provide financial support to learners from the West ...
23/09/2026

OCN is proud to support the Aisling Education Bursaries that aim to provide financial support to learners from the West Belfast and Shankill communities who are progressing to higher education.

Now in its 27th year, the programme has helped generations of students overcome financial barriers and pursue their educational ambitions. This year, 161 students received bursaries worth a total of ยฃ135,000.

๐‰๐จ๐š๐ง๐ง๐ž ๐๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง, ๐Ž๐‚๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐š๐ ๐ž๐ซ, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐›๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Š๐ž๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‹๐š๐ฐ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ:

โ€œIt was a pleasure to attend the Aisling Education Bursaries Awards and be part of such a special evening. OCN was proud to sponsor a bursary, and I had the privilege of presenting it to Kelan Lawlor, who is currently undertaking an electrical apprenticeship. The awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise the dedication, talent, and potential of recipients and OCN is honoured to play a part in celebrating their achievements.โ€

๐Œ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐„๐œ๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ, ๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐‚๐š๐จ๐ข๐ฆ๐ก๐ž ๐€๐ซ๐œ๐ก๐ข๐›๐š๐ฅ๐ ๐Œ๐‹๐€ ๐ฌ๐š๐ข๐:

"For 27 years, the Aisling Bursary has helped remove financial barriers, raise aspirations and support learners to access higher education. Supported by my Department, and a wide range of community and business partners, it is a powerful example of what can be achieved when we invest in the potential of local people."

Read more: https://www.ocnni.org.uk/news/ocn-supports-learner-success-through-the-aisling-education-bursaries-2026

At the DUP Conference in Belfast on Saturday, OCN NI shared our vision of a successful, inclusive society where every le...
21/09/2026

At the DUP Conference in Belfast on Saturday, OCN NI shared our vision of a successful, inclusive society where every learner matters.

Meeting with party leaders and delegates, we highlighted our 30 year contribution to education and skills development across Northern Ireland, as well as our on going commitment to developing and awarding qualifications that engage, enrich and equip learners for life.

๐Ÿ“La Mon Hotel, Belfast

Address

Forsyth House, Office No. 110A, Cromac Square
Belfast
BT28LA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+442890463990

Website

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