NEWS

Kevin Traynor, celebrating 45 years with Pilgrim’s Europe pictured at the company’s 2026 Long Service Celebration event in Belfast. A County Antrim lorry driver with 45 years of service has taken centre stage at a major celebration honouring decades of dedication across Pilgrim’s Europe sites in Northern Ireland and Ireland. Kevin Traynor, from Ballymoney, was among 90 employees recognised at the company’s 2026 Long Service Celebration, held at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. To

L-R: Bronwen Hall, Snr Consultant, The Workforce Development Trust, Kristine Graham, Group HR Manager, McKeever Hotels, Martin Toner, Director of People & Culture, McKeever Hotels A leading Northern Ireland hotel group is taking an unusually proactive step to tackle one of hospitality’s biggest headaches — staffing — just weeks before the busy summer season begins. Multi award-winning McKeever Hotels has become the first tourism and hospitality business in Northern Ireland to

Ross Lorimer of Lakeland Dairies presents a scholarship award to Ballymena student Megan Ross at the CAFRE Industry Support event. Students from Ballymena, Portglenone and Toomebridge have been recognised among the next generation of agri-food talent, securing bursaries and scholarships at a major industry-backed awards event in Cookstown. The presentation, hosted at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus, saw significant financial backing from leading agri-food businesses awarded to student

A new recruitment campaign offering careers maintaining Northern Ireland’s road network has been launched, with opportunities ranging from industrial roadworker roles to trainee civil engineering posts. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced the two competitions, which aim to strengthen the workforce responsible for keeping the region’s roads safe, maintained and operating efficiently. The campaign is seeking applicants for Industrial Road Worker positions across North

Optical advisor Carol-Ann Kirkpatrick with 23-year-old daughter Rachel. Mother’s Day will be extra special at Asda Antrim this year, where four mums will celebrate the occasion alongside their own children who work as colleagues in the store. From quick chats between shifts to shared laughter on the shop floor, the families say working together brings a unique bond – even if it sometimes means seeing a little too much of each other. Among them is optical advisor Carol-Ann Kir

North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has warned that proposed changes to special educational needs (SEN) support could place classroom assistant jobs at risk and increase pressure inside classrooms. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Gaston paid tribute to the “vital role classroom assistants play” in supporting pupils but said staff and families are increasingly worried about how the proposed reforms may work in practice. The Tr

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Head Boy, Jake Quigley, Head Girl, Emma-Louise White and Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen at his recent visit to Antrim Grammar School to see Northern Ireland Screen’s creative education and careers pipeline. Young people in Northern Ireland could find their future careers in the rapidly growing screen and creative industries, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons  said during a visit to Antrim Grammar Sc

Gary Hegarty, owner of Mindful Gardens reflects on the benefits of changing his career and returning to education by studying Horticulture at CAFRE Greenmount Campus.  After nearly two decades designing sports pages for a national newspaper, Gary Hegarty found himself facing a turning point — one shaped by rapid technological change and a growing desire to work closer to the natural world. Today, he runs his own garden design business, Mindful Gardens. But the path from newsr

Donnolly Group celebrates long service milestone at with Lisa Gormley at their Ballymena showroom Fifteen years in one workplace is an increasingly rare milestone — but at Donnelly Group ’s Ballymena showroom, it’s being celebrated as a mark of loyalty, experience and long-term career growth. Lisa Gormley has reached her 15-year landmark with the company, a significant achievement within one of Northern Ireland’s leading employers and the region’s largest independently owned

Pictured at The Music Yard in Larne are (L-R) Music Yard founder Thomas Hamilton, JobStart participant Eamon McElroy and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons. More than 1,200 new opportunities have been created under the latest JobStart scheme, with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons  welcoming what he described as the “wide range of opportunities” now available to people seeking a route back into work. Since launching in October 2025, 1,086 employers have signed up to the schem

The Northern Ireland Civil Service has opened the door to around 120 new Deputy Principal posts — the first recruitment at this level in four years — marking a significant intake aimed at strengthening departments right across government. The campaign will fill vacancies across all NICS departments and locations, with successful candidates stepping into key roles at the heart of policy development and public service delivery. Deputy Principals play an important part in develo

Lidl Northern Ireland announce a £2.3m investment in pay increases for their workforce across the region - pictured is Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland and colleagues from Lidl's store team. (Pic. Robbie Reynolds) More than 1,300 Lidl Northern Ireland employees will see their pay increase from next month, as the retailer announces a £2.3 million investment in wages across the region. From 1 March, Lidl Northern Ireland store and wareh

Managing Director of The Bedford Hotel Ciaran O'Neill (middle) alongside The Bedford's General Manager Mike Gatt and Bishop's Gate General Manager JP McCafferty One of Northern Ireland’s most respected hoteliers is stepping into a landmark new role in the heart of Belfast. Ciaran O’Neill , the driving force behind the acclaimed Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry~Londonderry, has been appointed Managing Director of The Bedford Hotel Belfast as it prepares to open for bookings in May

Galgorm Castle, Ballymena A bold £14 million regeneration plan promises to breathe new life into one of Ballymena’s most historic estates — with a boutique hotel, arts venues and more than 200 jobs at its heart. Galgorm Castle Education and Preservation Limited (GCEP) , custodian of Galgorm Castle, has submitted a full planning application for what it describes as a landmark restoration and renewal programme. If approved, the ambitious scheme would not only rescue the estate

From Ballycastle to Carryduff, communities across Northern Ireland are being urged to step forward as Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) launches a major On-Call Firefighter recruitment campaign. Branded ‘Your Town, Your Team, Your NIFRS’ , the three-week drive is seeking enthusiastic and committed individuals who live or work within five minutes of their local On-Call Fire Station — people willing to carry a pager, respond at short notice and help protect their c

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has received more than 4,000 applications for its 2026 student officer recruitment campaign, with 4,104 people applying before the process closed on Wednesday, 4 February. The significant response highlights continued interest in policing careers across Northern Ireland, as the service prepares to begin a rigorous multi-stage selection process. The recruitment campaign offers successful candidates a place on an intensive 22-week training

Belfast International Airport will host its second Jobs Fair of 2026 later this month, offering more than 100 full-time, part-time and seasonal vacancies as it prepares for the busy summer season and continues its £100 million investment programme. The recruitment event will take place on Saturday 21 February at The Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim, from 11am to 3pm , with airport teams and partner companies on hand to discuss roles, salaries and benefits. Wide range of roles across

Hollybank staff members Darren Mitchell and Kellie Grant. Hollybank Supported Living in Magherafelt is recruiting additional Band 3 support workers, as the Northern Health and Social Care Trust encourages people to consider a career in social care supporting adults with learning disabilities. Recruitment open days will take place in March, with applications now open online. The Trust is seeking staff to work across supported living and short breaks services at Hollybank, offe

Pilgrim’s Europe Technical Apprentice Stephanie Millar pictured at the company’s Ballymena site. Pilgrim’s Europe has shone a spotlight on Ballymena-based apprentice Stephanie Millar during National Apprenticeship Week, recognising her progression from farm life in Coleraine to a skilled technical role within the food industry. Stephanie, who works as a Technical Apprentice at the company’s Ballymena facility, joined Pilgrim’s Europe’s apprenticeship programme after deciding

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering a 3.3% consolidated pay uplift for NHS staff from 1 April 2026, following the latest recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). The proposed pay rise would apply to all Agenda for Change (AfC) pay points across Health and Social Care (HSC), impacting thousands of frontline staff including nurses, paramedics, healthcare assistants and administrati