By Valerie Martin
Students gathered with family and friends to attend the CAFRE graduation ceremony, held at Greenmount Campus, Antrim. Loughry Campus in Cookstown has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for food education in Northern Ireland. This year鈥檚 graduates have studied across a variety of disciplines including Food Technology, Food Innovation and Nutrition, Food Business Management, and Food Manufacture, preparing them for impactful careers in one of the region鈥檚 most vital industries. Fintan McCann, Head of Food Education at Loughry Campus, shared his congratulations, commenting: 鈥淲e are incredibly proud of our students. Their dedication, creativity, and flexibility have been outstanding. They leave Loughry Campus not only with academic qualifications but with real-world experience and a deep understanding of the food supply chain. We look forward to seeing the positive contributions they will make to the industry.鈥 This year 11 students were awarded with First Class Honours Degrees in subjects of Food Business Management, Food Innovation and Nutrition and Food Technology. The college proudly recognised the commitment of 13 Higher Level Apprenticeship learners who completed Foundation Degree qualifications alongside employment in the food industry. Throughout their studies, students engaged in hands-on learning in Loughry鈥檚 state-of-the-art food processing facilities, collaborated with industry partners, and tackled real-life challenges through projects and placements. The buoyancy of the food industry is evident as many graduates have already secured employment. These roles are in food manufacturing, quality assurance, product development, sales and marketing and supply chain management to name a few. Food graduate, Joshua Thompson from Ballymena, reflected on his time at Loughry saying: 鈥淚 started studying at Loughry Campus on the Level 3 programme after I completed my GCSEs. “I have just graduated with a First-Class Honours Degree in Food Business Management, which is validated by Ulster University. Studying at Loughry gave me an incredible six years. The support from lecturers, the friendships built, and the opportunities to connect with industry have made my experience unforgettable. I have recently started a new job as a Food Technologist with Bradburys Cheese in Buxton, England. I know, as graduates, we鈥檙e all excited to take our next steps into work and make a real difference in the world of food.鈥