Mark sets up new Bremar Training

Mark spent four years at the College where he completed a Level 4 qualification before progressing to a Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling Practice at the College’s Trostan Avenue Campus in Ballymena.

Although he admits it required a lot of hard work and commitment, Mark said he is looking forward to using his knowledge and skills to help other people.

“Since completing my studies I have founded a community interest company called Bremar Training alongside my business partner. We have developed a range of programme around resilience, health and well-being and suicide awareness which we deliver to the general public in sports clubs, community organisations, businesses and schools,” he said.

Having previously benefitted from counselling himself, Mark, who has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, decided to undertake the course to give him the opportunity to pursue a new career path but found that it offered him a great deal of personal development as well.

“The personal development was something which I really enjoyed throughout the four years I studied counselling. The theoretical side was informative, but the opportunity to apply these theories to myself and later as a student counsellor helped me develop into an integrative practitioner. My confidence in myself and my knowledge increased dramatically during my time at the College,” Mark explained.

Mark has thanked his lecturers for their ongoing support and encouragement upon his graduation from the College: “The dedication and support of all our tutors has been so important to my development as a student and inspired me to keep going when, at times, I doubted myself. I have sad it many times before throughout my course by they really do go above and beyond for their students.

“As a counsellor, a quote which has always stuck with me is: ‘You can only take a client as far as you have gone yourself’. The knowledge of the different theories and attaching them to my own personal development and awareness has been extremely beneficial.”

Course Director Minford McBride added: “Mark was an amazing student and class representative who was absolutely invaluable to both myself and his peers throughout his studies, particularly during the pandemic. He was an excellent point of conduct and went above and beyond to offer support to his peers. Mark demonstrated a real desire to learn and I am delighted to see he is now using his knowledge to help others. I wish him the very best with his plans for the future.”

In addition to the Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling Practice, NRC offers Foundation Degrees in Construction Engineering with Surveying, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Sports Science, Coaching and Fitness, Health and Social Care, Early Childhood Studies, Computing and Applied and Medical Sciences.

For information on these and other HE opportunities at Northern Regional College, go to www.nrc.ac.uk

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