Chris scoops top award at NRC

A mature engineering student from North Antrim has been awarded the prestigious Dayle Smyth Endeavour Award for his outstanding performance at Northern Regional College in Ballymena.
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Chris McConnaghie, who is employed as maintenance manager with SDC Trailers in Toomebridge, completed the Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with distinction at the College. He is currently doing a BEng (Hons) degree.

Chris, who lives in Antrim and is married with a young son and another baby on the way, said his decision to attend the College was prompted by the realisation that accredited qualifications could help with his career progression.

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Having left school at 16, Chris admitted that as a teenager, he didn’t have much interest in qualifications, but that changed as he got older.

Chris McConnaghie, winner of the Dayle Smyth Endeavour Award, who was awarded a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Distinction at NRC#s annual Higher Education graduation ceremony, pictured with his wife Holly and son Henry.Chris McConnaghie, winner of the Dayle Smyth Endeavour Award, who was awarded a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Distinction at NRC#s annual Higher Education graduation ceremony, pictured with his wife Holly and son Henry.
Chris McConnaghie, winner of the Dayle Smyth Endeavour Award, who was awarded a Foundation Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Distinction at NRC#s annual Higher Education graduation ceremony, pictured with his wife Holly and son Henry.

While working in the maintenance department of MDF Ltd in Antrim, he decided to do a BTEC in Engineering at the

College’s Ballymena campus as a stepping dtone to going to university. He said: “The company was very accommodating and allowed me to change my hours so I could attend the College one day a week.”

Going back to school after a break of over 15 years was not without its challenges but Chris said the positives outweighed the negatives and having come through the BTEC with flying colours, Chris was able to progress to the Foundation Degree in Electronic and Engineering within the College in Ballymena.

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He said: “The Foundation Degree was my route to university. I was working full-time, but the course was delivered one day a week so I felt it was achievable and, once again, the company allowed me to change my hours around so I could attend College.”

Chris said he was delighted to graduate with distinction and getting the Dayle Smyth Award was the icing on the cake.

“It is a huge honour to be selected. I faced some challenges throughout my time at the College but I was always determined to keep going. I hope my story will inspire others to persevere and that like me, they’ll find that it’s well worth the effort.”

The Dayle Smyth Endeavour Award is presented annually in memory of Dayle Smyth, an outstanding former student at Northern Regional College in Ballymena, who tragically lost his life in a road traffic collision in 2014, soon after achieving his Higher National Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering.

Dayle’s father, Garry said the award, which this year was presented virtually because of COVID restrictions, helped keep Dayle’s memory alive.