Executive Committee

As an employer-led organisation, Proskills works very closely with employers from across the process and manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland this is achieved through the Executive Committee.

The Northern Ireland Executive Committee helps set the strategic direction for Proskills. Made up of employers in the main and supported by representatives from employer bodies, trade unions as well as training providers, universities and technical institutions, it is their task is to ensure that the objectives and solutions developed by Proskills the Sector Skills Council remain aligned to the needs of this nation.

Without the support of employers and other stakeholders these groups cannot fulfil their remit. It is therefore critical to their success that more employers from the Northern Ireland faction of the process and manufacturing sector get involved. To date we have a membership of over 30 employers on the Committee that come from a range of different sized businesses across the 9 industries represented by Proskills. In real terms, they only represent a small fraction of the total number of companies operating in Northern Ireland. To ensure a more complete coverage and ever more influential input, we need more employers to come forward and work with us.

Employers also engage with us informally and participate in projects, surveys and reviews.

Proskills Nation Lead:

To coordinate employer involvement as well as, operational and strategic engagement, each Nation has its own Lead within Proskills. For Northern Ireland this is Diane Weatherup. If you would like to get involved in shaping the future of your industry in Northern Ireland, contact Diane Weatherup on 07795 011812 or diane.weatherup@proskills.co.uk

Current Board Membership includes:


Names Organisations
Brennen, Trevor W&G Baird
Connolly, Paul Cemex (NI) Ltd
Corr, Mairead P Clarke & Sons Ltd
Corry, Denis HMG Powder Coatings Ltd
Corry, Jill Cemex (NI) Ltd
Corry, Noel HMG Powder Coatings Ltd
Cross, Terry Delta Print and Packaging
Culley, Caroline Impro
Diamond, Chris Patrick Keenan Quarries
Doyle, Fergal Delta Print and Packaging
Gorman, Mervyn Boxpak
Haslett, Ashley Ulster Industrial Explosives Ltd
Irwin, Julie Northstone Quarry & Asphelt Division
McGlone, Sinead Whitemountain Quarries Ltd
McKeague, Seamus Creagh Concrete Products Ltd
McLelland, Nichola W&G Baird HR & Quality Manager
McMullen, Lorna Creagh Concrete Products Ltd
McParland, Marian Tough Glass Ltd
Megarry, Jonathan Nicholson & Bass
Rafferty, Orla McMullen Architectural Systems
Smyth, David Northstone Quarry & Asphelt Division
Smyth, Kevin Skyglaze Architectural Systems Ltd
Young, Ian Turkington Windows and Conservatries

Current focus of Executive Committee includes:

  • Establish strategic issues facing the industry across the 4 nations relating to productivity, skills, qualifications and training provision
  • Identify priority delivery areas and make recommendations to the Proskills Main * Board and the Academy Board
  • Review and monitor current strategy and activity taking place within the industry and provide input to both the Sector Skills Council and the Academy to inform future activity and developments
  • Establish programs to promote careers in the industry and foster links between schools, employers and FE establishments
  • Act as Proskills ambassadors for your industry to encourage more employers to commit to training
  • Establishment of ‘All Age’ Apprenticeship provision for the Glass, Furniture, * Extractive and Mineral Processing and Print industries
  • Establishment of ‘Training for Success’ provision for the Extractive and Mineral * Processing and Glass industries
  • Overcome all barriers to access to qualifications, apprenticeships and funded initiatives
  • Reintroduction and sustainability of glass training in Northern Ireland
  • Development of Foundation Degrees and Diplomas across all industries
  • Establishment of a Training Provider Forum once the new provision has been established
  • Sharing of best practice skills provision with the Republic of Ireland/Scotland
  • Implementation of the Sector Skills Agreement Action Plan for Northern Ireland
  • The implementation of the Sector Qualification Strategy for Northern Ireland