Pupils enjoy work experience

Ballymoney High School pupil Claire McVicker and Kiera Olulunmi from Coleraine High School chose to use their work experience as an opportunity to explore the world of politics and government in Northern Ireland. Who better then to do this with than local MLA Mervyn Storey.

The pair were constantly on the go, as they got to see first hand the working life of an MLA. They also joined Mervyn at events attended by Executive Ministers and other dignitaries.

The list of well known faces that Claire and Kiera got to meet reads as a ‘who’s who’ of local politics and media. From the BBC’s Martina Purdy and Wendy Austin, UTV’s Paul Clarke, Mark Mallet and Ken Reid, to Education Minister John O’Dowd and the First Minister himself - Peter Robinson; both Claire and Kiera and mingled with them all.

Mervyn commented: “All secondary schools have to provide a work experience programme for their senior students. It is a very important and worthwhile endeavour.

“I am always delighted to host local students who decide they want a glimpse into the world of local politics and the work of an Assembly Member. It was a pleasure to have Claire and Kiera shadowing me for a week. Both were extremely interested and eager to learn. They are a credit to their respective schools and I look forward to hosting more students of the same calibre in the future.”