QUB Awards Ceremony

A special note of thanks to our award sponsors; E A Davies, Joan Eakin, Brian Dawson and Xafinity. Joan and Brian unfortunately had prior engagements. Thanks to Iain Patterson MD of EA Davies and Sam Young from Xafinity who took time from their busy schedule attend and presenting two of our top awards.

Russell Anderson, Regional Chairperson of the Personal Finance Society, Northern Ireland and Ashley Murphy, President of the Insurance Institute of Northern Ireland lead the event.

Ashley commented ‘Looking around this Great Hall I can see that some of the students are here for a second or even third time – while for others it is their first occasion……. either way it is a real pleasure to see you all.

It goes without saying that the Insurance Institute of Northern Ireland’s annual Exam Award Ceremony is a very prestigious fixture on our education and social calendar - recognising and rewarding those who achieved success in the 2018 academic year.

Students on Our Roll of Achievement, our Special Award Winners and those who gained Chartered Status should all be justifiably proud of what they have achieved and I offer them my sincere congratulations.

Any of today’s thought leaders will tell you that education and skills now form the backbone of any progressive and successful profession and I think we need look no further than to those assembled here today to understand that the local insurance profession is reflective of exactly just that.

As I was thinking about my speech for tonight I thought back a number of years when I was in your shoes; completing professional examinations and sitting in the very seats you are in right now, surprised to receive a special award! I realise the hard work that’s gone in, the effort that takes, the dead arms from all those essay questions and most importantly the fun things you had to postpone or miss out on to study. It is extremely difficult to juggle work, balance family life and study. So you all deserve an extra special well done!

An often quoted “essential piece of good advice” frequently allures to the old proverb that to be successful one first has to be “100% committed to the success of others” – well I think today we see the proof of that as we also acknowledge the many family members, friends, colleagues and employers who committed to that principle to help ensure the success of our students.

Without their understanding, support and encouragement it would doubtlessly be a more difficult path and perhaps one less well trodden.

So I extend my congratulations to you parents, family, colleagues and friends for having the commitment and foresight to provide a supportive environment in which our students here today were able to thrive and achieve.

As many of you will know, following our AGM on 11th April my theme for the year was ‘make a difference’

When I look in front of me today, you ….the students…..exemplify everything that that means.

You have chosen to make a difference to your education, to your career, to your peers and to your family…..

We all know that education matters - that it is a strategic investment for the future - not only for yourselves but for the profession as a whole.

Looking around today I think the future is in very safe hands