Carrick cadet is honoured at City Hall ceremony

Ryan Bunting was among teenager members from cadet forces from across Northern Ireland who were guests of honour at a reception held recently in Belfast’s City Hall.

They took centre stage at a ceremony to mark the award of BTEC qualifications, which were presented by Dame Mary Peters, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for the City of Belfast.

The cadets had each earned the BTEC First Diploma in Public Services, widely recognised by employers and regarded as the equivalent to four GCSEs, A-C grades. The internationally respected qualification delivered via the Cadet Vocational Qualification Organisation (CVQO) mixes theory and practical elements with an emphasis on leadership, teamwork, communications, problem solving and fitness. The syllabus includes professional CV preparation, interviewing techniques, communication, first aid, adventure training, health and nutrition.

According to Dame Mary Peters, that fits perfectly with the package of “serious fun” which the cadet movement offers its members. She praised the young people for the hard work and commitment which led to the achievement of the qualification and urged them to “keep up the good work’” and to consider directing their volunteer ethos to support for the 2012 Olympics.