We Are Randox | Randox sets sail in AWARE NI’S Dragon Boat race
We Are Randox | Randox sets sail in AWARE NI’S Dragon Boat race
It was all hands on deck on Saturday 29th June 2019 as Team Randox competed in a Dragon Boat Race on the River Lagan for our charity partner AWARE NI.
The race took place at Cutter’s Wharf on Stranmillis Embankment in Belfast and featured fourteen different boats from ten NI businesses all vying to claim the top spot.
Other businesses taking part included Suki Tea, Anytime Fitness, Mivan, First Stop Solutions, Nanthealth, ABL Insurance, Rapid 7, Smiley Monroe and BNP Parabis.
Randox’s two boats fared well against their eager competitors. Randox Boat 1 won one of their two races against ABL Insurance Boat 1 while Randox Boat 2 impressively won both of their timed races against ABL Insurance Boat 2.
Randox Boat 2 even sailed in to the top four boats taking part, and the semi-final of the day’s events. However, the team narrowly missed out on a place in the final after a close defeat by Mivan Boat 2.
Timed heats:
Randox 1 v ABL Insurance 1
Randox 2 v ABL Insurance 2
Semi-Final:
Randox 2 v Mivan 2
Congratulations to the team from Rapid 7 who were the overall winner on the day and of course a massive well done to all the Randox staff members who took part. A fantastic day was enjoyed by all with over £10,000 being raised collectively by all the teams taking part.
AWARE NI is one of Randox’s charity partners and is the depression and bipolar charity for Northern Ireland. We have been proud to partner with them throughout 2018 and 2019, raising awareness and funds for this vital work through a range of different events.
For further information about our work with our two charity partners, AWARE NI and Ulster University’s Mind Your Mood, please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | QUB and Ulster University Students Take The Top Spots in the Randox Placement Awards 2019
A Queen’s University Belfast student has won the top spot in global healthcare diagnostics company Randox Laboratories’ annual Student Placement Awards.
Pearce Allingham from Andersonstown, who is studying Medicinal Chemistry, was not only placed first in the Science category but was also crowned Best Overall Placement Student.
Since September 2018, Pearce had been working alongside the scientific team in the New Technology Evaluation department, taking part in the development of Randox’s newest and most classified innovations.
Speaking at the awards ceremony at Randox Laboratories HQ in Crumlin on Friday 14th June 2019, Pearce commented,
“I’m so pleased to have won this award. I couldn’t recommend a placement at Randox highly enough and it has allowed me to see what I’m capable of when I apply myself to a field I’m passionate about. From day one I was made to feel like a scientist within the team – not just a placement student – and it’s amazing that some of my contributions are helping to advance Randox’s diagnostic capabilities further. I look forward to applying my new knowledge and skills in final year and to forging a career in research – maybe even back here at Randox.”
Randox Laboratories welcomes over 60 placement students through its doors each year across Science, Engineering and Business-related disciplines, including Sales and Marketing. The company is keen to continue to maintain its reputation as a key placement provider in Northern Ireland, as explained by Linda Magee, Operations Director at Randox Laboratories.
Linda commented;
“We host many high calibre placement students at Randox each year and the Randox Placement Awards is the pinnacle in highlighting the fantastic contribution that these students make. Pearce, in particular, impressed us with his work ethic and initiative in one of Randox’s most cutting-edge R&D teams. Gaining industry experience is vital for young people and that is why we pride ourselves on the range of placement opportunities we provide here, especially through the Randox APEX programme which offers students a paid summer placement between first and second year, a paid placement year in third year and, finally, a graduate position on completion of their degree with a 2:1 classification. It really is the complete career package for any aspiring student.”
David Boyd, a QUB Engineering student from Belfast, won in the Engineering category of the Randox Placement Awards while Andrew Wilson, an Ulster University student from Bangor, was placed first in the Business category.
David Boyd, Engineering Placement Award winner, commented,
“As part of the Engineering team, the opportunities I’ve been given here have been second-to-none and I look forward to completing my Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I used to think I would go on to work in the energy sector with renewables and nuclear but my time in Randox has shown me a different industry which I would love to return to.”
Andrew Wilson, Business Placement Award winner, also said,
“Being given the same responsibilities as the rest of your colleagues is a great way to learn quickly as you get immersed in live projects and real business. One of the most interesting aspects for me was the opportunity to travel to Hamburg and Chicago for customer visits and conferences. Dealing with different departments such as manufacturing, finance and logistics, along with my own sales and marketing team, has given me an insight in to the workings of an international company which has been an invaluable experience.”
Randox Placement Awards 2019 results
Business category
1 Andrew Wilson (Marketing, Randox Food Diagnostics), an Ulster University student from Bangor
2 Kathryn Wilson (Sales, Randox Biosciences), an Aberystwyth University student from Larne
3 Adam Donnelly – (Marketing, Randox Corporate), an Ulster University student from Bellaghy
Science category
1 Pearce Allingham (Chemistry), a Queen’s University Belfast student from Andersonstown
2 Rachel McCloy (Biotechnology), a Liverpool John Moore’s University student from Ballymena
3 Thomas Smith-Zaitlik (Molecular), a Nottingham Trent University student from Henley-on-Thames.
Engineering category
1 David Boyd (Engineering Design, Mechanical), a Queen’s University Belfast student from Belfast
2 Reuben Cotton (Engineering Design, Mechanical), an Ulster University student from Lisburn
3 Niall Devlin (Engineering Design, Software)
Overall Randox Placement Awards winner: Pearce Allingham
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
We Are Randox | Randox Higher Level Apprentice Sarah Casey is awarded second place in NI WorldSkills Regional Final
A huge congratulations is in order for Science Higher Level Apprentice Sarah Casey who battled it out at the NI WorldSkills Regional Heat on 4th June to be awarded a well-deserved second place.
This was the first WorldSkills NI Regional Heat for Laboratory Technicians and was hosted at Southern Regional College, the Life Sciences Hub for Further Education in Northern Ireland.
The laboratory technician competition is based on real life scenarios in science that demonstrate technical competence in the use of complex instrumentation, laboratory equipment and skills. The competition is designed to reflect the work of a laboratory technician and tests their skills in techniques and procedures to solve practical problems through analysis, tests and measurements while ensuring safe and ethical working practices.
“This regional heat was a fantastic opportunity for higher education students across the sector to showcase their technical and analytical abilities. The competitors have performed exceptionally well under such challenging conditions” said Dr. Asha Jamil, Life Sciences Hub Development Manager at Southern Regional College.
She continued; “Judges have come from a variety of specialist scientific backgrounds from both education and industry across the UK and I am delighted that competitors from NI had this opportunity to demonstrate their range of skills on such a prestigious platform. Judges also commented that they were highly impressed by all the competitors’ technical and analytical skills and their professional approach to this challenging competition.”
Judges were representatives from Middlesex University, Norbrook Laboratories, and also included the current Team UK Laboratory Technician winner, Tonicha Roberts, who is a Forensic Reporting Scientist with Eurofins Forensic Services, UK.
Competitors came from a range of higher education programmes from across the NI sector including Foundation Degrees and Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) programmes. The HLA students study their underpinning Ulster University Foundation Degrees at Southern Regional College (Newry and Portadown campuses) and are employed with Norbrook Laboratories, Randox and Almac.
Sarah Casey, who was awarded second place, is currently a Southern Regional College student completing the Higher Level Apprenticeship in Applied Industrial Sciences (Life Sciences Pathway) in the Randox Science Park in Antrim. Sarah also won Southern Regional College’s Science Competition in January 2019.
The top performing competitors across the UK will now have a nail-biting wait to see if they have scored high enough to qualify for the WorldSkills UK Final at Birmingham’s NEC in November. We wish Sarah the best of luck!
We Are Randox | Team Randox abseils Belfast Castle for AWARE NI
On Sunday 14th April 2019, a team of brave Randox colleagues faced their fears and took part in an abseil from the top of Belfast Castle. Scaling the heights of Cavehill, our fourteen daring Randox thrill seekers enjoyed views over Belfast before they stepped over the edge.
The event took place to raise funds for Randox’s charity partner AWARE NI, the depression and bipolar charity of Northern Ireland.
Congratulations to our abseil participants! While this may be something else ticked off the ‘bucket list’, it also, most importantly, is a fantastic effort in raising awareness and funds for the work of this very worthwhile cause.
Well done to everyone with your fundraising. You have all worked very hard and raised a fantastic amount both in cash donations and via JustGiving – around £2200 so far and counting!
We hope you enjoy the photographs from the day. If you would still like to donate, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/teams/randox-aware-belfast-castle
Once again, many thanks on behalf of both Randox and AWARE NI to the Randox abseilers for their enthusiasm and fundraising efforts on behalf of both Randox and AWARE NI.
For more information about the abseil or our charity partnership with AWARE NI, please contact RandoxPR@randox.com.
Photo Album: Randox Health Grand National 2019
We hope you enjoy our selection of photography from this year’s Randox Health Grand National.
From the electric atmosphere to the beautiful weather and the fact that Tiger Roll came home first for a second year, the 2019 Randox Health Grand National was an event that we will always remember.
For further information about the Randox Health Grand National, please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413.
We Are Randox | Celine and Kenny dive into fundraising for AWARE NI
We’re passionate about celebrating the kindness and generosity of our Randox employees. Each have their own unique and interesting story to tell and many give up their spare time to support their local community and help those in need.
Their compassion and commitment is what makes Randox the successful company it is today, and this month we have two Randox employees whose bravery and dedication emulates this perfectly.
Céline Hasson, Randox Customer Relationship Executive, and Kenny Galloway, Business Relations Manager are both taking to the skies on Saturday 18th May for a charity skydive in aid of one of our official charity partners, AWARE NI.
Below they both explain why they wanted to take part in the charity skydive, and what it means to them to be able to raise funds for the main depression charity for Northern Ireland.
Kenneth Galloway, Randox Health Business Relations Manager, commented;
“This year in 2019 so far we have already seen so many people take their own lives here in Northern Ireland. It’s so terribly heartbreaking and let’s face it, avoidable. Our help is needed more than ever which is why I have decided to conquer my fear of heights and hurl myself out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. I want to be able to raise awareness of this charity and to raise money to allow other people to benefit from what could be, to many, a life-changing service.
“Together we can make a difference, so I humbly ask you today to be a part of this great cause, by making a donation big or small.”
Céline Hasson, Customer Relationship Executive, added;
“People with mental health conditions deserve as much support and compassion as those will physical health conditions. So with this in mind I have signed myself up for a skydive in May with a goal to fundraise £500+ for AWARE NI.
“I’m sure every person reading this has either suffered or knows someone who has/is suffering from depression, so please donate to a great cause like AWARE NI. Let’s support them to help support others.”
Did you know?
- 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem each year
- Anxiety and depression are the most common mental disorders
- Overall prevalence of mental health conditions in Northern Ireland is up to 25% higher than in England
- 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination
What can you do?
Whilst Céline and Kenny have committed to a skydive with Moonjumpers Sky Diving, you have the easy part.
Simply make a donation and contribute to the very worthy AWARE NI, which has an established network of 24 support groups in rural and urban areas across the county, and also delivers mental health and well-being programmes into communities, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.
To view Kenny’s JustGiving page please visit; https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kenny-jnr
To view Céline’s JustGiving page please visit; https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/celine-hasson1
For further information about Randox’s charity work with AWARE NI, please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413.
We Are Randox | Staff Newsletter Jan-Mar 2019 Edition
Staff Newsletter January - March 2019 Edition
We are delighted to be able to share with you the Q1 2019 edition of our We Are Randox staff newsletter!
Click here for a range of company and staff news from January to March 2019 – including a visit from the UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the 2019 launch of our popular Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day in Donegal!
** Please note that image links work most efficiently in your Google Chrome browser**
We Are Randox | Lauren Todd shortlisted in Ulster University Placement Awards
Randox is a placement-friendly business and we’re proud to be a top employer when it comes to students searching for their perfect placement opportunity before final year. Ulster University Business Studies student Lauren Todd joined the Randox sales team in September 2017 as a placement student, finishing with us in June 2018.
We were delighted to attend a ceremony at Ulster University’s Jordanstown campus last week where Lauren was shortlisted for a UU Placement Award. We caught up with her after the ceremony;
Lauren, congratulations on your award! Can you tell us about your university and career path to date?
During my first two years of university, I worked in retail as a cash office supervisor before leaving in the summer of 2017 to start into my placement year at Randox. I am now in my final year at UUJ and working as a private tutor to A-Level Business Studies students.
Why Randox and how did you find your placement year?
Randox is a globally recognised company with a very close links with Ulster University, and I wanted to complete my placement year with a company that would help me develop my skills outside of the classroom. I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year at Randox and it has allowed me to improve my ‘soft’ skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving.
What was a typical day like for you at Randox?
A typical day at Randox consisted of daily communication with the global sales team, continual analysis of CRM data and the teams sales figures, compiling reports and providing feedback to the team.
How are you finding being back in university for final year?
Final year has been tough, but it’s scary that we only have six weeks left! My placement year at Randox has enabled me to become a more confident individual, and this has helped with final year projects such as group tasks and class presentations.
What was the award that you were presented with today and how are you feeling about it?
I was commended in the Excellence in Employability Awards from the Ulster University Business School. I am proud to have been shortlisted for this award as Randox have allowed me to develop my skills and helped me to work to my full potential. It feels amazing to gain this recognition from Ulster and that my contribution to the company has been beneficial.
What are your plans for after you leave university?
After graduation, I am looking forward to a few weeks off – and a much-needed two week holiday to Portugal – before starting into a full time graduate job.
To find out more about placement opportunities with Randox, please contact recruitment@randox.com.
We Are Randox | Sarah Casey wins Southern Regional College Science Competition
There are many different science roles at Randox which require many different skillsets – and there are as many different pathways to get to them! One such pathway is the Higher Level Apprenticeship offered by Randox in collaboration with Northern and Southern Regional Colleges.
Sarah Casey is both a Randox Higher Level Apprentice and a student at Portadown Southern Regional College. We caught up with her fresh from her win at the Southern Regional College Science Competition in January 2019.
Sarah, congratulations on winning the science award at Southern Regional College!
Please tell us more about the Science Competition you took part in – and won – at Southern Regional College.
The competition was held at the SRC Newry Campus and consisted of two experiments. I competed against other students from Randox, Almac and Norbrook.
For the first experiment, I had to find the concentration of an unknown sample of copper sulphate. I carried out a serial dilution using a known concentration of copper sulphate and then found the absorbance of each of the standards. I then found the absorbance for the unknown sample as well. From this I was able to plot a graph and determine the concentration of the unknown sample.
For the second experiment, I had to carry out a titration of iodine against sodium thiosulphate. I added the sodium thiosulphate to the iodine solution until the solution appeared pale yellow. I added a few drops of the starch indicator and continued titrating until the solution appeared colourless. I recorded the titre and then repeated the titration two more times to find an average titre. I then had to complete several questions relating to this experiment.
What did you study before you applied for the Higher Level Apprenticeship?
I previously studied A-Levels at St. Joseph’s Grammar school, undertaking Biology, Chemistry and Digital Technology. I always had a keen interest in science when I was younger so after studying Biology and Chemistry for A-Level I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in this field. In school I enjoyed the practical aspect of subjects which lead me to want to take part in this Higher Level Apprenticeship.
Where are you currently studying and what do you like most about your course?
I am studying the Life Science pathway of Applied Industrial Science at Portadown Southern Regional College. This course is based on biology and I have just finished semester one. I enjoy learning about buffer solutions, oxidation and redox reaction. For semester two, I look forward to studying physiology and continue to gain more knowledge about biology.
How did you hear about Higher Level Apprenticeships at Randox?
I heard about the higher level apprenticeship from my Careers teacher at school. He highly recommended that we tried out for the apprenticeship. After I applied after carrying out some research online. I was then offered a place here at Randox and started in September 2018.
Could you give a brief description of a typical day at Randox for you?
At the moment, I am based in the QC Serum department carrying out value assignments for Randox products. On a typical day I will come into work and carry out the daily maintenance on the RX Daytona and Imola. I will then have a look through the assignment folder to check what lots need to be assigned a value. I will gather the calibrator, controls and test lots in order to reconstitute them. While they are rolling, I will collect the necessary reagents. The test is then carried out. Afterwards I will type up the results into a spreadsheet to check if the lots have passed. I can carry out nest tests, two-day assignments and calibrator validations for chemistrys, lipids and cardiac. In between runs, I check sheets that are sent to customers.
What qualifications will you have when your Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox ends?
I will finish my apprenticeship in September 2020. Since joining Randox only a few months ago I have already gained so many invaluable skills. By the end of this apprenticeship I hope to be competent with most or all the analysers used at Randox while continuing to exhibit good laboratory practice. At the end of the apprenticeship I will gained a foundation degree in Applied Industrial Sciences. I can then progress onto year two of Biomedical Science at Ulster University.
Would you recommend a Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox to someone else and why?
I would highly recommend the higher level apprenticeship. It is a great experience and provides all the necessary skills required to pursue a career in this industry. Also, it allows you to earn while you learn so it’s a win-win situation as a student!
For more information about Sarah’s story or to hear more about the Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox, please contact RandoxPR@randox.com.
We Are Randox | BBC NI’s The Search features Randox colleague Dale McGall
On Tuesday 23rd January 2019, a new three-part documentary series, The Search, aired on BBC Northern Ireland, featuring Randox’s very own Dale McGall.
By day, Dale is a Regulatory Compliance Officer at Randox making sure that all our products are of the highest quality and comply with all quality regulations before they are shipped all over the world to our customers.
Outside of work, however, Dale takes on a very different role when he volunteers as a Search and Rescue Technician (SarTECH) with the Community Rescue Service organisation in Northern Ireland (part of Lowland Rescue). Community Rescue Service is a team of approximately 130 people with units spread across the country on a 100% voluntary basis.
We caught up with Dale to hear all about his work as a SARTech volunteer;
Congratulations to CRS on the documentary, Dale! Can you tell us a little more about the work of Community Rescue Service and the role you play as a volunteer?
The Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) is an umbrella organisation that enables Search and Rescue teams throughout the UK. It coordinates provision of Lowland SAR services, sets national standards for the teams and develops and shapes Lowland SAR policies.
In Northern Ireland, the team is known as the Community Rescue Service with units and personnel from all parts of the country. Presently there are units in Strabane, Coleraine, Portglenone, Broughshane, Antrim, Belfast, and South Down, amongst others.
Training is a key part of being in CRS. Before being allowed out on a Search, personnel are required to conduct training on map reading, radio communication, first aid, search techniques and water awareness. Over time, people can take part in additional training; from being part of a boat crew and use of kayaks, to water rescue and advanced first aid.
Within CRS, I am a Search and Rescue Technician (SARTech) and have completed several first aid courses.
How long have you been involved with Community Rescue Service?
I have been with CRS since 2017 when I was looking for volunteering opportunities outside of work. I saw some social media posts about the work of the Community Rescue Service and decided to get in touch.
The rest, as they say, is history!
I train weekly with the Antrim, Portglenone and Broughshane units. This training involves reinforcing existing knowledge, familiarisation training, and inviting third party organisations to give us specialist advice.
Can you describe a typical day/operation in the life of a CRS volunteer?
It may sound cliché but no two days are the same with the CRS! As well as the operational role of Search and Rescue, I have also found myself supervising street collections, marshalling for cycling clubs, and giving talks to other organisations.
What would a typical rescue involve?
Our rescues most often involve vulnerable high-risk members of society. Typically, this could be children, elderly people living with dementia, or those with mental health issues.
A call can go out at any time of the day or night and to any part of the country. I’ve been involved in searches that have lasted weeks and have had massive resources invested in them. Just as often though, I’ve had call-outs for which I’ve arrived at the meeting point and then been given the order to stand down as the missing person has been found. In either situation, our focus is locating the missing person as soon as possible and returning them to a place of safety.
It can a very busy lifestyle volunteering with CRS. While I can’t leave during working hours, as soon as I clock out from Randox I am ‘on duty’ with CRS because a call can come in at any time. Being flexible with your evenings, weekends and annual leave is a must as time is of the essence when a person goes missing.
On one occasion, I was involved in an overnight search in County Down, returning home around 09:00. A quick shower, change of clothes and I was back out to another rescue based in North Antrim. Is this compulsory? No, but as an operational SARTech, you are part of a team and there is a strong teamwork ethos where we support and help each other.
Is there anything you would like to share that you think isn’t commonly known about the CRS?
Something I wasn’t overly aware of before joining CRS is how dementia can affect people. People with dementia can regress to a period of their lives many decades ago. One search involved an elderly gentleman with dementia who had gone missing. Approximately thirty SARTechs were deployed across a wide area with a helicopter flying overhead. About an hour later, the call came to stand down as the gentleman had been found. What I found amazing about this particular search was the gentleman, who was not steady on his feet and used a zimmer frame to walk, was found roughly five miles away from his house!
As volunteers, none of us get paid but knowing you helped return a missing person to their loved ones is beyond any form of financial reward.
How does being a SarTECH volunteer compare with working in your day job at Randox?
The two roles are very different but there are a number of transferrable skills which have proved useful! The main one is attention to detail. In my role at Randox as a Regulatory Compliance Officer, I am often auditing performance and processes across the company. Not only do I review new and existing compliance legislation but I am also involved in assisting with the implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
My role as a SarTECH calls for a similar level of attention to detail. You never know where someone could be, or where there may be unknown danger for the missing person or the Search and Rescue team, so it’s important to always be on-your-guard and alert to even the smallest noise or change in environment when out on a rescue mission.
What do you hope The Search will achieve on BBC NI?
I’m hoping the series being aired will raise awareness of some of the challenges that we as a country face. The Search will help to showcase our people, capabilities and our professionalism. The Community Rescue Service is a vital service in Northern Ireland, but is 100% run by volunteers on whom the organisation very much relies.
If anyone would like to find out more information about the work I do with the Community Rescue Service, please visit https://www.communityrescue.org
You can watch The Search on BBC iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0byhv18/the-search-series-1-episode-1
For more We Are Randox stories about our amazing colleagues, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and follow the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
For further information please contact Randox PR by emailing randoxpr@randox.com
