On Friday 31st January, final year learners from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s Youthreach provision in County Clare and Clare Youth Service took part in a careers information and support seminar entitled ‘Moving On’ in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis. This half-day seminar has been taking place annually since 2014 and aims to provide guidance and support to those preparing to embark in further education and training or employment. 57 participants from each of the ETB’s three Further Education and Training Centres offering Youthreach provision in Clare (Clonroad Campus, Ennis; Tuamgraney Campus and Kilrush Campus) as well as learners from Clare Youth Service attended with centre managers and staff.
Eddie Keane, Youthreach co-ordinator, Clonroad Campus, was MC for the seminar. He welcomed all present, gave a preview of the programme content and set the context of the seminar by outlining employment statistics for the region and the sectors where the greatest opportunities for employment exist. Martin Cournane, Assistant Manager, Training Services with Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in his opening address, welcomed all, referenced the high numbers of FET learners that are now moving on to employment and further training. He invited all participants to celebrate their achievements and the milestone they have reached and to keep health and family, followed by work, as main priorities. He advised learners to always embrace challenges and failures as a way to build resilience and contentment.
Declan Ensko, Manager of Hustle Fitness, gave an energized motivational presentation expanding on three main messages learnt from his own ‘Moving On‘ experience. He said: “You learn more from failure than success. There is more than one single way to reach your end goal. Do what you love to do.” He also spoke about his expectations from staff as a manager, which provided great guidance and advice for those hoping to progress directly into employment.
Past learners Emmet Casey and Sarah Mc Mahon provided honest thoughtful and inspiring words in their reflections on their own ‘Moving On’ journeys. Emmet advised present learners not to rush into anything but take time to find their own individual niche. Sarah moved many staff and learners present to tears in her reflections. She spoke about her time in Youthreach as one where her belief and value in herself was nurtured and guided into fruition by the staff team and her experiences brought out the best in her. She described the staff as ‘incredible people’ and gave specific gratitude to Marie O Riordan RIP who she described as a ‘legend’ who had motivated her to return to education after many years dedicating herself to home and family.
Rachael Lambe, Information Officer with Clare Youth Service gave an insightful presentation on challenges, decisions and choices young people are faced with in ‘Moving On’. She provided helpful tips, information and support resources, which were distributed to all present. Martina Crowley Hayes, Resource Tutor with Youthreach, gave a clear outline of further training options as well as taster programmes available at the FET Clonroad Campus in Ennis. She also spoke about the importance of self-care and emphasised the availability of mentoring and guidance support that is always available to learners where needed. Joe Chandler, a Youthreach learner in Clonroad Campus, gave a rousing musical interlude, which added to the energy and enthusiastic engagement of all present. The schedule also included workshops focussing on: apprenticeship and traineeship options, full-time and part-time course options at Limerick College of Further Education and workshops on self-care.
Catherine Bracken, Senior Training Advisor, FET Raheen Campus, and Deirdre Aherne, Recruitment Officer, FET Shannon Campus, outlined the broad choice of options; from short courses to taster courses, as well as apprenticeships and traineeships available in both the ETB’s Further Education and Training Centres in Raheen and Shannon. Catherine noted that the energy, commitment, dedication and passion within the room, and throughout the seminar, were palpable and she said she felt really privileged to be a part of it. She said: “Youth provision is such an important part of our overall provision and all the young people present are a credit to their centres, their teachers, their co-ordinators and, above all, themselves.” Ruth Macken, PR Officer with LCFE, said she was delighted the college could be involved in the event: “It was a pleasure to be able to meet with the fantastic learners and offer help and information to them with a view to moving on to the next level, be that a Level 5 QQI course or a Pathway to Apprenticeship course. Our door is always open.”
Gerry Mitchell, psychotherapist with the ETB, engaged the learners in the practice of ‘coming back to myself’ and mindfully led learners to reflect on and prioritise the most important needs in their lives. All workshop facilitators suggested that centre visits would be beneficial to learners in helping them decide on further training options. Staff from both the ETB centres and Clare Youth Service offering Youthreach provision also took part in the workshops and supported the learners in moving from one workshop to another.
Gerard Griffin, National Co-ordinator Youthreach and VTOS, in his closing presentation also noted the energy and vitality in the room from the young people. He advised learners to embrace, appreciate and enjoy their youth and also to work hard, as life would be good to them by doing so. He also thanked the staff for their commitment.
Eddie Keane concluded the event by reiterating that ‘personal skills and motivation’ are key to progression. He thanked those involved in the organisation of the seminar, as well as the hotel for its hospitality and fantastic catering. He wished learners well in the future and invited all to enjoy the delicious lunch provided.
Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s Youth Education and Training provision is co-funded by the Government of Ireland, the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014 – 2020. Youthreach provision is offered at ten locations throughout Limerick and Clare, including eight FET Centres and two Community Training Centres.
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