Students look ahead to the future at Tipperary school's careers fair

Pictured above: Scoil Mhuire 5th year students Kate Anthony, Chloe Woods and Molly Parker, Scoil Mhuire careers guidance counsellor Laura O’Sullivan, Defence Forces Corporal Eoghan Harris, Garda Eoin Philpott and Garda Fiona Gleeson, Community Policing, Rebecca Hunt, student paramedic and Fiona Lawless paramedic with the National Ambulance Service at Scoil Mhuire Secondary School Careers Fair in Carrick-on-Suir on Wednesday, February 25. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

Students at Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Suir were given a taste of the wide variety of job and education options available to them at a careers fair in their school hall last week.

The careers fair organised by the school's Careers Guidance Department featured about 30 stands manned by representatives of third level and further education colleges, local industries, financial and public services.

Scoil Mhuire careers guidance counsellor Laura O’Sullivan said the fair was attended by up to 250 of their students from third to sixth years as well as fifth years students from the nearby Edmund Rice Secondary School.

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The universities of Limerick, Cork, Maynooth and Dublin City were attended the fair as did the technological universities of the South East, Shannon and Munster and Mary Immaculate College.

Kildalton Agricultural College, Tipperary ETB representatives including from the College of Further Education in Carrick attended along with Waterford College of Further Education and the National Learning Network staff.

Radley Engineering, Suir Engineering MSD Ballydine, Amneal, Cashel; Sanofi and Autoboland, Waterford, Carrick’s AIB branch and Credit Union were among the local industries and employers who attended.

And personnel from the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and National Ambulance Service were on hand to give advice and information to students considering a career in those public services. The youth mental health organisation Jigsaw also had an information stand at the fair

Ms O’Sullivan, who worked with fellow guidance counsellor Síle O’Grady in organising the event, said their aim was to show students a diverse range of options to broaden their minds about the careers, education and training pathways available to them.

She paid tribute to the school’s Transition Year students, particularly those in the event management class run by Ashling Cummins, for their work in helping to organise the fair.

Ms O’Sullivan also thanked all her fellow staff members for their assistance, especially Principal Mary O’Keeffe.

“The fair was a whole school community effort. It was fantastic,” she said.

MSD scientists Conor Cuddihy and Karl Collins with TY students Ailish Walsh and Kayleigh Duggan at Scoil Mhuire Careers Fair

David O’Grady of Waterford College of Further Education with 5th year Scoil Mhuire students Leah Kearns and Emily Marshall.

Check out this report and more photos from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School Careers Fair in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops. 

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