Kerry College Open Week 2023 was a huge success with thousands of students, career changers and jobseekers attending campus locations in Listowel, Clash Road and Monavalley in Tralee.
More attended the Careers Event on Monday evening, the Parent/Guardian/Applicant Information Session on Tuesday evening and the Apprenticeship Open Evening on Thursday.
This week was a wonderful opportunity for prospective learners to talk to staff and current learners, and explore the campus facilities to see the broad range of courses on offer at the different campuses. Teachers, learning support and guidance staff at the Clash/Denny and Listowel Campus were available on the day to discuss the multitude of courses for progression and employment available in Kerry College and for visitors to see first-hand all that Kerry College has to offer.
Principal of Clash, Denny Street and Listowel Campuses, Mr. Stephen Goulding, welcomed Miriam Magner Flynn from Career Decisions and The Two Norries to the Clash Campus on Tuesday and they proved to be a huge hit on the night. He and his staff were especially delighted to welcome visitors to the new Kerry College Campus in Listowel. Principal, Stephen Goulding felt both learners and parents now consider Further Education and Training (FET) as a viable route to both employment and progression to Higher Education. A wealth of FET options are open to learners on the CAO application system and the huge course choice available represents an opportunity for learners to sample a career choice that is affordable before choosing a longer term path.
The Killorglin Campus staff travelled to the Monavalley Campus during Open Week to meet and speak with prospective learners. From the Outdoor Education and Training tent visitors were given the opportunity to speak with experienced instructors about the high quality and innovative Outdoor Education and Training courses on offer in Kerry College Killorglin Campus and even try out a few new skills. As we move towards a more sustainable and environmentally aware society, the courses from Killorglin Campus offer a chance to train those who will connect our population with the environment. Two of the instructors were also interviewed on the Jerry O’Sullivan show and discussed the various opportunities available to those who want to work in the outdoors. Keep an eye on the Killorglin Campus this year as there are many new courses in development across the whole outdoor sector so there might be something there for you.
In the Monavalley Campus attendees had the opportunity to visit the Skills Village which was showcasing Stone Crafting, Plumbing, Fibre Technician, Medical Administration, Overhead Lines and many more apprenticeships and courses. Visitors could try their hand at basic skills and find inspiration for their future.
2,000 visitors attended the Apprenticeship Open Evening in the Monavalley Campus on Thursday evening which was over double the number of visitors last year. They had the chance to meet Kerry based employers who take on apprentices on a regular basis. They also had the opportunity to hear what it was like to work as an apprentice and build a career ‘earning while learning’. There were over 35 employers at the event this year and we would like to thank each and every one of them for coming along. Some included Dairymaster, ESB Networks, Energywise Ireland, FIT, Liebherr, O’Carroll Engineering, OPW, Mayo Sligo ETB (Butchery Apprenticeship), TLI Group, Torc Precision Engineering Ltd, Irish Naval Service to name but a few.
Manager of the Monavalley Campus, Con O’Sullivan feels this is just the beginning of a wider change: “The level of public engagement across our Open Week is a clear sign that parents, school leavers, career changers and jobseekers are looking for a more direct route to work – with increasing demand on our suite of accelerated practical skills training options; such as Apprenticeship and Professional Development programmes. Our responsive and agile team in Monavalley is best positioned to create a suite of training options that is both anticipative and responsive to business needs, informed by the work of our Business Support Unit.
Kerry College runs courses all year round – you can view their courses on www.college.ie or call their admissions office in Tralee on 066 714 9696 or 064 662 2593 in Killarney.
