Kerry ETB Fair Is A Must For Jobseekers And Those Looking To Upskill

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Sharon Browne, Adult Education Officer Kerry ETB; Mr. Owen O’Donnell Director of Further Education and Training with Kerry ETB; Shivaun Shanahan, Adult Education Officer Kerry ETB and Colm McEvoy, CEO of Kerry ETB.

KERRY ETB will hold its annual Further Education and Training Fair, on Wednesday, March, 22 from 10am to 6pm at the Brandon Hotel.

The public are invited to this free event with a variety of interactive skill demonstrations ranging from stonecutting, to 3D printing that can make prototypes, culinary arts, tour guiding, hairdressing, beauty, healthcare and childcare, animal grooming, photography, TV, film and radio production, wind turbine maintenance, fibre optic installation, motor mechanics, CAD, administration and finance.

There are a number of free workshops for anyone who has always wanted to try creative writing, make a garden out of a pallet or learn to be a more effective communicator.

The day will have a special focus on finance and supports available to learners, from how to apply for a SUSI grant, to the Back to Education Allowance, financial management, as well as academic and personal supports available including adult guidance and the community based mental health Peer Support Network.

This Further Education and Training (FET) Fair will be of interest to jobseekers, second chance learners, school leavers, employers, parents, guidance counsellors and anyone interested in lifelong learning.

Schools are invited in the morning, while the focus from lunchtime onwards is for adults and employers.

It will be possible for three lucky people to update their ICT tools with a Samsung Galaxy A7” tab thanks to the kind sponsorship of Hugh Culloty’s in Tralee.

These tabs will be very helpful to anyone returning to learning so keep an eye out for competitions on the Kerry ETB FET Fair Facebook page, on Spin SW, Radio Kerry and at the event day.

Kerry ETB has 20 Further Education and Training centres spread across ten towns in Kerry, offering hundreds of courses, full and part time, as well as evening and online, giving people the opportunity to pursue personal and professional learning goals.

This event aims to bring together the work of all centres and showcase to the public what is available to people interested in getting more skills for work, life, family and community.
Further education courses are ideal for anyone over the age of 16 and not in full time education.

Both mature students and school leavers often pursue PLC courses (Post Leaving Certificate) with the intention of trying a new career or area of study before committing to a third level degree.

Equally many PLC learners acquire skills and knowledge that allows them to progress directly to employment in a range of areas including business, computing, childcare, nursing, construction, computing, leisure, media, music etc.

The Kerry ETB Further Education PLC Colleges in Tralee and Listowel will be available to talk to the public about supports on offer through their Open Learning Centres, where adult students can learn about study skills and how to write assignments, often a daunting task for people who have not been in education in recent years or may have left school early.

Given the recovering economy in Ireland this year there are talks on Apprenticeships for both employers and those considering this ‘earn as you learn’ pathway to a national craft qualification.

On the day, the public can talk to instructors from the plumbing, electrical, fitting, carpentry and joinery, motor, stonecutting and metal fabrication Apprenticeships, all of which are delivered in Kerry by the ETB Training Centre.

For second chance adult learners, opportunities range from literacy, numeracy and basic education, through to Leaving Certificate for adults, employability and technology skills available through Vocation Training Opportunity Scheme (VTOS) programmes around Kerry.

A number of community education projects are run in parishes all over the county, where learning is at the heart of volunteering and sustaining rural communities.

Any community groups wishing to explore opportunities for their area or group can speak to staff on the day.

The door is open to any employer who wants to come on the day and discuss options for future staff training for business and industry, from the small trader to large factory.

Also for employers there will be a Skills for Work section on Kerry ETB courses that offer free training to staff in companies who need basic education for their work roles.

Some of the workshops must be pre-booked, although they are free, due to the limited number of places. More information is available on the Kerry ETB website and on the Facebook event page Kerry ETB FET Fair.

Owen O’Donnell Director of FET said “we really are in the business of creating a learning society in Kerry.

Kerry ETB has something for everyone, from world class skills and qualifications to second chance education. We say that sometimes in life you don’t get a second chance, but with Kerry ETB you do. So we invite you to be the best that you can be, with Kerry ETB”.

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