EXCITEMENT is building for the Kerry ETB Further Education and Training Event of the year as the list of live skill demonstrations and event activities continues to grow.
The event takes place on this Thursday, April 19 from 11am-6pm at the Brandon Hotel Tralee. And if you live outside Tralee, the good news is there are free buses to the event. See timetable below…
This event is ideal for school leavers and their parents, mature students, jobseekers and people who want to up up-skill and well as employers looking for staff training and trained staff.
The public are invited to visit the Pop-Up Restaurant, Hair and Beauty Salon, Dog Grooming Parlour, Wind Turbine Simulator, Stonecutting & Landscaping Installation, Apprenticeship Display, Film, TV and radio studios. You can even try voicing a radio commercial and they will email it to you.
Hairdressing students will showcase skills in blow-drying, up-styling, braids and GHD styling. The public are invited to experience first-hand the art of dressing hair and bridal work. Meanwhile Beauty Therapy Trainees will do live makeup artistry and nail treatments demonstrations.
A huge Apprenticeship display will show what is involved in the high demand welding and fabrication course area, plumbing, motor mechanics, as well providing information for electricians and carpenters.
The letter carving, stone carving, clay modelling, stone balancing and stonewall construction display are annual showstoppers.
Foodies will love the pop-up restaurant with light bites served all day. There will be a Dingle Bay Bouillabaisse Demonstration at lunchtime, followed by the timed Two Egg Omelette ‘Eggstravoganza’.
Anyone aspiring to get involved in radio or podcasting as a career can try voicing a radio commercial and have the finished item emailed to them.
Being one of the main Irish tourist counties Kerry ETB offers National and Regional Tour Guiding, Marine and Inland Angling Guiding courses to meet industry demand.
Post Leaving Certificate courses are also of huge interest to both mature students and young people who increasingly choosing PLC as a Pre-University foundation year to sample a new vocational area before committing to a Degree. This year gaming and fashion design has been added.
Adult education courses such as VTOS and Youthreach, with their built-in career guidance, academic, personal and childcare supports are a great option for many people, especially as these are available countywide and even have a two year Leaving Certificate option for adults in North Kerry.
Anyone with literacy issues can confidentially find out about courses in reading, writing, numeracy, English for speakers of other languages and family learning.
This year Hugh Culloty Expert has sponsored three Lenovo Tab 7 Essential Tablets as Spot Prizes for winners of the Orienteering Treasure Hunt that will be run at the event by Kerry ETB’s Cappanlea Outdoor Education & Training Centre. Keep an eye out also for social media competitions.
Those looking for information on student finance, courses, careers or supports for students will have free access to professional career guidance and information staff as well as SUSI and Intreo.
And of course there are also plenty of evening and part time BTEI choices for people who want to upskill in the jobs, are considering a complete career change or just want to pursue a personal interest. In fact employers too are invited to find out about what is available to them and their staff.
This event brings together the countywide offerings of Kerry ETB from the five rural adult education centres, Further Education Colleges, the ETB Training Centre and community education courses that are run in over 100 Kerry parishes.