The Lord Mayor of Dublin was guest of honour at an event to celebrate the achievements of students from three Dublin schools in completing Career Ready – a unique work readiness programme for senior cycle students.
Career Ready is managed by Junior Achievement Ireland (JAI) to enable specially-selected senior cycle students to complete a range of activities designed to increase their skills and improve their confidence. Despite all the challenges thrown at them in the last 18 months, students and mentors have continued to work through a programme of work to enhance employability skills as well as engaging in career planning and attending masterclasses. This unique initiative is supported by mentors from a wide array of sectors, who see the benefit for students as they come to recognise their potential, develop their employability skills, enhance their academic progress, and gain insights into the world of work. The 2019-2021 cohort comprises thirty-six students from St. Paul’s CBS, North Brunswick St; Loreto College, Crumlin and Our Lady of Mercy, Beaumont.
Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland joined the students to celebrate the completion of the two-year work readiness programme and commended all the teachers school leaders and mentors for ensuring this co-curricular initiative continued despite the public health situation. In acknowledging the achievements of the students, the Lord Mayor said:
“By challenging themselves to apply for and participate in the Career Ready programme, these young people have taken their first steps in shaping their own futures. By completing this programme they have acquired new skills and explored new interests. Most importantly – their determination to maximise their potential while being willing to accept help and support from others means they should have every confidence in their ability to achieve their goals in the future. I would like to congratulate them on their achievements and thank all involved for making this unique learning experience available to the next generation of leaders.”
Mentors, masterclasses, workplace visits and internships for Career Ready 2019-21 were available to students because of the generosity of the following organisations:
A&L Goodbody, AIG, Ammeon, Amundi, Arrow Global, Avanade, BNY Mellon, Citi, Deloitte, Diageo, Paul Dicker Consulting, Eisner Amper, KBC, Mater Private, Matheson and MetLife.
Teacher Finn Dunleavy said: “At ‘The Brunner’ we have participated in Career Ready since its inception and appreciate the incredible set of opportunities this initiative provides for our students. Engaging with professionals from a wide range of industries and enjoying masterclasses/ workshops on a diverse range of topics has a significant impact. It is critical that we open students’ eyes to the range of possibilities that are available while helping them to see the relevance of their studies to their post-school choices. Thank you to all those involved”
On behalf of Junior Achievement Ireland, CEO Helen Raftery said: “The importance of role models in helping us learn and develop is fundamental. When caring adults are involved in education, students do better in school and life, adults become empowered, and schools and communities grow stronger. We are very grateful to all our partners for their support of the Career Ready initiative and we hope all the students and their mentors take huge satisfaction from their achievements particularly in such challenging circumstances.”
