Top speakers for Mayo Careers Fair 2024
Pictured launching the last in-person Mayo Careers Fair in 2020 were, from left: Michael Gill, Pat Howley MSLETB, Anne Ronayne Mayo County Council, Donal Hoban HSE and Cllr Al McDonnell.
Senior cycle and pre-senior cycle students and their families are invited to attend the Mayo Careers Fair/Aonach Gairme Mhaigh Eo 2024 at ATU Mayo, Castlebar, on Saturday next, January 20th, from 11am-3pm.
The event will provide students and their families with an opportunity to view the wide range of options at their disposal when they leave second-level education or if a mature learner is considering a return to education with the purpose of reskilling or upskilling.
Several guest speakers will also be in attendance on the day, including Dr Brian Mooney, one of the country’s foremost guidance counsellors and education experts who writes a weekly column in and Eileen Keleghan from the Central Applications Office, who will bring students through their options.
This is the first in-person Mayo Careers Fair to be held since 2020. Subsequent events were cancelled due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic later that year, so there is great excitement that the event is returning, especially as it proved so popular among students in the pre-Covid era when it attracted very large attendances.
The following exhibitors have already committed to hosting stands on the day: University of Galway; Maynooth University; Trinity College Dublin; Dublin City University; ATU Mayo; ATU Galway; ATU Sligo; ATU Donegal; St Patrick’s Pontifical University Maynooth; BIMM Institute Dublin; Technological University of the Shannon; National Tertiary Office; Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education and Training Board; Mayo College of Further Education and Training; North Connaught College of Further Education; Donegal ETB; Online Flexible and Professional Development; Accounting Technicians Ireland; Gaisce – The President’s Awards; College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE); An Garda Siochana; Irish Defence Forces; Employability Mayo; Gills Driving School; ESB Networks; South West Mayo Development Company; Westport Estate; CareerChoice.ie; Nua Healthcare; Career Navigation Consultants; Mayo Recovery College TFI Local Link Mayo and Mayo Credit Unions.
“We are also expecting further confirmation of exhibitors before the event, which will mean the Fair will provide an informative environment for everyone attending,” according to Pat Howley, Chairperson, Mayo Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) Education and Training Working Group.
The purpose of Mayo Careers Fair 2024 is to arm students and families with key information on the various options available to them upon completing their second-level education or to mature learners who wish to return to education to upskill or reskill. Admission is free of charge.
Stands from leading CAO universities and colleges will afford students the opportunity to ask key questions about those institutions, entry requirements and employment prospects. Non-college options will also be presented on the day.
The event is supported by Mayo County Council/Mayo.ie; MSLETB; the HSE; Mayo Local Employment Services; Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP); ATU; Údarás na Gaeltachta; South West Mayo Development Company; and Mayo North East LEADER Partnership.
“We invite post-primary students from Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Years, and their parents, teachers and guidance counsellors. Indeed, people from outside the county are more than welcome to come along, and we have had big attendances from neighbouring counties in previous years. This will be an exciting event, as it’s the first in-person event we’ve held since 2020” added Mr Howley.
“Our advice to students and their families is to come along on the day and speak with the various representatives from the colleges and other entities.”
This is a great opportunity for students and their parents to gain first-hand knowledge of various career choices, which will allow them to make informed decisions, not just in terms of the CAO process but also in relation to subject choices for the Leaving Cert cycle.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018-2023 is funded by the Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative. For further information, please visit the Pobal Website www.pobal.ie.
The organising committee for Mayo Careers Fair 2024 comprises Pat Howley, Anne Ronayne, Donal Hoban, Pamela Ní Thaidhg, Tracie O’Leary, Tim Rogers, Charlie Lambert, Mary Costello and Justin Sammon.
