Time for further education and training to shine

New campaign ‘This is FET’ showcases further education and training

It is time for further education and training and the opportunities it brings to be recognised and valued. This is at the heart of the new ‘This is FET’ campaign.

The ‘This is FET’ campaign is centred around a new website, thisisfet.ie, which tells the stories of learners, graduates and employers about the positive impact FET has had on their careers and businesses. Information about the diverse range of FET courses can also be found on the website.

The campaign, which coincided with European Skills Week, was officially at an event where panellists including Harry McCann, Entrepreneur and Managing Director of Trendster Media; Shauna Keogh, Emmy-nominated TV producer and director; and costume designer, Kate Stitt shared their FET experience.

As part of the campaign, light projections profiling FET learners and graduates lit up some of Ireland’s most iconic buildings over the course of European Skills Week. The projections took place at:

• Barnado’s Square, Dame Street, Dublin 2,

• Cork College of Commerce, Cork City,

• The Rock of Cashel, Tipperary,

Commenting at the launch of ‘This is FET’, Nikki Gallagher, Director of Communications and Secretariat at SOLAS, said “it is brilliant to hear so many FET success stories. We know the positive impact FET can have on the lives of individual learners, businesses and communities. This narrative is starting to be shared and people are starting to appreciate the massive impact FET can have. No matter where you are in your education or your career, FET courses offer flexible, life-long learning.”

Nessa White, General Secretary at ETBI said: ‘Through the extensive ETB network, we can ensure that FET has a presence in every town and every community in Ireland. Not only does this mean that FET is easy to access, it also means that we are close to and responsive to the needs of the community.”

Thisisfet.ie is a collaboration between SOLAS and the ETBs and aims to be an information hub as well as showcasing the achievements and success of FET learners.

An example of some of the success stories featured on thisisfet.ie are -

• Danay Berhane, who has always wanted to be a chef. Following a ‘Professional Cookery’ course in Cork College of Commerce, he graduated from CIT and was crowned the 2019 Dairy Chef of the Year competition in Paris, and now works in Adare Manor;

• Kate Stitt, who following a degree in Fine Art, worked in retail. Following a ‘Nationwide’ episode on the costume design, she enrolled at Inchicore College of Further Education and has just graduated top of her class; and

• Former event manager Laura Mulkeen, who always had a passion for craft-focused work. She completed welding courses in Donegal ETB and now works as a coded pipe welder.

Further information on the ‘This is FET’ campaign can be found at: www.thisisFET.ie, #ThisisFET, @thisisfet.