Fine Gael Deputy for Longford-Westmeath, Peter Burke, in conjunction with Cllr John Dolan, will host a public meeting in Athlone aimed at school-leavers and their parents, about future opportunities in education and in the workforce.
The meeting, which will be held this Thursday at 7.30pm in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, will hear from representatives from LWETB, Ericsson, AIT, Collins McNicholas Recruitment, Moate Business College and from representatives from Sonas who run apprenticeships from Athlone. There will also be information about the SUSI application process and how students can apply for grants.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, Deputy Burke said:
“Students and parents are overloaded with information about various opportunities, and this often coincides with when students are at their busiest with exams,” he said. “There is a wealth of opportunity both locally and nationally for students, from PLCs and Level 8 courses to apprenticeships and graduate jobs with local companies such Ericsson.
“We have representatives from AIT and Moate Business College speaking on the night, as well as management from Ericsson who will outline what the company is seeking in graduates when they complete third level education.
“We also have a guidance staff from LWETB addressing students and parents, and the meeting will also be attended by representatives from Sonas, who run their apprenticeship through Athlone Training Centre.
“Athlone-based Collins McNicholas Recruitment will be there to speak on graduate opportunities, and the industries they work with that are currently recruiting. My office will be providing attendees with information on the SUSI grant system, and the deadlines and processes involved in applying for the student grant.
“For students who decide that university isn’t the right option for them, there are local options such as apprenticeships and further education.
“I helped a large amount of families fill out their SUSI forms last year as the process can be quite lengthy and document-heavy so I felt it would be helpful for parents to have an idea of what is involved before they sit down with the students to complete the online form.”
The meeting is open to everyone and light refreshments will be served after.
