For the past several months, a group of secondaryschoolstudents have participated in a YouthinAction Programme in Galway to help them explore various career options. The project, called “Healthy Habits, Fulfilling Futures”, was held at Ros Geal Residence in Galway.
In today’s economic climate, many students have serious concerns about their future employment prospects. That, combined with a lack of knowledge about what most careers are actually like, created a great opportunity for them to explore various jobs by interacting with young people who are already working in those professions.
Each month a different speaker talked about a typical day, the ups and downs of that specific career, and how she entered that field. The careers included technology, medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, and speech therapy. Many of the speakers actually missed the points they needed for the career they are now in, and instead entered their profession through another route. This inspired many of the students who are just beginning to think about the CAO and their Leaving Certificate results.
The different speakers offered their contact information with the possibility of setting up work placements and job shadow days for the students. The students also interviewed each other on what careers they were interested in and then watched and critiqued their interview videos.
“Healthy Habits, Fulfilling Futures” is a youth initiative that is funded by the EU Youth in Action Programme and sponsored by Leargas. For more information, please contact [email protected] or www.rosgeal.org
