Donal Costigan, a lecturer at the VTOS scheme in Kilkenny, is celebrating after scooping a coveted City & Guilds Medal for Excellence, awarded for his outstanding performance as a teacher of IT.
Donal was presented with his award by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan, on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at the City & Guilds Irish awards ceremony in Dublin.
He has been teaching for over 10 years and was chosen from over 1,000 lecturers and trainers throughout the UK and Ireland to win a Medal for Excellence.
When asked how he felt about winning a City & Guilds Medal for Excellence, Donal said, “it is a great privilege to receive such great recognition for my years spent teaching. I am also delighted to accept this award on behalf of our centre, for which this is also a great accomplishment.”.
“Donal has encouraged, motivated and supported learners in VTOS and I offer him my most heartfelt congratulations on behalf of City & Guilds on winning a well-deserved Medal for Excellence,” said Brid Healy, Country Manager, City & Guilds Ireland.
Presenting the awards the Tánaiste said, “I wish to congratulate those who have been awarded City & Guilds Medals for Excellence which are a wonderful testament to the standards that they have all achieved in striving for excellence and success in their respective fields. They are a benchmark for all learners and trainers and they prove that hard work and commitment pays off.
“Skills such as these are essential in the current recessionary climate, and now more than ever we need a skilled and flexible workforce to ensure our economic recovery and to help us retain our competitiveness.”
Having already overseen the success of two of his students achieving City & Guilds Medals for Excellence, Donal is now in the running to win one of eight prestigious City & Guilds Lion Awards, dubbed the ‘education Oscars’, which will be announced in London in April at a gala event to celebrate learning, success and achievement
