ENNIS students have shown they are on the right path to success after being presented with awards at this year’s AIB Future Sparks Career Skills Competition by CareersPortal. 
Three Coláiste Muire students recently attended the competitions awards ceremony in Dublin where they were presented with prizes after taking part in the competition which encourages students to focus on the importance of career skills and understand the role these transferable skills can play in their future careers.
Aoibhín Collins won the overall prize in the Transition Year category of a Macbook Air and €1000 for the school guidance department for her career investigation on midwifery and her work experience with local florist Niamh Crowe of Keane’s Flowers with Niamh. 
Fellow student Ciara Ennis was highly commended for her career investigation on sports physiotherapy and her recent work experience in Zest while Dea Krasniqi  was commended for her career investigation on educational psychology and her recent work experience in the Holy Family Primary school in Ennis.
The competition, which was open to all senior cycle students who have undertaken a work experience placement, was developed 14 years ago by Ireland’s award-winning and leading career guidance website CareersPortal.
Close to 1500 students entered the competition this year and students could enter either in English or Irish through a written submission or Vlog entry. The 33 winning entries were selected from an impressive shortlist that included a diverse range of occupations from across all sectors which saw students working in microbiology labs, food production sites, game design, primary schools, hair salons and hotels to students lucky enough to gain work experience in NASA learning how to become an astronaut and a student who secured a trip to Strasbourg to experience becoming a Member of the European Parliament. The Career Skills competition provides an invaluable platform for students to showcase the research and learning acquired during their placement. Students can research occupations, career sectors and course on www.careersportal.ie and can even find work experience placements advertised by different organisations.
Speaking at the event Eimear Sinnott, MD of CareersPortal, said, “Research has shown that while academic performance is important, the development of career skills can be an even greater indicator of future success in the world of work. Students need to understand this as early as possible so that they can work on recognising and developing these important life skills. It is fantastic to see that the occupations investigated this year continue to be so diverse and that the educational pathways investigated are also broad and included Apprenticeships, Traineeships, and courses in Further and Higher Education.”
Karen Ruddock, Director Post-Primary Languages Ireland, speaking at the awards ceremony about the importance of language skills said, “The Career Skills competition highlights the multifaceted careers available to today’s young people, and we are delighted to be involved again this year. Languages are the cornerstone of global enterprise, serving as the bridge between cultures and markets. As we navigate an increasingly interconnected world, it is paramount that our students are equipped with the skills necessary to be able to compete and thrive in diverse professional landscapes. Foreign language learning also supports the development of transversal skills, skills which employers are looking for such as the ability to communicate well and across cultures, superior divergent thinking skills and empathy, shaping a brighter future for all.”