Kilkenny Carlow ETB to celebrate students, staff and services with inaugural ETB Week

Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB) is to mark ten years since it was established this month with a week-long celebration of its students and staff, showcasing the services it provides to 15,000 learners annually across Kilkenny and Carlow.

The inaugural ETB Week (February 27 - March 3), culminating in ETB Day on Thursday, March 2, will see KCETB and other education and training boards around the country host events across their schools, offices and centres.

Led by Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), some of the national events and initiatives planned include: the first ETB Excellence Awards in Croke Park hosted by RTE newsreader Ray Kennedy, the launch of a competition to establish an ETB anthem, and an inspiring ETB Heroes media campaign featuring five former and current learners and staff who have excelled in their chosen field. One of the heroes in the campaign is Kilkenny City Vocational School teacher Michael Farrell.

Complementing the national activities, KCETB will start and finish ETB week with two celebratory events: a launch at Tyndall College for staff and stakeholders in tandem with an outside broadcast from KCLR96FM on Monday, February 27, and a series of staff tea parties in different centres, schools and offices to conclude the week on Friday, March 3.

In between, there are several initiatives planned to showcase KCETB and its services. They include: A training opportunities event for hospitality employers and learners at KCETB’s Hospitality Academy in Gowran, a workshop for guidance counsellors on KCETB’s educational provision at the Hoban Hotel, and a family learning event, including the launch of Special Purpose Awards at the Lord Bagenal Inn.

The ethos of KCETB schools will be highlighted at a special event in Borris Vocational School on March 1, culminating in the opening of a new ASD unit. Separately, learners across KCETB’s Further Education and Training Service (FET) will celebrate and have their voices heard at a special Learner Voice initiative on Tuesday, February 28 in the Dolmen Hotel Carlow.

Cllr Fergal Browne, who is the chairperson of KCETB, said the events planned for the inaugural ETB week reflect and scope and breadth of KCETB’s services.

“KCETB was established ten years ago this year to provide education, training and youth work services across Kilkenny and Carlow," he says.

"We have since grown and currently provide education to 15,000 annual learners. The scope and breadth of our service is huge. We operate and manage 13 post-primary schools, two colleges of further education and training, and a very extensive range of youth, adult and community education services across Kilkenny and Carlow. ETB Week, including ETB Day on Thursday, March 2, is an opportunity to thank our staff and highlight the hugely important work they do, on our behalf. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students, from post-primary to further education and training."

Commenting on ETB Week , the chief executive of KCETB, Eileen Curtis said the inaugural ETB Week allows for reflection on what has been learned and achieved in ten years within the Kilkenny and Carlow communities.

"It is also an opportunity to highlight our core belief that learning is for all, that learning has the power to change lives and build communities, and that our schools and further education and training centres offer an educational pathway for every student. Our aspiration for all our students is that they Flourish through Learning with KCETB," she said.

"This is an opportunity to showcase the work that we do and the ethos that we promote in our schools and centres across the two counties”.

Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB) is a leading provider of education and training in the south east, enabling 15,000 annual learners to reach their potential by offering a series of education pathways in schools, colleges, training centres and community settings.

KCETB manages and operates 13 post-primary schools, two colleges of further education and training, an extensive range of adult and community education services across Kilkenny and Carlow, as well as the co-ordination of youth services, and the promotion of music education through Music Generation. The organisation employs 1,377 people and operates an annual budget of €80 million.

For details on ETB Week, follow #ETBDay #LáETB