Healthy staff breakfast at Nenagh College as part of Well Being in the Workplace 2017
Author: sjburke
Open Evening for Local Businesses at Nenagh College
On Thursday 9th March Nenagh College hosted an evening for the business community in Nenagh in recognition of the partnership between them and the school. With a wide range of second level programmes (LCA, LCVP and Transition Year) coupled with an extensive PLC Adult provision the school engages in almost 220 work experience placements each year.
The Principal, Damien Kennedy, in welcoming the business people acknowledged the strong partnership which is essential for the completion of each of the programmes and the generosity of the local business community in providing those places.He welcomed the Keynote Speaker for the evening, Ms. Rose Mary O Reilly and her colleague Pete Kennedy from First Data. Nenagh’s newest employers, who will be in partnership with Nenagh College for the provision of training for prospective employees with their company.
Lucinda Dillon, Coordinator of PLC at Nenagh College noted the increase in demand for places on PLC courses in Nenagh College, arising from the announced arrival of First Data, and the increase in enrolment at post primary level over the last number of years. Nenagh College now caters for over 500 learners each year. Lucinda introduced one of the current PLC students James Clifford. James outlined how he had benefited from having availed of work experience during Transition Year, LCVP and PLC and how he had honed the skills learned in the classroom through interaction with the wider community.
Deputy Alan Kelly, who was the driving force behind bringing First Data to Nenagh, congratulated the College on instigating the opportunity of a lifetime by forging links with First Data. He said that the school had shown great initiative and that such foresight was very impressive and that this will see the growth of PLC courses in Nenagh College. He thanked and congratulated Nenagh College and said it was admirable to see the College going from strength to strength. He said this partnership with First Data is a credit to the staff and BOM of Nenagh College.
Denis Finnerty, in his dual capacity as local business man and Chairperson of the Board of Management of Nenagh College spoke of the value of work experience programmes to the business community. He reflected on the fact that over half his employees have come to him through such initiatives. He said there is a vibrant, young staff in the school and that new relationships are being forged with First Data and with the Chamber of Commerce. This shows flexibility and agility and has been noted and appreciated by the wider community. First Data are a major employer and he wished them every success. He pointed out that it is very important to meet the needs of companies – and that it is great to see courses being set to meet the needs of business.
Ms. Eileen Condon, outlined her remit as Director of Further Education and Training with TETB which supports those coming back into education as adults. She said that there are over 10,000 people in the county availing of further education through Tipperary ETB. Full time and part time courses from Level 1 to Level 6 on the Qualifications Framework are being offered. She said that course provision has been implemented based on what employers are looking for and there has been a willingness to change by the course providers, and there has not been a clash or duplication of courses.
Our keynote speaker and VP for HR with First Data was Rose Mary O Reilly, she thanked the Principal and all the staff for inviting First Data to Nenagh College, she saw it as a wonderful opportunity to meet other business people in the area. She said a very big thank you to Deputy Alan Kelly and all the people of Tipperary for their welcome and support. She introduced her colleague, Pete Kennedy, who will be heading up the early stages of the project in Nenagh. She said that First Data is a No. 1 Global Service Company processing online transactions.
 First Data in numbers:
- 28% of all global Ecommerce traffic
- Operate in 6m stores world wide
- Work with 4,000 Financial Institutions
- 80 Billion transactions were processed last year
- 2,500 transactions per second are processed each year
- Operating in 36 countries
- Handle 51% AIB Merchant Services – Credit Division and own 49% Lloyds Bank in the UK.
- First Data is the engine behind Apple Pay/Amazon/Pay Pal
- Ford In – Car Payments are the latest innovation.
Science Trip to Aughinish Alumina Plant
A group of senior cycle Chemistry and Biology students from Nenagh College, recently visited the Aughinish Alumina plant located on the Shannon estuary near Foynes, Co. Limerick, Europe’s largest Bauxite refinery.
The facility extracts Aluminium Oxide (Alumina) from the raw material Bauxite. Alumina provides the basic raw material from which Aluminium metal is manufactured. The raw material is shipped in from a diversity of global locations, ranging from Guinea, on the west coast of Africa to Brazil and China.
Interestingly, the by-product from the process (spent Bauxite) is compacted on nearby lands where a selection of flora is grown, providing a designated wildlife sanctuary that is inhabited by many species of plants and animals.
Catriona Hanley a member of staff at the facility, provided the students an extensive history of the plant, which has been in operation for over thirty years. The students were then given a comprehensive tour of the refinery; ranging from the deep water jetty where Bauxite arrives and is offloaded via cargo ship, to the final stage of the processing where the Alumina is exported to be refined into Aluminium metal.
The tour provided students with a practical understanding of the theoretical concepts which they study and also an excellent insight into what is an absolutely fascinating production facility.
