Press release
Minister Foley welcomes first cross-border Industry Insights for Teachers seminar promoting teacher engagement with industry
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Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Education Norma Foley today welcomed the first cross-border Industry Insights session for teachers and guidance counsellors. The event, a first of its kind on this island, is taking place online today in conjunction with Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) and Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITCNI). The seminar will be hosted by environmental services company Veolia.
Industry Insights for Teachers is an initiative funded by the Department of Education to provide key observations on global business initiatives for post-primary teachers, facilitate collaboration between teachers and the corporate world and to provide students with up-to-date information and advice on industry developments and opportunities for future employment.
Welcoming the initiative, Minister Foley said:
“This is an important collaboration between industry and schools, on the island of Ireland. We live in a modern, ever-changing, global marketplace and it is important that our students receive a 21st century education that embeds them with the tools to remain competitive in this global marketplace. It’s essential that our teachers and guidance counsellors know how business is evolving and what skills today’s students will need to succeed in their careers. The department is pleased to be able to support this type of collaboration.”
Head of Education at BITCI Germaine Noonan said:
“It is energising to gather teachers from North and South on the topic of environmental management with our member company Veolia to deliver our Industry Insights series in an engaging way. We are delighted to collaborate with our sister organisation Business in the Community Northern Ireland on this initiative.”
Veolia Chief Financial & Commercial Officer Ireland and Regional Director Northern Ireland, Sinéad Patton said:
“Veolia is delighted to participate in the Industry Insights series with BITCI and BITCNI. As a leader of ecological transformation, it is a great opportunity for us to connect directly with teachers and guidance counsellors – every industry sector needs to be able to communicate on skills gaps, new job opportunities, emerging technologies and what hard and soft skills are needed to ensure they are sustainable.”
Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) is a movement for sustainable change in business. BITCI has a suite of education programmes that aim to develop mutually beneficial partnerships between schools and business in Ireland which support the government’s overall strategy on educational inclusion. Its suite of six programmes support students, principals, and teachers in post-primary, and literacy and numeracy in primary schools.