| Diageo Bursary Awards |
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Monday the 11th October saw the presentation of educational Bursary Awards funded by Diageo Global Supply, Dundalk. The Bursary Award is now in its fourth year, the first partnership of its kind in Co. Louth. Recipients of the Bursary Award had returned to full time Adult Education under the remit of Co. Louth VEC’s, Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme. An integral aspect of all the adult education programmes is to afford adults the opportunity to study towards attainment of certification at a variety of differing levels, including Leaving Certificate and FETAC Awards. The aim of such courses is to facilitate adults to progress into employment or onto courses of further study. The Diageo Bursary Awards were devised to assist those adults who had successfully completed courses with Co. Louth VEC and who then progressed to Dundalk Institute of Technology to take up full time courses of study to degree level. Mr. Pat Tracey Operations Manager with Diageo Global Supply recalled Dundalk’s long history with the former Guinness Company and indeed the many years that Brewing had provided employment in the town of Dundalk. He went on to warmly commend the adults who were receiving the Bursary Awards, wishing them every success with their chosen course of study. He spoke of his admiration for the students in choosing the pathway of third level study towards attainment of their long term goals of employment and personal fulfillment. In wishing them every success he noted how influential their personal example would be to members of their own family and indeed the community itself. Pat thanked all those who had contributed to bringing the Bursary Awards to fruition, in particular those employees of Diageo who worked with Co. Louth VEC, in particular Pat acknowledged the work of Sadie Ward McDermott for bringing the awards from a proposal to a reality.
Dennis Cummins, Director of DKIT hosted the presentation ceremony and spoke of the very good working relations which had developed between Co. Louth VEC and DKIT over recent years. In welcoming the fourth year of the educational Bursary Award for students of DKIT, he commented that he hoped this initiative would encourage other local Companies to do likewise. Dennis commended the students for their hard work and dedication which had brought them this far and he assured the recipients that DKIT would continue to be most supportive of them in pursuance of their third level studies.
Dr. Pádraig Kirk, CEO Co. Louth VEC commended the students for their dedication and application to their studies to date. In acknowledging the excellent working relations which existed between Co. Louth VEC and DKIT, Dr. Kirk paid tribute to the foresight of Diageo PLC in establishing such a Bursary. Dr. Kirk acknowledged the key role played by Pat Tracey in bringing this award to fruition thereby providing tangible support to people from Co. Louth in their continuance in Adult Education. |
