Press Release
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 (NR/08/10)
Students Get a Taste for Working Life
Post-primary students were treated to a multi-sensory experience at Further Education Colleges across NI as they got a taste of working life. Students experienced a variety of careers, from forensics to music recording, during the ‘Taste and See’ event organised by CCEA.
Now in its fourth year, the ‘Taste and See’ events were held at Further Education Colleges across Northern Ireland and attracted participation from over 80 grammar, secondary and special schools. Year 9 pupils took part in a variety of sessions, including performing arts, photography and joinery.
CCEA’s Education Manager Vivienne Bannon commented:
Last year more than 4000 students took part in this programme and it is fantastic to see so many pupils take part again this year. The aim of these innovative events is to give young people a taster of work life, to open up their minds and inspire them with real-life examples of careers.
CCEA want to help prepare students for adult and working life, by giving them hands-on experience. Team work, creativity and problem solving activities are built into the day, ensuring that the events are closely linked to the Key Stage 3 curriculum. From speaking with many of the pupils, I know they have had a rich learning experience.
Katrina Rawlins, Year 9 student from Dromore High School, thoroughly enjoyed her experience at ‘Taste and See’:
'It was a fun and interesting experience. I have seen jobs in a new light and it has given me a good idea of the kind of skills I need to do different jobs.
Additional Information
A number of ‘Taste and See’ events have taken place at the following Further Education Colleges:
- Belfast Metropolitan College (Millfield & Castlereagh campuses)
- North West Regional College (Strabane, Derry, Springtown and Limavady campuses)
- South West Regional College (Dungannon, Omagh, Enniskillen & Enniskillen Skills Centre)
- Southern Regional College (Newry, Greenbank, Portadown, Lurgan and Armagh campuses)
Learning for Life and Work
Learning for Life and Work (LLW) became mandatory in schools in September 2007 as part of the revised curriculum and it focuses on preparing pupils for the world of work and adult life. For the past four years schools across NI have been leading the way and championing CCEA initiatives that help implement the programme fully.
LLW at key stage 3 incorporates four keys areas:
- Employability
- Citizenship
- Personal Development
- Home Economics
Year 9 BRA pupil Michael Calhoun shows classmate Louis Gibson how it’s
done in a catering class at Belfast Metropolitan
Dromore High School pupils carefully navigate electrical work at
South Eastern Regional College
Wellington College pupils learn how to pamper each other in Nail Technician
class at the Castlereagh campus
Dylan Kelly from St Peter’s High School, Derry is shown the tricks of the trade by
NWRC plumbing tutor
Media enquiries to Ruth Maguire on (028) 9026 1216, Mobile 07796947993. E mail rhmaguire@ccea.org.uk
ENDS
Note to Editors
CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"
What we do
CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.
Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.
Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.
Awarding Qualifications
– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.
- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.
