Great turnout for local education fair

THERE was a big turnout for this year’s Ballymun Whitehall Education Fair, which took place on Thursday, September 13 in Ballymun Civic Centre.

The community based event was organised by Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership and over 40 local education and training providers displayed information on the education opportunities available in the area.

More than 250 local people came along to find out about what was on offer at what is an important time of year in education.

With the kids back in school many local adults are on the lookout for a course that will further their own education and the fair had info on evening courses, full time degrees and job retraining.

Education programme manager Colma Nic Lughadha says anybody who missed the fair can find details at www.ballymuncourses.org.

“This annual education fair helps people find out about a course or a workshop that suits them,

? she said.

“We at Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership believe that the experience and the learning you get from a course brings real value to your life; that

‘education is value for life; so to speak.

“We would also say that community based education offered by the organisations at this education fair is providing genuine value for money for funders and policy makers. It’s important in an economic downturn.

“Our fair helps connect local people to the right course or support service and helps education and training organisations reach out to local people almost on their own doorstep!

“As anticipated there was a large attendance at this event and we are delighted that so many local people dropped in to browse and to sign up.

?

The fair opened at 9am with the official opening taking place at 11am with local TD Roisin Shortall (Lab) who commended the Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership on keeping the importance of education on the agenda.

Minister Shortall also congratulated the two special guest speakers, local women Clare Carey and Sarah Lambe, who spoke about their own experiences and the ups and downs of returning to education and learning.