Gala graduation for Cork College of FET-Kinsale Campus

STUDENTS from the Cork College of FET-Kinsale Campus enjoyed a graduation ceremony at Actons Hotel, Kinsale in recent days.

The graduates had completed various Level 5 and Level 6 courses during the academic year of 2022-2023. The Director of Kinsale College Martin Coleman said the graduation ceremony was a great day. 

“It was held to recognise the successful students who graduated in all the various Level 5 and Level 6 college courses during the academic year. There were probably about 100 students there for the graduation ceremony, but overall, 200 hundred students or so would have graduated. Half of them came to the ceremony, as a lot of the students were unable to come due to work or prior commitments. The students brought along their friends and family members which made for a nice atmosphere. It was a very good day,” he added.

Mr Coleman was full of praise for the hard-working students who were great to work with throughout the college year. 

“The students deserve a lot of praise for their diligence and hard work throughout the year. They were great to work with. The students comprised of a total cross section of the public. We have people who have just left school, people who have been in employment and want to change or just want to upskill and go down a different path. We had people from the age of 18 up to people in their fifties. It was a very broad group."

“The students will now go on various journeys,” the director added. “A lot of them will now be going on to third level. A good few of them will be going on to pursue college courses in both MTU and UCC. Other students will come back to the Kinsale Campus and maybe do a Level 6 course which will add to their skills and qualifications. An awful lot of them have already entered the workforce and have already found employment after graduating which is great to see."

“Completing courses at the Kinsale Campus enable students the opportunity to pursue more options at third level and the chance to enter the workforce with strong qualifications," Mr Coleman explained further. The beauty of further education is that the students get work experience during the courses. They get placements in a lot of local businesses. This enables them to learn a lot of good skills to go into the work force or go into third level education. The pathways are there for the students to grasp and make the most out of,” he said. 

Mr Coleman said Cork College of FET-Kinsale Campus will be running all the same courses as last year again for this academic term. 

“We have all the same courses as last year. Our maximum number would be around 300 students at a push. Anything around the 200 to 220 mark is what you are aiming for. Our classes run from Monday to Friday. Horticulture courses, outdoor education, arts, drama, and business courses are very popular. There is something for everyone across the board.” 

The director of Kinsale Campus paid tribute to his colleagues who are their biggest asset. “We have put in a new shed and classroom. We are always updating our equipment and looking to make things better. Our facilities are very important to us. My colleagues are great. They are our biggest asset in the college. The feedback from the students is always complimentary about the staff which is important.”