The annual event featured a range of guest speakers who gave advice around building careers in the further education and training sector.
Students at the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning’s Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching in Further Education were given expert insight into careers in the sector, at an event held recently.
Career Day was organised by Placement Coordinator, Catherine Earle, and Academic Lead for Placement, Sarah Bates Evoy. The annual event provides students on this programme with the opportunity to engage with a number of guest speakers, who share their experiences and offer advice around building careers within the further education and training sector.
This year’s Career Day featured a number of sessions:
• Michelle Bradley, Tutor Coordinator for Chevron College and Oiliúna Training, gave the group a very detailed and interesting talk on the opportunities available for tutors with her organisation, which includes the provision of contracted training to clients in both the public and private sectors.
•John Kavanagh, former Deputy Principal of Ormonde College of Further Education in Kilkenny and a highly experienced interviewer, provided the group with insights into the interview process used by ETBs.
•Clare Kelly and Barbara Wells from Waterford College of Further Education (WCFE) delivered a session on getting started in teaching in further education. Clare and Barbara regularly work with SETU student teachers undertaking placement in WCFE, and have introduced a range of initiatives in recent years to allow these student teachers to experience and gain an understanding of the broad role of the FE teacher, both in and beyond the classroom.
As in previous years, Career Day 2026 was informative, inspiring and thought-provoking. It has become a very important part of the PG Diploma calendar, and on behalf of the students, I would like to thank our guests and my wonderful colleagues Catherine and Sarah for organising such a valuable event for our student teachers
Carol O'Byrne, Programme Leader.
Community Education
Community Education, which is about creating a voice for those who are furthest from the education system, was another featured topic on Career Day.
PG Diploma graduate and Community Education Facilitator for South Wexford, Bridín Lyng-Moloney, provided the students with insights into the work that is being accomplished in Community Education. She also shared her own very positive experiences of working in this part of the sector, as well as very practical advice on ways in which student teachers might build career pathways for themselves in this part of the sector.
The students also enjoyed a screening of ‘Life Support’, the latest film produced by Waterford based group Red Lead Productions. This was followed by a discussion involving Community Education Tutor Philip Cullen and Red Lead members Joe Hodgkins and Selena O’Sullivan. Red Lead (originally known as The Belong Film Club) was established in 2014 with the support of the Community Education section of Waterford Wexford ETB. Starting out as a series of drama workshops for a group of men with acquired brain injuries, it has evolved into a film group with a broader membership. The group has produced 14 films, several of which they have shown over the years at SETU, as well as in Garter Lane Theatre in Waterford and elsewhere.
Programme Leader, Carol O'Byrne said: "As with previous years, Career Day 2026 was informative, inspiring and thought-provoking. It has become a very important part of the PG Diploma calendar, and on behalf of the students, I would like to thank our guests and my wonderful colleagues Catherine and Sarah for organising such a valuable event for our student teachers."
Banner picture shows a scene from the film 'Life Support' by Red Lead, which was shown to students as part of Career Day.
