Health & Leisure Career Day Highlights Graduates of the IT, Tralee Excel In The
Health & Leisure Industry

February 6th, 2007:  A Health & Leisure Career Day was hosted by the IT, Tralee on Monday February 5th, 2007.  An impressive schedule of speakers included representatives from the fields of Health Promotion, Sports Development, PE, Outdoor Education, Adapted Physical Activity and the KDYS.

Geraldine O’Sullivan from the Volunteer Bureau commenced proceedings by awarding BSc (Hons) in Health, Fitness and Leisure Studies and BSc. (Hons) in Physical Education Studies 4th year students with citations commending their active citizenship exemplified by their involvement with local voluntary organisations during the year.

Professor Mary O’Sullivan, Physical Education & Sports Science Dept., University of Limerick, outlined to the audience of current students, career teachers and staff, the inherent areas of study in the new Postgraduate Diploma in PE, which commenced last year. Sixteen IT, Tralee BSc. graduates are currently undertaking this course.

Graduates from BSc in Health & Leisure Studies recounted their very successful career pathways enthralling the audience, who forwarded some very pertinent questions.

Brenda Hopkins, National Sports Development Officer for Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland, highlighted that her experience in the college was a contributing factor in obtaining her current position.  Brenda’s remit includes developing high performance opportunities for athletes with special needs.   Jennifer O’Carroll, Cappanalea Outdoor Education Centre, outlined the rewards from working at one with nature. Neil Kelders formerly of KDYS, now Sports Development Officer with Kerry Local Sports Partnership, highlighted the close linkage between the subjects he undertook in IT, Tralee and youth work. Health Promotion Officer HSE-South; Marie O’Leary gave a very detailed account of her work, citing her work experience, which was organised by the IT, Tralee in conjunction with the HSE as being instrumental in allowing her to gain relevant experience, and ultimately enabled her to gain a full time position with the HSE. Anne O’Sullivan, Sports Co-ordinator Cork County Local Sports Partnership discussed the business element of community sports development, having been promoted from Sports Development Officer to Co-ordinator, where her work now concerns budgets, strategic planning, programme management and evaluation. Current PE post graduate student Margaret O’Donoghue outlined her very positive experiences of being a PE student at UL.

Guidance Counsellors and PE teachers from Rosscarberry, Mallow, Newcastlewest and Tralee stated that the careers day gave an excellent insight to the types of careers graduates from the BSc (Hons) in Health, Fitness and Leisure Studies and BSc. (Hons) in Physical Education Studies courses enter into. 

ENDS

Media Information
Institute of Technology Tralee
Brita Lyons, Marketing Officer Tel +353 66 719 1705
brita.lyons@staff.ittralee.ie

Photography
Available FOC through Dominic Walsh, Photography