Pramerica and Mulroy College Launch Year Two of the Student Mentoring Programme
Pramerica Systems Ireland and Mulroy College recently started the final year of a two-year Student Mentoring Programme that is facilitated by The Schools’ Business Partnership (SBP) and is an initiative of Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI).
The mission of the programme is to help fifth-year students at Mulroy College prepare to transition from school to employment or further education. The initiative is part of Pramerica’s overall six-year commitment to Mulroy College through the SBP link. The first year of the mentoring program involved nine volunteers from Pramerica who have been paired with nine Mulroy students.
“Our students have gained immensely from participating on the Student Mentoring Programme with Pramerica. The mentors have been first-class role models and a constant source of encouragement and support,” said Fiona Temple, Principal of Mulroy College in Milford. “This positive influence has most definitely helped the students prepare for the future. I commend the Pramerica mentors for their dedication and commitment. We look forward to the second year of the programme and to deepening the development of our partnership with Pramerica.”
At an event celebrating the beginning of the second year of the Student Mentoring Programme, Leeanne Mimnagh, Director, Human Resources at Pramerica, said, “We are delighted to partner with Mulroy College in this rewarding programme. We are proud of our employees who have volunteered to be mentors. They have embraced the Student Mentoring Programme and made a valuable commitment to support the students. In turn, our involvement with SBP has enabled our employees to experience great personal growth and to develop their skills. This is an excellent partnership with Mulroy College and we hope it will continue to flourish in years to come.”
Elaine McFadden, Regional Coordinator – Donegal, BITCI, added, “Year one of the mentoring programme has been a great success. BITCI appreciates Pramerica’s leadership in pioneering the Mentoring Programme in Donegal and looks forward to the forthcoming year, supporting the development of students in Mulroy College through the Student Mentoring and Skills @ Work Programmes.”
The Schools’ Business Partnership is funded by participating businesses with matching funds provided by the DES under the National Development Plan (NDP).
Pramerica Systems Ireland provides essential computer-technology and client-contact services to PFI businesses around the world. Its Information Technology Group develops software and other systems solutions for PFI business groups and its Operations Group functions as a back-office contact centre for PFI business group. The Essential Guide to Corporate Ireland has named Pramerica Systems Ireland the largest software operation in Ireland outside Dublin and Cork and one of the largest in Ireland. The Great Place to Work Institute Ireland has named Pramerica one of the best companies to work for in Ireland. For more information, visit www.pramerica.ie.
Ends.
Further information available from Germaine Noonan, Programme Manager, Schools Business Partnership, 32 Lower O Connell Street, Dublin 1. Tel 01 874 7232 Mobile 086 8160448 email gnoonan@bitc.ie
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Further information available from Elaine McFadden, Regional Coordinator, The Schools’ Business Partnership, Business in the Community Ireland, 32 Lower O Connell Street, Dublin 1. Mobile 086 170 5954 email emcfadden@bitc.ie web www.bitc.ie
Editor’s Notes
- Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), founded in 2000, is a unique movement of companies committed to Corporate Responsibility practices. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge and support business in continually improving its positive impact on society in the community, environment, marketplace and workplace.
- Established in 2001, The Schools’ Business Partnership (SBP) is a flagship programme managed by Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI). It is conducted in association with Marks & Spencer and supported by Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. and the ESB Generation Fund.
SBP Programmes offered include:
(a) The Skills @ Work programme involves employees from local businesses talking to students about real-life skills required in the workplace. The students attend site visits, ‘day in the life’ talks, interview preparation and CV writing. They also benefit from mock interviews. 25,000 students have participated to date in this popular programme.
(b) The Student Mentoring Programme encourages students who are at risk of leaving school early to continue with their studies with the advice of a mentor at a local business. The students meet their mentors at their workplace for an hour every 3 weeks for the final two years of their post primary schooling. Mentors provide support in terms of discussing career options, networking on their behalf, researching college choices, etc. 2, 769 students have been mentored to date.
(c) The Management Excellence for Principals programme sponsored by Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. facilitates skills sharing between business and school leaders. 715 Principals have participated, which represents just over 70% of all post primary principals in Ireland. Companies whose senior executives deliver these seminars to small groups of principals include: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Donegal Investment Group, LYIT, KPMG, Coillte, Diageo, élan, Allergan, RTE, Pramerica, ESB, Cornmarket, Intel, Musgraves, IMI, IBM and Laya Healthcare.
(d) The Management Excellence for Teachers programme receives funding from the Department of Education & Skills and the business contribution is expertise and time. Business leaders provide workshop/seminars to whole teaching staffs on topics identified by the teachers such as: teamwork, communication skills, flexibility skills; PR; time management skills; ICT and education; etc.
(f) The “Time to Read” programme sponsored by the ESB is signalling considerable impacts & success in the area of childhood literacy. Employees from companies provide reading support to a child with the aim of increasing the enjoyment and confidence of reading and encourage self-discovery. Officially launched in December 2013 by the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, the programme is a powerful tool for increasing employee engagement
(g) STEM Seeing is Believing events for science & technology teachers. This initiative commenced in 2013 and has taken place in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Athlone, Donegal and Kerry. It provides teachers with an insight into cutting edge companies in their locality who are in strong growth phases of businesses. The teachers have found it informs them of the jobs & opportunities available to their students if they pursue a career in STEM.
Students from Mulroy College, Milford are joined by their parents and mentors from Pramerica to mark the commencement of Year 2 of the programme. Also celebrating the start of Year 2 is Dympna English, Programme Coordinator and Fiona Temple, Principal, Mulroy College; Leeanne Mimnagh, Director, Human Resources and Stephen McDaid, Programme Coordinator, Pramerica; Paddy Hannigan, Schools Completion Programme Coordinator and Elaine McFadden, Business in the Community Ireland.
Pramerica mentors and Mulroy College student mentees with the programme coordinator Dympna English, take time out to explore apprenticeship career options with Claire Lernihan from the Donegal ETB Training Centre and effective interview preparations with Michelle McLaughlin and Denise Dunleavy, Pramerica HR Team.