West Cork Campus graduates discover the key to opening the door to success

YOU can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.

That was the advice shared by Kevin Curran, head of the Enterprise Office Cork North & West who was the keynote speaker at the QQI awards ceremony of 2018 at the West Cork Campus.

The graduates have gained QQI Certificates in level 5 Art, Creative Craft for enterprise, ebusiness, early childhood studies, engineering, healthcare and horticulture, hospitality, tourism and level 6 art and business.

Kevin praised the college’s role in the community matching local people with local work opportunities and highlighted the practical skills that are to be learned and mastered by doing a QQI accredited course. He also used three words that describe qualities that are needed when embarking on a successful career: honesty, trust and respect.

The inclusive learning environment based in Skibbereen is ideal for anybody who would like to upskill, change career or simply use one of the courses as a step to further education. A QQI Level 5 and 6 course is an ideal way to start your journey to higher education enabling students to make informed decisions based on the relevant work experience placements and links with employers that the college provides.

Helen Ryan, principal of Cork College of Commerce, complimented the graduates on the evening and the commitment that they and their families had put into the year – enabling the graduates of the evening to achieve their certificates of the evening. She said she was very proud to work with the college team in the West Cork campus to provide qualifications specifically relevant to the local community. 

She said that Cork College of Commerce West Cork Campus constantly strives to evolve to provide for the community in which it is embedded and introduces new courses every year. She added that the campus had secured programmes that enabled UCC and CIT courses to be delivered on site in West Cork. 

She also said that all communities thrive where there is a skilled and knowledgeable workforce and that the college could not at present supply enough graduates to meet the demands of the employers who contact the campus.