Students inspired by advice from work experts
Feb 8, 2012 | Category: General
WHAT the students of C.B.S. Charleville's Leaving Certificate class of 2012 can aspire to was amply demonstrated at a careers evening held at the school last Friday night.
Over 50 past students involved in activities ranging from a CEO of the Sisk Group to those in the prison service were on hand to give advice.
The evening was the brainchild of Michael Mullins, chairman of the parents council. The Leaving Cert students met and talked to students of yesteryear discussing aspects of their careers.
Mike also acted as the MC for the evening and the first person he introduced was C.B.S. Principal Maurice Keohane who welcomed the attendance of past and present pupils to the Careers Night. Mr. Keohane said the return of former students who had made their way in the world to the school tonight had huge importance.
"The vast majority of students have difficult choices to make trying to decide on career or CAO options. The evidence from third level bears this out with 15 per cent of students on average each year dropping out of college or changing courses. It works out at nine per cent for the universities and 22 per cent for the Institutes of Technology and males are far more likely than females to drop out.
Mr Keohane thanked all who had contributed to the success of the night particularly, Mike Mullins whose idea it was, Michael O'callaghan, Lorraine O'sullivan and Esther Barrett and all the past pupils who had returned to their Alma Mater for the evening.
Guest speaker was Charleville man Liam Nagle, a chief executive officer in the Sisk Group since 2008.
Mr. Nagle traced his career from his school days at the C.B.S. in Charleville to the present. A native of Holy Cross Place Charleville, he started his working career at the accounts department of Golden Vale Food Products in Charleville in 1983 on the death of his carpenter father, Paddy Nagle. He remained there until 1991 when he moved to Apple in Cork as accounts clerk before attaining the position of Director of Planning and Strategy.
Liam was with the Apple Company in Cork for six years before moving on to join Intel as financial controller and business development manager, eventually becoming general manager. He has amassed over twenty years international experience in finance, operations, marketing, mergers and acquisitions and was President and COO of Bookham Technology and VP Optical Components at Nortel Networks.
In 2005 he joined the Sisk Group as CEO of its non-construction activities and was appointed CEO in 2008. The Sisk Group has a turnover of €1 billion per years, employs 2,000 employees and has operations in Ireland, the U.K., Belgium, Poland and United Arab Emirates in construction, domestic appliances, healthcare, stone quarrying, architectural glazing, investments and property.
Liam said that change was inevitable and to shape it and not to avoid it and told them to know what they don't know and never be afraid to say "I don't know." He exhorted them to use their time wisely because it was their greatest asset and said that cash was king and everyone has a boss. "From an early age you are a trainer/teacher. Learning is a life long experience and maintain a balance in your life," he concluded.
The students then dispersed to meet the past pupils in the various classrooms around the school to discuss their particular career with the young students.
Mike Mcgrath
Pictured below is Liam Nagle, chairperson of Sisk, speaking at the Career's Evening.
