Fáilte Ireland connects TYs with work placements in Mayo tourism and hospitality
A NUMBER of Mayo businesses are offering work experience opportunities to second level students on a new Fáilte Ireland database.
Placements include working with a weaver on Clare Island to work in a range of departments in hotels across the county.
Some 150 businesses nationally with over 600 placements are already featured in the first of its kind national database of transition year work experience opportunities at tourismcareers.ie (https://tourismcareers.ie/sectors/workx.php?sector_id=16).
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin and Fáilte Ireland today launched the new transition year work experience programme to provide tourism and hospitality businesses with a direct link to students looking for work experience placements.
The national tourism development authority has developed the programme to help businesses in the sector provide structured, high quality work placements and practical training to students with the aim of encouraging more young people to consider a career choice in the industry in the long-term. Successful work placements can also lead to students securing seasonal or part-time work, helping to address staff shortages in the year ahead.
Businesses can upload their work experience opportunities at tourismcareers.ie.
Opportunities are available in every county in workplaces including 5-star hotels, outdoor and water-based activities and with some of Ireland’s top visitor attractions. The portal has been designed to connect businesses and students in one coordinated and accessible online space, allowing for students to secure last minute placements this year or plan for 2023.
Fáilte Ireland has also worked with industry bodies, HR experts, education providers and TY coordinators to develop detailed manuals for both students and participating businesses to ensure the placements provided are of high quality and offer practical and relevant learning opportunities.
Said Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland: “Fáilte Ireland recently completed the most comprehensive piece of employment research ever conducted in the tourism and hospitality sector. This research clearly shows businesses need to take immediate action to ensure a future pipeline of talent for the industry.
“By getting involved in this programme and uploading a placement to Fáilte Ireland’s online portal at tourismcareers.ie, not only will businesses provide a really important learning opportunity for students and invest in their next generation of staff but they can also motivate students to return as paid, flexible staff in the summer months.”