ESB Moneypoint…A Great Place to ‘Site Visit’!

Monday, November 28th, 2016

Visits to workplaces provide students with an exciting and real insight into Ireland’s leading indigenous and progressive companies. They get the opportunity to see the workplace first-hand and learn what it is like to work in an organisation that they often pass on their way to and from school every day.

This is particularly true of the students of Kilrush Community School who are linked with ESB Moneypoint as part of the Skills @ Work Programme. ESB Moneypoint is located on the outskirts of Kilrush and being the biggest power plant in the country, its’ presence has impacted greatly on the surrounding community. While many of the students may have family members or acquaintances employed in the plant, the majority never see what is happening on the inside and are unaware of the wide range of skills sets that are essential to the everyday running of the business.

The Skills @ Work Programme facilities ESB Moneypoint and Kilrush Community School to work together to provide an opportunity for students to have this learning experience. Brendan Kennedy and John Casey really understand how this experience can benefit young people while the school staff do everything they can to prepare the students and facilitate sessions. The comprehensive site tour usually takes about five hours to complete due to the size of the plant, students meet employees from a variety of departments for informal chats and time is also squeezed in for lunch in the canteen and a photo shoot.

This is ESB Moneypoint’s seventh year supporting the Skills @ Work Programme and each year Brendan Kennedy and his co-workers endeavour to keep the programme fresh by introducing new ideas to enhance student engagement and enjoyment. As a result, the Skills @ Work experience is a credit to all involved.