{"id":267689,"date":"2024-02-29T14:58:42","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T14:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lmetb.ie\/?p=267689"},"modified":"2024-02-29T14:58:44","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T14:58:44","slug":"louth-meath-etb-takes-to-the-stage-at-annual-education-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lmetb.ie\/ga\/latest-news\/louth-meath-etb-takes-to-the-stage-at-annual-education-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Louth Meath ETB takes to the stage at annual education conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Sadie Ward McDermott Director FET LMETB, Denis Leonard Dunboyne College FE, Davy McDonnell Principal Drogheda College of FE, Delegates from LMETB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sadie Ward McDermott, of LMETB was a featured speaker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sadie Ward McDermott, Director of Further Education and Training at Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), was a featured speaker at this year\u2019s Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Further Education and Training conference which welcomed 250 delegates from across Ireland to Athlone last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The title for this year\u2019s conference \u2018Pathways \u2013 Pathways to FET, Pathways in FET, Pathways from FET\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The event brought together over 250 representatives from across the sector and featured a line-up of over 30 speakers. Simon Harris, Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, addressed the conference on Thursday, giving the official Ministerial conference address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking ahead of the event,\u00a0Minister Harris\u00a0said:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cOver recent years we have worked incredibly hard to ensure no one is left behind when it comes to education. No matter who you are, what your background is or what your interests are you get an opportunity to reach your full potential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis conference is a timely opportunity. The impact ETBs have had on the learners but also on the wider communities they serve has been transformative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis two-day event is an invaluable opportunity to come together to learn from each other, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

 Commenting on the future of education, General Secretary of ETBI, Paddy Lavelle said: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe FET Strategy \u2013 Future FET Transforming Learning, acknowledges the key role of FET in driving both economic development and social cohesion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis roadmap for the sector is built around three core pillars of building skills; fostering inclusion; and facilitating pathways. This conference deals with one of those three Pillars – pathways.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Joseph Collins, Director of Further Education and Training (FET) at ETBI, said: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe can see clearly that Minister Harris has made significant inroads in developing an integrated, coherent and well-articulated further and higher education system in which there are no dead ends for learners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have pathways from school to FET, within FET, between further and higher education, pathways into work and lifelong pathways which can bring people back to learning at any stage of their career or life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

 The conference took place over two days, with a full line-up of keynote speakers and panel discussions. Some of the highlights from the agenda include inputs from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n