Europe's largest education, careers and skills exhibition will take place in Croke Park over the next four days, enabling jobseekers and school leavers to meet potential employers, trainers and educators.
Opportunities 2006 is an annual event organised by Fás, the national training and employment authority, that aims to bring Ireland's top employers, skills providers and education organisations under one roof.
While more than 95,000 jobs were created in Ireland last year, many companies are closing manufacturing plants here in favour of cheaper locations in eastern Europe and Asia, prompting many workers to upgrade their skills to become more attractive to new employers.
Fás, set up 18 years ago, has been running the One Step Up programme since September in an effort to help those already in employment achieve better skills and qualifications. One part of this weekend's exhibition will focus on providing information to workers and employers about the programme.
The companies exhibiting at Opportunities 2006 will include Abbott Ireland, Dunnes Stores, Intel, Ladbrokes and Bank of Ireland. Exhibitors from the education sector include City & Guilds, DIT, Fetac and Dublin City University. There will also be hands-on practical demonstrations from carpenters, hairdressers and plasterers, among others for people interested in pursuing those trades.
Seminars will run throughout the four days to give advice to visitors on career planning, skills training and educational options. Experts from a variety of industries will cover topics such as interview techniques, working abroad, and Fás apprenticeships.
www.opps06.com
