PICTURES: Two Louth students recognised among Ireland's best at national awards

Two Louth students have been honoured at a prestigious national awards ceremony celebrating outstanding entries in this year’s CareersPortal Career Skills Competition.

Beatrice McCullen from Drogheda Grammar School was awarded Second Place in the Transition Year category for her career investigation into psychotherapy, following her placement with LFMF Radio.

PHOTO: Pictured at the National Career Skills Competition by Careers Portal at the Department of Education was Eimear Sinnott (Careers Portal) and winner Beatrice McCullen, Drogheda Grammar school, Co Louth. Pic Gary Ashe.

Meanwhile, Aisling Kennedy-Wolfe from Sacred Heart School in Sunnyside received a Highly Commended award for her career study focused on school teaching.

PHOTO: Pictured at the National Career Skills Competition by Careers Portal at the Department of Education was Eimear Sinnott (Careers Portal) and winner Aisling Kennedy-Wolfe, Sacred Heart School, Co. Louth. Pic: Gary Ashe

All winning students were recognised at a special event held at the Clock Tower in the Department of Education, where the top 29 students nationwide gathered to celebrate their achievements with families, teachers, and guidance counsellors.

Now in its 15th year, the Career Skills Competition encourages senior cycle students to reflect on their work experience and explore a potential future career. This year saw a record number of entries, with nearly 1,400 submissions and a 10% increase in participation.

Eimear Sinnott, Managing Director of CareersPortal, praised the calibre of this year’s entries: “This competition continues to showcase the incredible talent, curiosity, and ambition of Ireland’s young people. By exploring real-world careers and reflecting on the skills they’ve developed, students are not only planning for their futures — they’re actively shaping them.”

Each winning student received a high-spec tech prize, ranging from MacBook Airs to iPads and Apple AirPods, while four schools were awarded €1,000 each to support their career guidance programmes.

The event also highlighted a growing interest among students in healthcare, hospitality, teaching, construction, politics, and space science, among many other fields.

Students were asked to detail relevant education pathways, key skills required, and how their experience influenced their career aspirations. The event also forms part of the Gaisce President’s Award programme, with entries eligible under the Personal Skills challenge area.

The competition is proudly supported by a range of key industry and education partners, each presenting special awards in their respective fields. Fáilte Ireland recognises excellence in entries related to Tourism and Hospitality, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) recognises careers in the construction sector, ESERO Ireland champions careers in space, science, maths and physics, while An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) celebrates outstanding entries through the Irish language. Their continued support is vital in inspiring and guiding the next generation of professionals across diverse sectors.

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