‘She has a great future' – Wexford student who did work experience with local TD wins national skills competition

The competition, which is run by CareersPortal, encourages Transition Year and Leaving Cert students who have completed work experience as part of their programmes to reflect on the skills which they have developed as well as exploring a future career.
The competition, now in its 15th year, is a national event and had over 1,400 secondary school students take part this year. A number of RCS students entered the competition but just two, Colleen Waters (TY) and Valeriia Stepanenko (5th Year), were shortlisted for awards along with 27 students from other schools across the country.
The ceremony began with Eimear Sinnott, CEO of CareersPortal, welcoming the students and also thanking them for their insight into the bright future with this generation enthusiastic young people.
As part of the competition, the students had to write a diary evaluating their work experience, analysing skills they learned and improved on. They then had to conduct a career investigation into a career of their interest. Finally, they reflected on how the skills they learned during work experience could help them in their future career.
Colleen received a highly commendable award in the Transition Year category, as she investigated a career in medicine after her work experience with RCSI Mini Med programme earlier this year, and she was awarded with a certificate and a Bluetooth speaker.
Valeriia Stepanenko received the overall winner, ranking first place in the Leaving Certificate competition, as she investigated a career in diplomacy. Valeriia has huge interest in this area and completed her work experience with Wexford TD, George Lawlor, in the Dáil back in March.
Valeriia was awarded a trophy and a MacBook Air laptop for first prize. The organisers of the competition commended her project, making a special mention on the fact of how her journey is a powerful example of the competition's impact on real-life aspirations. She was joined by her family in celebrating this momentous achievement at the awards ceremony.
Accompanying the two students at the ceremony was the school's Guidance Councillor, Ms. Hayley Miller, who commented: 'It was a pleasure to have two students represent RCS at such a prestigious competition, we are so very proud.'
'It was a very proud moment for us as the girls worked exceptionally hard on finding work experience to suit their interests and got into the Dáil and St. Vincent's Hospital with RCSI because of their hard work and dedication. It was a pleasure to join them and see their work being celebrated on a national stage.'
Deputy Lawlor, with whom Valeriia completed her work experience, could not attend the ceremony due to last minute Dáil commitments, however he said he is 'so delighted that Valeriia has received this recognition.'
"Valeriia is a great young women with a great future ahead,' Deputy Lawlor added.

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