Minister Haughey at the presentation of Awards to Graduates

Posted on 08/05/09 by Seán Haughey Minister Haughey at the presentation of Awards to Graduates of the Irish Centre for Work Based Learning Partnerships

‘A day of celebration- the first ICWBLP conferring ceremony to be held in Ireland' Seán Haughey TD


The Minister for Lifelong Learning, Seán Haughey TD, today attended the conferring ceremony for doctoral and masters degrees by the University of Middlesex in conjunction with the Irish Centre for Work Based Learning (ICWBLP). The graduates are all senior executives in business and the manufacturing industry.

The ceremony took place at St. Mary's Cathedral Limerick.

The ICWBLP is a not for profit educational institution founded in 2004 in partnership with Middlesex University (UK). For over four decades the ICWBLP has been driving change and advances in management education and practice both with the academy and the professional world of practice in the areas of ‘work related learning'.

Speaking at the event Minister Haughey said ‘We are here today to honour you, the new graduates of the ICWBLP.

‘I congratulate you most sincerely on your outstanding achievement.

‘Well done! I know that your new qualification will be of enormous benefit to you in your future careers.

‘We have achieved an unprecedented expansion in educational opportunities in Ireland over the last four decades, with entry rates to higher education now in excess of 55%.

‘While it is important to continue to increase participation rates among the school leaving cohort, we must also focus on opportunities for lifelong learning if we are to expand access to education and training for all individuals throughout their lives and accrue the social and economic benefits of doing so.'

Minister Haughey went on to say ‘there is now widespread recognition of the need for upskilling and continual training of individuals in the workforce.

‘This is particularly evident during these challenging economic times, when Ireland needs to maintain its competitiveness and provide a highly skilled, productive and flexible workforce, which will attract high-value inward investment.

Minister Haughey concluded by commending the founders of the ICWBLP for creating new possibilities for individuals, without leaving their workplace, to advance their knowledge base and generate new opportunities for innovation and growth.