An Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, T.D. presents staff from Donnybrook Fair with their Retail Operations Certificate at FETAC Level 5

Donnybrook Fair have been a member of the IBEC Retail Skillnet Network for a number of years. Over the years their staff have embarked on and successfully completed a range of modules, which IBEC Retail Skillnet offer and support, at FETAC Level 5.

Recently a number of their staff received their Level 5 Retail Operations Certificate. A Retail Operations Certificate is awarded, by FETAC, to candidates who have successfully completed a range of 8 prescribed retail based modules.

An Awards ceremony was held by Donnybrook Fair to present the Certificates to the staff to recognise their achievements.

Certificates were presented to the staff in the store by An Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, T.D. The minister congratulated the staff on their achievements and spent time talking to them and listening to their experiences of working on the modules over the past 3 years.

Pictured are (l-r): Alan Nuzam (CEO Skillnets Ltd.), Zita Csibi (candidate), An Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, T.D., and Joe Doyle (Owner)

Sean Carlin, IBEC Retail Skillnet National Co-ordinator, praised the efforts of the assessor responsible for the delivery of the programme in Donnybrook Fair, Ms. Patrice Ryan. Sean also paid tribute to Joe Doyle, the owner, for his forward thinking and proactive approach to training in the retail sector saying “Joe’s commitment to the development of his staff and provision of exceptional levels of service to his customers is an example for all retailers to follow”.

Caroline Heagney, IBEC Retail Skillnet Regional Consultant, complimented all the recipients of awards on their tremendous achievement, particularly as the group were all originally from various countries with different languages and cultures.

Pictured are (back row l-r): Jolita Dabradziejunaite, Michael Iaris, Zita Csibi (candidates) and (front row l-r): Joe Doyle (owner), An Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, T.D.

In completing the required 8 FETAC Level 5 retail modules to achieve the Retail Operations Certificate the candidates have acquired a work based qualification which is equivalent to a Leaving Cert. within the National Framework of Qualifications.

This will allow the candidates to access some further academic courses at Institutions of Higher Education.