Deloitte Ireland partners with Junior Achievement Ireland to roll out the Ready for Success programme in Limerick, Cork, and Galway.
Ready for Success is a year-long programme that connects three fifth-year classes from three schools in Limerick, Galway and Cork with Deloitte volunteers and professionals who can introduce them to career opportunities, personal branding, business culture and resilience. 71 students and 36 Deloitte volunteers are involved.
Coláiste Nano Nagle in Limerick
In Limerick, the 'Ready for Success' programme was launched with 25 students from ColáisteNano Nagle and 12 Deloitte Limerick volunteers participating this year.
Commenting on this announcement, Karen Frawley, partner, Tax and Legal, Deloitte said, “We are delighted to partner with Junior Achievement Ireland on this incredible programme, Ready for Success. There are so many options open to students preparing to finish secondary school, but connecting and learning from Deloitte professionals in our Limerick office, who work on a wide range of projects, can act as a bridge for students thinking about life after school.
Frawley added, “This is an equally exciting opportunity for our team at Deloitte and the chance to be involved was quickly snapped up by volunteers. We know our people care deeply about making an impact that truly matters, which is why we encourage everyone to volunteer and get involved in something they’re passionate about.”
Glanmire Community College in Cork
The programme rolled out in Cork with 21 students and 12 Deloitte Cork volunteers are taking part this year.
Commenting on this announcement, Graham Healy, partner, Consulting, Deloitte said, “We are very excited to partner with Junior Achievement Ireland on Ready for Success. Now more than ever there are many different career and life pathways open to students. Programmes like this, where students can engage with Deloitte professionals in our Cork office, will help get them thinking about what career they want in the future and how a degree course can support them.
Healy added, “At Deloitte, our purpose is making an impact that matters. This is why we are very excited about Ready for Success, a programme that epitomises our purpose. Our people will be able to impact the lives of the fifth-year students by giving them skills and experiences that will stand to them in their personal and professional lives.”
Coláiste Muire Máthair in Galway
The programme launched in Galway, with 25 students and 12 Deloitte Galway volunteers involved.
Commenting on this announcement, David Boyle, partner, in Audit and Assurance, at Deloitte said, “By connecting and learning from Deloitte professionals in our Galway office, students can think more about what they want from life after school and how they can get there. It is also an excellent opportunity to build a network and learn real-world skills, such as how to build a professional profile on social media.
Ciara McMullin, senior manager, Tax and Legal, Deloitte added, “Making an impact that matters is our purpose at Deloitte, and this programme connects directly to that. While this is a great opportunity for students, our volunteers are just as excited to share their experiences and career journey with the students.”
Ready For Success
Ready for Success offers a wide range of opportunities, including group mentoring sessions, a visit to a regional Deloitte office, and an online masterclass led by industry experts or motivational speakers sharing their stories, career paths and challenges they have overcome. At the end of the school year, students will graduate from the programme in a graduation ceremony hosted by each Deloitte office.
Helen Raftery, CEO, of Junior Achievement Ireland, “Deloitte is a founding member of Junior Achievement Ireland and its support for our work with young people has remained strong for over 25 years. Enabling students in Galway, Limerick and Cork to access the unique learning opportunities laid out in the ‘Ready for Success’ programme is a fitting way to mark this milestone. We look forward to supporting the volunteers, students, and school leaders whose combined efforts will see the participating senior cycle second-level students be ‘Ready for Success’."
Deloitte's Social Impact Strategy
This programme is part of Deloitte’s WorldClass initiative which has a global ambition to impact 100 million people globally and at least 300,000 lives in Ireland by 2030. As part of this strategy, Deloitte Ireland has committed €5 million over three years to the Deloitte Impact Fund.
Deloitte’s social impact strategy was refined to specifically impact lives through improved educational outcomes, access to education, and job opportunities, such as the Early Learning Initiative, which provides parent and child learning support programmes to address the problem of educational underachievement in marginalised communities in Dublin. To inspire, motivate and equip Deloitte people with the tools and support that they need to engage with WorldClass, Impact Week was held from 2 to 6 October, offering more opportunities for people at Deloitte to get involved while also providing an opportunity to connect people across the business and make them feel connected to the firm's purpose – to make an impact that matters.
Read more in our impact report here.