picktourism.ie - new website

picktourism.ie is a new website created specifically for school-leavers, concentrating on the areas that were defined as important by 5th and 6th years, making a decision about what to do after school.

picktourism.ie aims to give full information on college courses and describe the types of careers available in tourism, which is Ireland’s biggest indigenous industry.

The site has a course search which finds the tourism-related courses in all types of third level institution in Ireland, i.e. Institutes of Technology, Colleges of Further Education, Private Colleges and Fáilte Ireland Training Centres.

It has short interviews with students and recent graduates on a wide range of courses, in the section Students Talk. In What is Tourism? there’s an explanation of the sectors of the tourism industry and in Tourism Careers, there are detailed profiles of the kind of jobs people who study a tourism course could end up in.

picktourism.ie aims to show that the tourism industry - while it is an ‘old reliable’ - is one with increasing variety, covering hotels, restaurants, bars, travel, sports, leisure, the arts and events, among other areas.

In the tourism industry more so than in others, CAO points do not completely dictate your options. If you’re not sure yet how committed you are to college, you can do a 13/16 week course or a one-year course, then progress to advanced certificate and degree level later. Unlike the degree route, if you decide to stop or change after the first stage, you’ll still have a qualification.

picktourism.ie is now the main source of information on courses and careers in tourism. It will be promoted in schools and at careers exhibitions and other events in 2009.