Diageo has announced its support for ‘Transforming Tomorrow’, TU Dublin’s campaign to deliver state-of-the-art learning facilities to culinary, beverage and hospitality students.
Details
The partnership, which includes a €200,000 donation over ten years, will also enable greater access to learning opportunities in hospitality at TU Dublin for individuals from marginalised groups, including access to the Certificate in Hospitality Studies. Commencing in September, this 13-week full-time programme will also provide an opportunity for students to do a three-month work placement upon completion.
The new certificate follows Diageo’s previous collaboration with TU Dublin’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology over the last two academic years, on the bespoke Guinness Learning for Life programme. Some 24 learners from marginalised backgrounds took part in a range of skill-based modules and a four-week placement to earn the Continuous Professional Development Certificate in Kitchen Skills and qualifications in food safety and first aid.
In appreciation of Diageo’s partnership, the university also opened the Arthur Guinness Learning for Life Bar, a training facility located in the Central Quad in Grangegorman that is used by students in the Schools of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts and Food Technology.
Welcoming Diageo’s contribution and partnership, Dr Orla McDonagh, dean, faculty of arts and humanities at TU Dublin, said, “I am delighted to have this opportunity to thank Diageo for their very generous support of our ‘Transforming Tomorrow’ capital campaign and the university’s ambition to deliver a leading global centre of education and innovation for the food-and-drink sector. As a university with a long history of supporting lifelong learning, we create a range of pathways to education to cater for students at many different stages of their careers. We look forward to deepening our collaborations with Diageo on the Guinness Learning for Life programme, igniting the imagination of these learners and supporting them to explore their abilities and reach their full potential.”
Commenting on the partnership, Diageo Ireland’s director of HR, Geraldine Jones, said, “Building on the legacy of our founders, we want to create a positive impact in our communities and for society. This is why we are delighted to further expand our collaboration with TU Dublin, to support their ‘Transforming Tomorrow’ campaign and provide more access to education for marginalised groups. Like the university, we are also passionate about lifelong learning. Through Diageo’s Learning for Life programme, our business and hospitality skills programme, we have provided training to 230 people since 2020, which forms part of our ten-year ESG action plan. We look forward to building on this through this new partnership with TU Dublin.”
Rising Star Award
Diageo and TU Dublin also support excellence through their Rising Star Award, an annual award presented to a student in the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology. The award, worth €1,000, recognises a culinary entrepreneurship student who is innovative, creative and entrepreneurial, and who demonstrates a commitment to ‘going the extra mile’. Combined, these initiatives support a new generation of learners eager to begin careers in Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry.
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