DPS Group launches latest phase of its Aspire2 schools support programme in North Presentation Secondary School, Cork
November 15th 2018: DPS Group, the Irish project management and engineering group which has a major operation in Cork has launched the latest phase of its Aspire2 programme, which supports innovative educational initiatives in DEIS secondary schools in Cork City.
This will be the fourth year of DPS Group’s sponsorship of Aspire2 and will see North Presentation and two other Cork schools who have been involved since the programme’s inception, St Patrick’s College and St Aidan’s College, maintain their involvement in what has been a hugely successful exercise.
DPS Group director, Michael Mulhall – who has been personally involved in Aspire2 since its inception in 2015 – said he has been very impressed with how the programme has been embraced by students, staff and parents in the participating schools.
“Aspire2 is the cornerstone of DPS Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme, and we deliberately chose second level education because we strongly believe that all students should have the tools to attain their goals, whether that is in the engineering area where DPS is involved, arts, humanities or science – whatever.
“I’m delighted that even though the programme is only three years in operation, we already have an active network of Aspire2 alumni, which is already involved in a programme to address issues in the Leaving Certificate syllabus. I am also delighted to announce that as a result of our partnership with Social Innovation Fund Ireland DPS has put in place additional funding to assist parental involvement in Aspire2.”
Mr Mulhall said that DPS is also currently seeking additional Corporate Partners to join the company in redressing the systemic inequalities in the Irish education system. “Additional corporate support will not only allow us to expand the Aspire2 model in other schools around Ireland but also provide pre-Junior Cert supports to strengthening the Aspire2 mode.”
“Over the past three years in Cork and in three other schools in Dublin, more than 500 students have received academic support and 300 have been mentored by members of DPS staff who have volunteered to take part in the programme. Teachers in North Pres, St Aidan’s and St Patrick’s have told me that the success of the programme is fully reflected in exam results in their schools.
“It’s a great source of satisfaction that many of the students are now progressing to third level and further education, in arts and humanities courses, law, music, biological sciences, social studies and also in our specialist area of engineering and technology.”
DPS has made a significant financial investment in the participating schools. This will enable the schools to provide additional supports to students in various areas including: Easter revision camps; summer schools; oral language preparation; Gaeltacht scholarships; motivational workshops; personal development; science and lecture labs workshops; college visits; study related trips; site visits to pharmaceutical companies; ICT Supports and student bursaries
In Cork, DPS is being partnered in Aspire2 by University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and Social Innovation Fund Ireland.
Further information
Janice McGarry, DPS Group: Tel: 085-1810931
