08 Sep Taoiseach Leo Varadkar launches the Irish Early Career Awards 2017
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Des Cahill, and Paul Flynn, along with representatives from sponsors KBC Bank and Lincoln Recruitment Specialists, launched the Irish Early Career Awards 2017 and are urging employers and young professionals to leap into action this September to nominate an Irish Early Career Achiever.
L-r: Wim Verbraeken, Chief Executive KBC, Paul Flynn, Lincoln Recruitment and Ambassador of the Awards, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Des Cahill, host of the Irish Early Career Awards, & Shay Dalton, Managing Director Lincoln Recruitment.
These national Awards, hosted by Des Cahill, are open to young professionals in organisations across Ireland under the age of 35. The Awards provide an important opportunity to recognise and showcase exceptional achievement and professional contribution across accounting, financial services, legal, entrepreneurship, marketing, HR, IT, consulting, engineering, construction and banking sectors.
There is also an award for Best Organisation in Learning & Development recognising exceptional efforts by and organisation in the training and development of young professionals.
The awards are judged by a panel of experts representing top global and Irish companies and leading organisations across Ireland including Emmet Ryan, editor of the Sunday Business post tech magazine Connected; Cocoa Brown founder Marissa Carter; Pat Gilroy Managing Director at Veolia; and Lawrence Hickey, Chief Financial Officer, Digicel Group Limited.
Speaking at the launch, An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D., said, “We should always aim to encourage and celebrate talent and excellence within the workplace. Irish people are known for our strong work ethic and our young and highly skilled workforce has played a really important role in building Ireland’s reputation as a great place in which to do business. These Awards provide a unique opportunity to highlight the success, innovation and excellence of the high achieving young professionals across Ireland and also I hope that many organisations across the country will get involved and nominate their talented employees for this year’s Awards.”
Paul Flynn, Commercial Director Lincoln Recruitment, Dublin GAA football player and ambassador for the awards said, “I’m very passionate about high performance, and I believe more than ever that recognising excellence, whether it be in a sporting or a professional environment, is of paramount importance and has a major bearing on the future careers of young professionals. Not only can it strengthen their ambitions in their chosen field, but it also inspires others to follow. I offer my best wishes to all of this year’s nominees and hope this recognition will inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
Shay Dalton, Managing Director of Lincoln Recruitment and chairman of the judging panel said: “I have seen first-hand the benefit of promoting, nurturing and developing young professionals in the early stages of their careers. The Irish Early Career Awards provides a platform for formal recognition of the individuals themselves and also for organisations who promote and develop these young professionals. The success of the outstanding professionals we have moving up through the ranks of Irish business should be acknowledged, and at Lincoln we want to celebrate that.”
Wim Verbraeken, Chief Executive, KBC Bank Ireland, said: “KBC Bank Ireland is proud to support the Irish Early Career Awards. As a dynamic and challenger organisation KBC have seen first-hand the impact being made by new talent and youthful expertise in delivering a new way of banking for our customers. We understand the importance of fostering young careers, helping people to thrive and realise their potential in the workplace. Today’s young accountants, HR, IT and legal professionals, entrepreneurs and engineers are the future of business in Ireland, and we look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year’s finalists at the awards in November.”
Entries to the awards will be accepted until 5.30pm on Friday, September 22nd, and entry forms are available online at www.earlycareerawards.ie/categories. The finalists will be announced in the week commencing 16th October 2017. After that, judges will select the 13 winners and on Thursday the 2nd of November the overall winners will be announced at a celebratory gala in the Mansion House in Dublin.
The award categories are:
- Early Career HR Professional of the Year
- Early Career Accountant of the Year
- Early Career Banking Professional of the Year
- Early Career Financial Services Professional of the Year
- Early Career IT & Tech Professional of the Year
- Early Career Lawyer of the Year
- Early Career PR & Marketing Professional of the Year
- Early Career Consulting & Advisory Professional of the Year
- Early Career Construction & Engineering Professional of the Year
- Early Career Best Organisation in Learning & Development
- Early Career Entrepreneur of the Year
- Early Career Special Merit Award
- Early Career Professional of the Year