Midlands Showcase Expo

The event is taking place in the TUS International Arena on December 3rd from 10am to 4pm.

For the first time, Midlands Ireland will bring the region's businesses, educators, communities and innovators together as a collective in the TUS International Sports Arena, one of Ireland's largest state-of-the-art indoor sports facilities.

The Midlands Showcase is happening at the TUS International Arena on December 3rd from 10am to 4pm.

It will be a celebration of creativity, innovation, and collaboration across Ireland's Midlands region, highlighting the unique strengths, education opportunities, and supports. The Midlands Showcase is a place to experience our thriving businesses, university, training and apprenticeships, arts, heritage, and places to visit.

There will be three stages, a Main Stage, an Innovation Stage and a Skills & Supports Stage. Gráinne Seoige, the MC on the day, will host panel discussions around topics such Just Transition, investing in the Midlands, STEM Education, Expanding into Tourism, Supporting Business, Creating Clusters and collectives, Re-skilling, Sustainability, Organic Food, and Regenerative tourism.

Michael Tobin has spent 20 years planning programmes for life long learning. The Dean of the Faculty of Continuing, Professional, Online, and Distance Learning at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has been speaking with Will Faulkner on Midlands Today about the future skills that will be needed:

The National Construction Training Campus in County Offaly is reporting a 12-fold increase in numbers since 2019. Manager John Kelly expects Modern Methods of Construction to bring further opportunities to the sector. Will Faulkner has been speaking with John Kelly, Centre Manager of the National Construction Training Centre, Mount Lucas , Jasmine Elkhershi, Allpro Recruitment, Tullamore and John Costello, Midlands Regional Skills Forum Manager about the skills that companies are looking for: 

It will focus on: 
1.    STUDY
The Study Showcase area will give attendees the opportunity to engage with third-level, such as Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone who will have a large showcasing of their courses and research alongside Carlow College and University of Galway.
The Midlands regions' Education and Training Boards; LOETB, LWETB, Mount Lucas will be showcasing apprenticeship upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all ages, along with ESB, ReSHAPE, Midlands Skills Forum and Midlands Science.
There will be a specialised demo area with STEM officers and Microsoft.

2.    WORK
Come and network with Midlands-based companies including Ericsson, Mersus Technologies, TAPiTAG, Midlands Steel and Abbott, where there will be opportunities to try out some of their new technologies.
The IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices will be available to supply information on supports available.

Many people have come to the midlands region and set up businesses including Stephen Bell, who opened Bell Lane Coffee in Mullingar, Co Westmeath in 2012.

Stephen has been speaking with Midlands 103's Courtney Callaghan and says there was a lot of support from the local enterprise office:

Simon Walton, Director of Services, Laois County Council, Orla martin, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Offaly and Geoff Allen, Founder and CEO of Mersus Technologies, Athlone, have been speaking with David Hollywood on Midlands Today about job creation in the midlands: 

 Gillian Murtagh, Shared Services Director with Shay Murtagh Precast, Raharney, has been speaking with Will Faulkner and says the plans for infrastructure projects in the country up until 2040 brings certainty to the construction industry: 

3.    LIVE
Town Regeneration, Climate Action initiatives, the Midlands' vibrant Arts, Culture, Heritage and Libraries will all be celebrated on the day, with an opportunity for attendees to learn and interact with initiatives and events taking place throughout the region.

Attendees can explore captivating installations, including the alluring Longford Lights, a magical Swift Talk with illuminations by artist Caroline Conway. Longford artist Luke Casserly will bring you on a performative journey to the Irish bog landscape.

Olwen Cummins, Offaly County Council Town Regeneration Officer, Mairead Hunt, Town Centre First National Coordinator, LGMA and Noel Kinahan, Communications Officer, Castlepollard  Local Development have been speaking with Will Faulkner on Midlands Today about the work that is being done to ensure towns in the region have local amenities: 

BUSINESSES IN THE WORK AREA: 

ABBOTT 
TAPiTAG    
Ericsson 
Microsoft 
Midland Steel
CJ Sheeran    
Local Enterprise Offices and clients
Enterprise Ireland and IDA
Mersus Technologies 

STUDY AREA: 

STEM officers plus Demo area with Microsoft
TUS, 
Carlow College St. Patrick's, 
University of Galway
LOETB & LWETB, 
Ericsson Infuse 
Midlands Skills, 
ReSHAPE  
ESB 

LIVE AREA:

Midlands Flavours Stand - featuring, Ballykilcavan, Merry Mill, G's Jams, Bell Lane Coffee, Le Skinny Chef, Farmhouse Bees and Glenisk

Ethical Tours, Midlands Science, Tóchar Wetlands 

Longford Lights Installation and Swift Installation plus Distillations Installation

Across Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford - EU JTF Tourism Activators, Town Regeneration Teams, Libraries, Biodiversity Officers, Tourism, Film Offaly, Sports Partnerships.

Guests In This Series:

John Kelly, Manager, National Construction Training Campus

John Costello, Midlands Regional Skills Forum Manager

Jasmine Elkhershi, Group Marketing Manager, All Pro Recruitment Group

Olwen Cummins, Town Regeneration Officer, Offaly County Council

Geoffrey Allen, Founder, Mersus Technologies 

Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise, LEO Offaly

Simon Walton, Director of Services, Laois County Council