A unique programme for Transition Year students was inaugurated recently by the Minister for Education and Science, Micheal Martin, at the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty, Co Cork. Step Into Marketing evolved from Community Enterprise Education Development (CEED) which was recently established at the school. It links the school, the local community and the business interests of the town, all of which were instrumental in getting the marketing course off the ground.

The course is now a certified second-level programme recognised by the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII). It also bears the Department imprimatur. Last June 22 Clonakilty students who took part in the pilot programme got their certificates from the director of education at the MII who described their performance as "a remarkable achievement."

Elizabeth O'Sullivan, co-ordinator of the course, explains how it came about. "It was introduced to the school about a year ago. The principal, Sister Eilish McGrath, approached the County Enterprise Board and FAS with the aim of linking up the school with the local business community. They said they were very interested and we formed the CEED scheme. The first thing we did was to carry out a waste management study of Clonakilty which was published and is available in the National Library."

This year the Transition Year students were looking for a new project. With the advice of a consultant, they approached the MII to see if they could provide a course for the students. O'Sullivan takes up the story: "Sean Cowman, a consultant with FAS and a member of the MII, was already producing a course for adults. He scaled that down to suit second-level students. He came to see the 22 girls every week and modified the course for them. It is completely tailored for second-level students and is very manageable at all academic levels."

The modules include customers and marketing, managing products and services, pricing, getting product to the customer as well as communicating with the customer. The students keep a log of their time which is monitored by O'Sullivan. "They had to make out questionnaires, making sure their questions made sense and that the information they're getting back is easily analysed," she said. "The importance of being courteous and confidential as well as writing a letter of introduction before making an appointment, was also stressed."

Finally, the students had to pick a product. "It could be a made-up product or a product or service already on the market. The student's job is to sell it. They had to produce brochures and give presentations about their products.

"So now, it's going to other schools. We're very proud to be the initiators. It's the first time a thirdlevel institute has certified a course for second-level students."

NUMBERS had to be kept at a manageable level, explained Elizabeth O'Sullivan, who teaches science and computers. "Students were chosen on the basis of an informal interview and a letter of application. It's all done outside school hours and takes up about four hours a week. We would see it as a career move for marketing but, leaving aside that, students have to market themselves anyway.

"It's amazing to see the students glow. It's not marketing at the adult level but they have all the basic concepts and being able to provide a certificate on it at an interview will give them the edge on other job seekers. Others schools have adopted it."

The MII package costs £27.50. The canny marketing students got local businesses to sponsor the price of the package which now retails at £17 in Clonakilty.

"It's really a great course," concluded O'Sullivan. "It brings together their computer skills because they have to use them to make brochures. They also learn how to use scanners to make business cards. You could say that it brings all their organisational and computer skills together."