Claire O’Connor, from Cork city has scooped a silver medal in the European Association of Hotel & Tourism Schools Annual Conference and Competitions which was held in Macedonia.

Claire, and her fellow student Emmet O’Brien from Innishannon, Co. Cork represented CIT’s Department of Tourism & Hospitality in the challenging event.

Over 600 competitors travelled to Macedonia for the event, representing 40 European countries over three days of intense competition.

Lecturers Breda Hickey and Ann O’Connor prepared the students for the event. Claire concentrating on Pastry and Emmett on his specialist area of Restaurant and Wine Service.

The Department of Tourism and Hospitality at CIT encompasses the areas of Culinary Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Bar Management.  It has over 750 students across these disciplines and is located in a modern purpose-built building on CIT’s Bishopstown Campus.

The AEHT is an international non-governmental organisation, whose prime objective is to promote a European outlook among Hotel and Tourism Schools.  Founded in 1988, it has grown its membership to 430, with an AEHT national representative in 44 European countries.