For teachers
Key features
An easy-to-navigate online library of skills-based, curriculum-linked resources, including PowerPoints, Lesson Plans, Worksheets, and more.
Log in as a Guest Teacher for access, or register for a free Teacher Account to unlock additional and individualised resources.
Future Sparks TV offers over 65 video and podcast episodes, tailored for young people and featuring real-life stories from industry experts and well-known personalities.
Financial Education brings a fresh, engaging approach to vital literacy and numeracy skills that benefit students for life. We also offer virtual “Stay Safe” fraud awareness presentations, facilitated by local AIB branches (subject to availability).
Freshers’ Packs, prepared by Guidance Counsellors, help 1st Years in the transition to post-primary school. Plus, free goodies and merchandise for selected schools!
The AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards recognise schools’ contributions to their community’s social, financial, and environmental success. Visit the Awards page to learn more and for a chance to win up to €25,000 for your school.
Our CareersPortal partnership offers exclusive tools for TY, LCA, LCVP, and LCE students, along with the AIB Career Skills Competition. This competition promotes career skills and research, allowing students to reflect on skills gained during work experience for a chance to win prizes!
Subjects
Business, Economics, Accounting
Guidance Related Learning
Financial Education
SPHE
Transition Year
Business, Economics, Accounting
Building Future Business Leaders
The AIB Future Sparks Programme equips students with essential business, enterprise, and financial skills, bridging the gap between classroom learning and the real world.
Key Highlights:
● Comprehensive Resources: Designed for Junior Cycle Business Studies and Senior Cycle subjects like Accounting, Business, and Economics.
● Practical Activities: Engage students in real-world business scenarios to enhance their transferable skills.
Empower students with the knowledge and skills needed for success in the world of work.
Resources include:
- Teacher Resources
- Student Resources
- Future Sparks TV and Podcasts
- Interactive Financial Education Presentations, ‘Stay Safe’
Financial Education
Empowering Students with Financial Literacy
The AIB Future Sparks Programme is designed to equip students with essential financial skills, preparing them for real-life challenges.
Features:
● Integrates into Business, Mathematics, and Home Economics classes
● Suitable for Classroom-Based Assessments
● Supports financial literacy through student account opening
● Teaches essential skills like banking, saving, and money management
Prepare your students for financial independence with AIB Future Sparks!
Key topics covered:
- Managing Money through Budgeting
- Being a Wise Consumer
- Taxation and Insurance
- Online Banking and Stocks
- Fraud Awareness: Free ‘Stay Safe’ presentations by AIB branch staff
SPHE (Social, Personal, and Health Education)
Empowering Students with Life Skills
The AIB Future Sparks Programme offers SPHE teachers a wealth of resources aligned with Junior Cycle Key Skills, Wellbeing Indicators, and the Senior Cycle Framework.
Key Features:
● Structured Resources: Designed around adolescent life moments to support curriculum planning.
● Focus Areas: Positive self-image, caring for oneself and others, transferable life skills.
● Future Sparks TV: Episodes to support informed decision-making and resilience.
Equip students with essential wellbeing skills through engaging and practical resources.
Wellbeing resources include:
- All About Anxiety – The Elephant and the Mouse
- Wellbeing Skills Self-Assessment
- Stress Management – ‘Don’t Sweat the Stress’
- Experts Explain Anxiety
- Health Literacy Ezine
- Chatterbox
Transition Year
Unlocking Potential with AIB Future Sparks
Transition Year is a pivotal time for students to explore new skills and interests through community projects, volunteering, and work experience. AIB Future Sparks supports this journey with a range of resources for Transition Year Coordinators and teachers.
Special Highlights:
● AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards
Empower students to lead their own development from Junior to Senior Cycle and beyond. Explore our resources today!
Key resources:
- Teacher PowerPoints and Practical Templates: For work experience reports, self-evaluations, and reflective practices
- Career Investigation Tools and Skills Audits
- Student Worksheets and CV Writing Tips
LIFE MOMENTS
The transition between key life moments is crucial for young people’s potential and maintaining well-being. Skills are essential for navigating these changes. Key life moments include:
Ignite
The journey begins here! As students transition from primary to post-primary school, they start new learning and develop key skills.
In Gear
Getting ready! Students are maturing, applying their new skills, and building confidence.
Observe, look left, look right, check your mirrors!
Time to reflect and evaluate! 3rd Year is a period for students to notice their skill development and evaluate before making important choices for the Senior Cycle ahead.
Accelerate - Roundabout ahead!
The detour of a lifetime! Students challenge themselves to develop new skills.
Drive
The open road! Students consolidate their skills and sharpen their awareness for future choices.
Navigate/Steer - Motorway ahead!
Changing Lanes! Students integrate their skills to make informed choices for the next stage of their journey.
Igniting the dreams and ambitions of Ireland’s Future Sparks
BUILT BY TEACHERS
FOR TEACHERS
"I love that this programme aims to contribute towards connecting the ... dots along the learner’s skills journey from first year in post primary right through to students progressing into the world of work and third level education."
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Guidance Counsellor
Co. Meath
"Isn’t it amazing to have Irish made resources at our finger ... tips so teachers can concentrate on developing these life skills with students when in the classroom?"
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Business Teacher
Co. Dublin
“AIB Future Sparks is great, you don’t often see a lot ... of really good stuff coming in for business teachers and providing a rich learning experience for the students. I am really impressed with this. I have been teaching for 18 years and I can clearly see that this is aligned to the curriculum.”
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Business Teacher
Co. Dublin
“The resources are pitched really well, with clear progression and a ... lot of the financial literacy resources are really relevant. Well done.”
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Home Economics Teacher
Co. Wicklow
“I love the 1st Year transition pack, great practical advice!”
1st Year Head
Co. Mayo
"Through this programme, teachers can provide support to our young people ... to raise awareness, create a focus and encourage practice of these life skills that will serve as a solid foundation for their future lives."
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TY Coordinator
Co. Dublin
“We are all so impressed with the portal because it can ... often be very difficult to find appropriate video clips on the various business topics due to them being irrelevant to our country etc. … We are all very impressed and so grateful for these resources.”
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Business Teacher
Co. Dublin
“It is fantastic!”
TY & CSPE Teacher
Co. Cork
"Very helpful and we have found some of the programmes very ... useful with our junior year groups in particular.”
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Guidance Counsellor
Co. Kerry
More information
POPULAR FAQs
It is an interdisciplinary programme for post primary schools which encourages the development of key life skills and supports young people, their teachers and parents as they navigate major transitions and life moments. Key features include:
• 1 easy to use online portal
• 270+ free digital educational resources for students, teachers, and parents across Guidance Related Learning and Wellbeing, Business, Accounting, Economics, TY, Home Economics, Financial Education, and more
• 65 inspirational life skills TV episodes and podcasts, Future Sparks TV
• Regular digital ezines and resource sharing
• Free interactive ‘Stay Safe’ fraud awareness presentations for your school
• Partnership with CareersPortal.ie and the AIB Career Skills Competition
The AIB Future Sparks Programme has been primarily designed as a resource bank for teachers to assist in the teaching of life skills as part of curricular work. All the resources on the website are ‘pick up and teach’ and some resources are available for students to use directly or for parents. Simply enter as a guest or register for an account to gain access to a wealth of free resources here.
Teachers, students, and parents can simply enter the website without needing an account. If teachers would like to enjoy additional benefits such as being registered for the AIB Future Sparks mailing list, a ‘favourite’ function, relevant suggestions, and more, they can register for an account here.
The AIB Future Sparks Programme has resources for every year group from 1st Year right up to 6th Year, including TY and LCA students. Subjects include: Guidance Related Learning and Wellbeing, Business Studies, Business, Accounting, Economics, Home Economics and Financial Education subjects, LCVP, and Transition Year modules.
No, AIB Future Sparks is completely free!
AIB have seen the move towards skills-based learning in recent years, especially with the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle in 2015, and emphasis on developing students’ talents and ‘skills’ in the ongoing Senior Cycle Framework, and we believe that learning life skills today will future-proof lives, careers and our economy for tomorrow. Post pandemic, we believe that this type of education environment where students develop key transferable life skills through their engagement with the curriculum will be more important than ever and we want to do our part.