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trades senior cert ++

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  • 07-05-2010 2:27pm
    #1
    stek
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I'm hoping someone can help me.
    Ive completed my Electrical senior trades certificates along with City and Guilds certs and supplementary cert in PLC programming. Ive been working full time for close to ten years now with these qualifications.

    I would like to complete a degree in renewable energies.
    Please can you tell me,
    -what level of education am I classed at?
    -what is my first move to apply for courses/bridging courses?

    Any help is appreciated.


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    #2
    the keen edge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭the keen edge


    stek wrote: »
    Hi,
    I'm hoping someone can help me.
    Ive completed my Electrical senior trades certificates along with City and Guilds certs and supplementary cert in PLC programming. Ive been working full time for close to ten years now with these qualifications.

    I would like to complete a degree in renewable energies.
    Please can you tell me,
    -what level of education am I classed at?
    -what is my first move to apply for courses/bridging courses?

    Any help is appreciated.

    I'am assuming that when you say you hold a senior trade certificate, you mean a national craft certificate?. Anyhow AFAIK the latter is the new, as in last ten years, equivalent of the former. The national craft certificate is place at level 6 on the national framework of qualifications;

    http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/FanDiagram/nqai_nfq_08.html

    I would guess that, in relation to embarking on a 3rd level degree programme holding a national craft cert would gain you some, but not all, 1st year subject exemptions, it would be likely you would probably have to start from the first year of a programme. This is if you choose to study in a electrical related field.

    I cannot give you specific advise on entry requirements.I would advise you to take a look at the online prospectus of the colleges/uni's that are in your locality, or those that are in area open to you.
    Identify which programmes interest you, and then give the Mature admissions officer a call, and find out what you need to do to gain entry.

    I would imagine that you are cutting it a bit fine to gain admission to next Septembers programmes as a lot of CAO deadlines have passed, but I may be wrong.

    At any rate, you should ask yourself if you are ready for full time 3rd level study come September?
    Engineering degree programmes are maths heavy, and jumping back in to the classroom after a long absence can be daunting. I would advise any mature student thinking of embarking on a Engineering or Science degree, who has being out of education for a while, to consider attending one of the part time foundation courses ran by the various 3rd level institutes.
    These courses are a excellent preparation for the academic challenges of 3rd level education. You'll also get a chance to discover what area of study interests you most.
    In some case successful completion of these foundation programmes guaranties entry to a degree course the following September.


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    #3
    Larianne
    Registered Users Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    I would just like to echo the point about doing some sort of foundation course before returning to education as a mature student.

    I was out of school 10 years when I first applied for my course. I didn't get it due to lack of academic experience in 8 years. I went and completed an Access to Science course in UCD and I'm so glad I did it. I was much more prepared for the work load in college this year. There was a study skills module on the course which definitely stood to me this year (although at the time I didn't see how it would help me).

    One of the other mature students in my class this year did struggle with our end of year exams. Also, two of the mature students who got places last year had to repeat 1st year. And they said it was just due to the fact they were out of the education system for so long and not used to the study workload.

    I'm not saying you would fail if you went straight back to college but seriously think about whether you would be able for it and definitely have a study plan worked out and look up studying skills from the net to help you.

    I would contact the admissions office of whichever college(s) you are looking at and see if they could take you this year or what exactly the college looks for in a mature student application.


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