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Part-time study distance ed please help!!!!!

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  • 22-10-2012 11:26pm
    #1
    Henrythe8th
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi all!!! I'm just setting up this thread because i'm a man looking for advice before i go and make any hasty decisions. Basically, i'm 29, engaged, have the big mortgage, have 2 kids, 16 months and a newborn, so kept busy etc....

    The thing is, before the kids came i was close to going back to college as a mature student but obviously not financially viable right now. I've worked in sales for the last 8 years, and as 1 can imagine things are hairy enough in retail and FMCG market at the moment. The particular company i work for are making noise about cut backs (which mean's jobs) so i want people's opinion on part-time courses, colleges etc...

    I want to completely leave the retail side of things anyway but i want to keep my job (for as long as I can) to help fund my education. My original qualification is Electrical Engineering but also have no appetite for this career. I just want to know what do people recommend, obviously i'm looking to go down the finance or computing line so if any body has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated. Also, i would like people in the same or similiar situation to myself, who may have gone on and done a part-time or distance learning Degree to share their experiences and prehaps guide me in the right direction.


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    #2
    innominat
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭innominat


    Im currently doing a degree by distance with Sligo. I am really liking the experience. Maybe start your search there.
    With regards to computing I believe software developers and Java coders are in big demand I see lots of job ads for both.


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    #3
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    I think you should start in the opposite direction - by looking at local colleges and their respective offerings.

    Also look at www.oscail.ie - distance education in a number of areas, backed by DCU, so the qualifications are fully NUI accredited.


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    #4
    Henrythe8th
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Henrythe8th


    Tom Dunne wrote: »
    I think you should start in the opposite direction - by looking at local colleges and their respective offerings.

    Also look at www.oscail.ie - distance education in a number of areas, backed by DCU, so the qualifications are fully NUI accredited.

    Thanks so much for your response. This looks good and seems to be along the line i'm looking for. Have you done anything like this yourself???? If so, was it worth it???


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    #5
    Henrythe8th
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Henrythe8th


    innominat wrote: »
    Im currently doing a degree by distance with Sligo. I am really liking the experience. Maybe start your search there.
    With regards to computing I believe software developers and Java coders are in big demand I see lots of job ads for both.

    If you don't mind me asking what are you doing and where??? Do you find it difficult to juggle work and other committments with study???


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    #6
    innominat
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭innominat


    Henrythe8th wrote: »
    If you don't mind me asking what are you doing and where??? Do you find it difficult to juggle work and other commitments with study???
    Im doing a HDip in quality with sligo IT. Im one of 2 not working on the course.
    Im doing it as I found it hard to find work after returning to Ireland.
    Id say 18 out of 20 are working and studying so it is possible. Guys with young families do find making time a little harder by the sounds of things.


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    #7
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Henrythe8th wrote: »
    Thanks so much for your response. This looks good and seems to be along the line i'm looking for. Have you done anything like this yourself???? If so, was it worth it???

    Yes, I did the Oscail BSc in IT.

    Was it worth it? Certainly, but any degree from any university/IT would have done me, to be honest. It suited me at the time because I was working shift and could study on my days off.

    But you need to be sure that this kind of course is for you. If you have not studied in a long time, it can take a lot of dedication to study a distance education course. It worked for me because I had the house to myself during the day and I was very committed.

    Make sure you consider other alternatives too, such as part-time, evening courses. It's essentially the same qualification at the end.


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    #8
    Panther
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Panther


    Hi Henry,

    I will be graduating from UCC next week with a FETAC 7 Diploma that I did 2 years part time. As I am unemployed I had loads of time to study so I can't be of much help on that side of things. What I can tell you is that you will get NOTHING from the State. They wanted me to go full time even though the course wasn't available FT and I wanted the part time option available so that I could also look for a job. I tried an OU course some years back but found that it was very hard to do on your own. I think the course that I did was much better as we did 3 hrs on a Fri night and all day Sat once a month for 8 months. That allowed for students, tutors and lecturers to exchange ideas and ask questions.

    It is a shock to the system to go back to education at the start but after a while I was having to cut back on my assignments as I was writing too much! Anyway good luck with every thing and I hope it works out for you.


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    #9
    Arddon
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭Arddon


    Hello Henry
    Any update on what you did/are doing?
    I'm in very similar situation (only 1 kid though;)) and would like to change career direction through part time postgrad/Open Uni/Distance...

    I am thinking about doing a business module at local IT starting in Feb to see if I can manage to juggle study & work & homelife...they are currently available at half price 200euro as opposed to 400euro normally...figure it may be better to spend 200 n see if i can manage it than spend 5k and have to bale out!!

    Be interested to hear how your going


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