Help - PME with Hibernia or NUI?

Wallifer90

Hi everyone,

As a background, I am a qualified accountant, working in industry in a good job. I worked in a Big 4 firm and another practice but did not enjoy either. I have passed my professional exams and also have done a Masters in Accounting. However, I have always wanted to go into teaching and am considering pursuing it. I enjoy my work but also get bored and as I am only 26, I keep thinking about the future and cannot see myself sitting at a desk for the rest of my life.

I am interested in teaching post-primary level in accounting, business and I am also qualified to teach economics. Some people are encouraging me to go for it as I have always wanted to do it and feel I will regret it forever if I don't. The problem is returning to education and all that goes with it. Plus the added worry of finding a job once I am qualified. I know I will never earn the same money as I will being an accountant but what is money without job satisfaction? I feel I would be a great teacher but I suppose am afraid to make the leap.

I have been looking into courses and wondering if anyone has done either the Hibernia course or went to one of the colleges? And would you recommend one over the other? I have heard horror stories about Hibernia but also heard some good stories. I am willing to save for the year and take a loan if needed to pursue this. Has anyone an opinion on which course is best to do? Also is it possible to work part-time doing the Hibernia course i.e. is the workload very large?

Any opinions / thoughts would be greatly appreciated on this

delly101

Hi there! I have no experience with NUIG but as a Hibernia student I can tell you to AVOID. Unbelievably poor value for money. While the standard of teaching is good, it is let down by its disorganisation, poor admin staff and general lack of care towards students. I truly regret paying the money to go there. Unfortunately the bad reputation is justified. AVOID!

JPF82

I completed my 2 years of teaching training with Hibernia in 2015. I found the standard of teaching good. There were a few issues around getting teaching placements. You have to arrange your own, which is fine, but I was new to the Maynooth area and many schools were only looking at more traditional colleges or for past pupils. Like yourself, I was an accountant for years. I'm in employment now and so glad I went back to be a teacher.

To be honest, do what suits you. Hibernia worked for me as I could do part time work and on the occasion where I was out of work for a little bit, I could claim the dole as it was classified as distance learning.

Notorious

JPF82 wrote: »

To be honest, do what suits you. Hibernia worked for me as I could do part time work and on the occasion where I was out of work for a little bit, I could claim the dole as it was classified as distance learning.

I think this summed up what I was going to say.

I did the PDPPE with Hibernia. They weren't great to deal with regarding administration. While a student there, I felt like I was just another entry on their accounts. Hibernia only seemed interested in me when I was paying my fees.

At the end of the day, studying part-time suited me. I could start slating the college, but the qualification I got enabled me to get a teaching position.

darlett

Notorious wrote: »

I think this summed up what I was going to say.

I did the PDPPE with Hibernia. They weren't great to deal with regarding administration. While a student there, I felt like I was just another entry on their accounts. Hibernia only seemed interested in me when I was paying my fees.

At the end of the day, studying part-time suited me. I could start slating the college, but the qualification I got enabled me to get a teaching position.

I would row in with this view too. They had plenty of problems for my time there, which latest I heard still hadn't been sorted to any satisfaction. For most of the course duration there was only the most vague academic calendar with details only been revealed for deadlines, exams, and class locations often only disclosed with next to no notice. We had our finals about a month after we should of had, with no explanation of why. This had a knockon effect of when we received results and of course that delays things like job applications; which was ultimately a serious situation. It was a relatively pricey course and that has increased plenty, and I'm not sure if they still do, but they insisted upon it all upfront which backed up the feeling that it was all about your euros. From that point of view they are a business and clearly they don't want to lose out if a student gets shell-shock during their teaching practice and wants to drop out.

But gripes aside; I also have the qualification I wanted. I got good support from experienced former teachers working as their inspectors during TP. And also studying part-time meant I could keep up my job working in a school as a housemaster in a boarding school.

OP, to your question as to can you work part-time during the Hibernia course, I would say it's straightforward enough to work even full-time during the times of year when you are not involved in teaching practice but I would recommend not working at all during the teaching blocks if possible. As I said I did, aided completely by the fact my TP took place onsite, but it was extremely wearisome and sometimes I found myself with only a couple of hours sleep (or less) between finishing my reports and submitting lesson plans and getting up to start the days works. That can really take it's toll. Of course your next question might be what employer will give me blocks of 6 weeks off at a time every few months?!

Notorious

darlett wrote: »

Of course your next question might be what employer will give me blocks of 6 weeks off at a time every few months?!

I worked nearly full-time during my last two TPs and used summer holidays up too. Definitely the worst weeks of my life.

One thing I'd like to point out with Hibernia for any prospective students; make friends on the course and do your best to bounce assignment ideas off each other. Here's a vital reason why:

A friend completed the course after I did. Both himself and a friend of his both completed an assignment and turned it in. My friend got a D while the other got a B. On examination of their individual feedback, both students had the exact same feedback sheets. Their feedback was identical, but grades were miles apart. After kicking up a fuss, both were bumped to an A and the issue was quickly swept under the carpet.

I'm assuming Hibernia outsourced their corrections and someone did a rush job, assuming they wouldn't be caught. It really doesn't paint the college in a great light, but again if the commitment required suits, go for it.