Mayo College of Further Education and Training has launched its course offerings for September 2022. There will be 40 courses across five departments and three campuses in Ballina, Westport, and Castlebar. The comprehensive course offering is available on www.mayocollege.ie
The 40 QQI Level 5 and Level 6 courses on offer will enable learners to meet the demands of the modern social and economic environment. Mayo College will offer exceptional educational opportunities for school leavers, lifelong learners, returning learners, and the wider community. It will serve as a beacon of learning for the region and afford learners the opportunity for academic, employment, and social progression.
Work placement is an integral part of all programmes, and the IT facilities are of an exceptional standard. Innovation and development have always been at the core of course delivery. The college is constantly updating and developing programmes to suit the workplace, the economy, and third-level institutions. Hence, the success rate of students on completion of their courses is excellent. Many have gone on to third level institutions all over the country and beyond, or set up successful businesses, while others have found employment in their chosen field via well established links with employers and business organisations in the region and elsewhere.
Learners will be given a chance to partake in Erasmus+ paid work placement in a wide range of European countries, including France, Spain, Estonia, Iceland, Germany, Poland, and Denmark. There are more than 100 laptops available to lend to learners for the academic year. In addition to these laptops, all students are given five free copies of Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud where their course requires this software. Students will also be given the opportunity to participate in clubs and societies, play football in competition with institutes of technology and other FET centres, or gain leadership skills by becoming a class representative or member of the Student Council.
The approach taken to teaching and learning is both positive and affirming. Disability support staff will support learners with documented disabilities/specific learning difficulties. In addition, guidance counsellors will help those seeking career advice or those encountering personal issues.
Highlights from the Castlebar campus include:
The newly developed early learning and care Level 5 and Level 6 will begin in a newly furnished and designed early years’ room.
A wide range of sports courses has been added to the course offering including sports and physical therapy, sports nutrition, and sports recreation and exercise at Level 6.
In the IT/multimedia and design area, digital marketing has been added to the mix with the introduction of the programme graphic and web design with digital marketing. This will give learners essential skills in industry-standard graphics software with design skills while also providing them with digital marketing/social media marketing skills for the digital economy.
Nursing studies and healthcare support are run from a dedicated nursing room equipped with the latest healthcare equipment.
Music is delivered from a dedicated music room with a sound recording studio and industry standard recording equipment.
In addition, there is ample opportunity for successful graduates in the business area to to partake in a wide range of courses.
Highlights from the Westport campus include:
The agriculture Level 5 and Level 6 courses have been redeveloped recently, with all modules being redesigned, rewritten, and approved by QQI. Students have access to the college farm to practise their skills, and this year the college purchased a Tenstar tractor simulator with multiple driving exercises and simulations. This allows the students to practise and become proficient in various realistic tractor-related activities in the safest of environments. Students in the horticulture Level 6 course have access to on-site polytunnels and a dedicated horticulture area which includes a beautiful orchard.
The art room has recently been completely refurbished with new equipment being added and IT facilities updated allowing students to work on the latest software.
The photography studio has also benefited from some significant investment in equipment and resources recently. This ensures that students are training using the highest quality industry-standard equipment.
A newly constructed dog grooming facility and a fully kitted science laboratory are used by animal care Level 5 and animal science Level 6 students. Laboratory techniques is a new course that offers excellent progression opportunities to higher education. Healthcare support students fine-tune their care skills in a healthcare skills lab, which includes nursing manikins designed for multiple scenarios and diagnostic equipment, including an ECG machine with a simulator for practising vital signs.
The state-of-the-art beauty and hairdressing salons have also benefited from significant recent investments. Beauty therapy Level 5 and Level 6 students practise their skills using industry-standard equipment in the large beauty salon, while hairdressing Level 5 and Level 6 students have also benefited from the recent acquisition of new salon furniture and equipment.
Motor technology Level 5 students have access to the college garage, which boasts all of the equipment and diagnostics needed for preparation for work in the industry, including an industry-standard hydraulic lift, braking systems, and lighting and wiring training boards. These students also have access to the highly equipped engineering room which includes arc and mig welders and other engineering equipment. Students in the office administration Level 5 course, like all the students in the college, have access to the latest Office 365 software, and IT resources are replenished and replaced regularly.
Highlights from the Ballina campus include:
The newest addition to Mayo College is the Ballina campus on Abbey Street in Ballina. This building will boast state of the art facilities, including a custom-built healthcare room and dedicated IT labs. New courses on offer will include pharmacy assistant, policing and security, office administration, animation, and emergency care personnel (pre-paramedic, fire and ambulance ).
There are no application or tuition fees for all the courses on offer. All courses are eligible for SUSI grants. There are exemptions from some examination fees for medical card holders and those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance and the SUSI grant.
The college is currently accepting applications through www.mayocollege.ie for all courses commencing in September 2022. Phone 094 90 23134 or email [email protected].
