Do you have the skills and knowledge but no paper to prove it? Are you one of those people who for years has been working away as a volunteer, running or helping to run a community organisation, or managing a small business or a farm, or managing people in general? Always too busy actually doing things but never the time to get the paper qualification.
EQUAL Ireland, a Galway based organisation, has come up with a solution for you. It is called the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL ), also known as Accreditation of Prior Learning or APL.
Basically what you have to do is to tell EQUAL Ireland the story of your relevant work and life learning and experience. This is then measured against what you would have learned had you had the time, money, and perhaps inclination to go to college for two or three years. If your experience matches or exceeds the college learning, which is often the case, then you may be able to enter a degree programme at year three or four instead of year one.
So if you have finally decided to get those letters after your name, now is your chance.
EQUAL Ireland will be running part time degree and higher certificate programmes in business, social enterprise, community development, and leadership and management, commencing in Galway on September 26. Information sessions are being held in the Harbour Hotel on Tuesdays September 15 and 22 from 6pm to 8pm. Alternatively you can text or email ‘EQUAL’ to 087 2237231 or [email protected] and EQUAL Ireland will get back to you.
