People can learn more about post-Leaving Certificate courses taking place at Galway Community College at its annual open day on Wednesday from 10am to 4pm.
The Moneenageisha college is celebrating 40 years providing innovation and excellence in education to the community this year. The open day is the first of several invitations to the public to meet staff and sample some of the many courses on offer.
A spokesperson for the college said graduates from each discipline go on annually to further study.
“The rest sucessfully go into the workforce locally or nationally, having made valuable contacts with local industry as part of the work placement module on each course which is compulsory. PLC courses at the college are free, offering students the ideal opportunity to spend a ‘gap year’ in education at home and at minimum cost. While the Leaving Certificate is the minimum entry requirement mature applicants (over 23 years of age ) are eligible to apply and relevant ‘real-life’ experience is taken into account as part of the interview process.”
There is a wide variety of courses to choose from including business computing/internet, childcare/special needs, fitness and nutrition, graphic design, horticulture, information processing/web design, legal/medical secretarial, and marketing and public relations. Other options include music and theatre performance, print journalism, film and TV, and sport and recreation. PLC courses also offer repeat Leaving Certificate maths as an additional subject which has been welcomed by many adults who did not succeed first time round.
FETAC certificates, which are recognised nationally and internationally, are awarded to those who sucessfully complete a year of study.
“While there is a lot of uncertainty about the economy at the moment a PLC course gives people the skills and confidence to deal with prospective employers,” says Rita Duffy, principal of the college. “In fact, many of our students have taken time out of the workforce to gain qualifications in areas of interest, some to further their career prospects while others benefit from obtaining the maximum 400 points enabling them to go on to third level institutions.”
For further information on PLC courses and night classes for adults telephone GCC at (091 ) 755464 or log onto www.galwaycc.ie
