NUI Galway, in collaboration with 16 software industry partners, is offering a limited number of free places on its innovative Higher Diploma in software design and development programme. Student fees for the course are funded by the Higher Education Authority, given the strategic importance of developing skills in this area. Successful applicants therefore, pay no fees, only a student levy of €224.
Ninety per cent of Higher Diploma in software design and development graduates have secured employment. Many of the graduates are employed with some of Ireland’s leading software companies. NUI Galway has designed this one year conversion programme in conjunction with 16 leading IT employers, which enables graduates to reskill for employment in the software development area.
The overall goal of this postgraduate conversion programme is to strategically increase the supply of skilled graduates to meet the needs of Ireland’s high-growth software industry. It will provide graduates with a fast track, focused, computing qualification, and presents them with an opportunity to obtain valuable industry work experience.
The Higher Diploma in software design and development builds on the existing strengths of collaborative academic-industry interaction in the Galway region, and will provide graduates with a solid foundation in key areas of software design, a choice of software architecture specialisations in either .NET or Java Enterprise. The final aspect of the course involves a guaranteed three-month paid internship to gain industry experience, and as a result provides the opportunity to kick-start your career as a software developer.
Each student progressing through the course will have his or her training content determined by his or her associated industry partner. On completion of the course, these students will have transformed their employability in the current economy, with a range of great options opening up to them for further progression either in industry or via more specialisation through a master’s. The industry partners include Avaya, IBM, Accenture, Cisco, Fidelity Investments, INSIGHT, Storm Technologies, The Marine Institute, Solano Tech Ltd, NetFort Technologies, and Schneider Electric.
The programme is open to all those who have a level eight degree, alternatively those with a level eight degree and has some relevant industry work experience. The programme is ideal for those from a science or engineering background, who relishes challenges along the lines of problem solving or project work. NUI Galway is now processing applications, and those interested can make their application through www.springboardcourses.ie, or seek more information via the Twitter account @hdipindustry. Significant interest in this free course is expected and early application is advisable. Deadline for final applications is Friday July 18. For further information contact the Programme Director, Dr Enda Howley at [email protected].
