Studying is an aspirational life choice
THE concept of equating a new year with a ‘new you’ might seem a tad jaded as we continue to face-down the mid-January blues. But one aspect of life that is always responsive to new challenges is the domain of education. All too often at the start of a new year the emphasis is on transforming and reshaping the physical and aesthetic contours of our lives, which is all well and good except there’s also the inner self to consider.
A new year offers a chance to embark on an educational journey and the opportunity to enhance self-development, confidence, and even job prospects. All too often the thought of pursuing a course of study is beset with self-doubt and procrastination. However, knowing you (and you alone) are the only one capable of breaking down those mental obstacles in the way of educational discovery is reason enough to make 2018 the year you finally get started on a course of study.
Once upon a time the concept of ‘ learning’ was purely a functional one aimed at establishing specific outcomes surrounding employment. This is still the case, except education is now part of a much wider network of discovery. In short: there are now as many people pursuing educational courses for self-development, recreation, hobbies and mindfulness than there are studying solely to increase their chances of securing employment. This is a much truer reflection of how we, as a society, should view education – functional and aspirational. It’s time to enrol. THE Institute of Technology Tralee will offer a wide range of programmes, up to honours degree level, to CAO applicants for entry in September 2018. The programmes cover a diverse range of disciplines including Creative Media, Software Development, Business, Nursing, Social Sciences, Health & Leisure, Engineering, Wildlife Biology, Agricultural Science and Pharmaceutical Science.
This year sees the introduction of a new Bachelor of Arts (Honours) programme in Event Management. This 3 year honours degree is the only one of its kind in Ireland and has been designed in collaboration with national and international experts from the event management industry.
On announcing the programme details, Head of Department of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism at the IT Tralee Mr. Ray O’Connor Desmond said: “‘ The meetings, incentive, conference and exhibitions industry is growing rapidly worldwide and Ireland is becoming a key destination for hosting large scale international conferences and conventions. With continued growth predicted by Fáilte Ireland, these events will require highly skilled graduates to plan and manage the successful events of the future. This degree programme aims to provide graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of event organisation, management and evaluation, making them highly employable across the sector both in Ireland and abroad.”
As part of the CAO offering, the Institute are also offering a new, common entry, degree in Computing with award options in Games Development, Digital Media or Software Development. This programme is ideal for anyone interested in a career in programming but who would like to gain more experience before choosing their area of specialism.
All IT Tralee honours degree programmes offered through the CAO incorporate a work placement which allow students to experience authentic work scenarios in Ireland or abroad. This experience results in highly work-ready graduates. The Institute ensures that students are at the core of all activities with a dedicated team of student support services, while the town of Tralee offers high quality recreation and leisure facilities in addition to reasonably priced, quality accommodation options. Dr. Oliver Murphy, President IT Tralee stated, “never before has there been such a need for well-educated, socially-aware graduates to support our growing economy. IT Tralee provides both the environment and the experienced, student-focused academic and support staff for students to realise their full potential.”
The Institute of Technology Tralee has been to the forefront of developments in the third level sector since its establishment in 1977 and 2018 will see part of the Institute’s ambitious capital development plans come to fruition with the completion of a €16.5m sports academy. Under the recent PPP announcement by the Department of Educational and Skills, the IT Tralee will also benefit from the construction of a €30m Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) building in the North Campus which is expected to be operational in 2021.
For further information about any of IT Tralee’s wide range of full-time and part-time programmes visit www.ittralee.ie and download the current prospectus or contact the Admissions Office at 066 7145638. Those interested in applying for programmes at IT Tralee should do so via the CAO before 5.15pm Thursday 1st February 2018.