Reaching the top by the private route

While I was over there I did a short course in event management and that was it. I just loved it. I’m a real people person and I’m good at organising things. It was perfect really.

A couple of my friends back home recommended I check out the courses in DBS so I decided to come home and I applied for my course. I got the very last CAO offer on the course that year.

I haven’t looked back really. I found first year really good. It was very business oriented which was useful. I tried to get as involved as I could in various events around DBS. There’s a fashion show every year so I was involved in that and I’m helping to promote Freshers’ Week at the moment.

The location of the college is great. It’s so handy. The fact that it’s smaller is a big advantage. The classes are smaller and everyone gets to know one another. It’s like a big family really.

I work part-time throughout the year to keep everything going in terms of fees and so-on. It’s not too bad. I suppose it’s telling that I never have a morning where I don’t want to go into college. Most days I go in early in fact. I grab some breakfast and chat to whoever I bump into.

I’d really recommend DBS overall. It’s a great college experience.

Robbie Staples Business Management in Dublin Business School

I was always interested in setting up my own business so a degree in business management interested me. I went to an open day in DBS and I was blown away by it. It was honestly like a big family. The staff were just so helpful and nice I just decided that this college was right for me.

I had considered degrees in WIT and UCD as well but believe it or not, the decision was both financial and practical in the end. I know that you pay fees in DBS, but this degree was three years. The ones I was looking at in other colleges were four years. I decided it was better to pay for three and then get ahead in the workplace rather than spending a fourth year in education. I’m a big believer in the value of experience.

I took out a student loan for the fees and I feel that I probably saved money overall by doing a three- rather than a four-year degree.

Anyway, DBS lived up to my expectations. The staff members were incredibly helpful, always available if you had a problem. Seriously, they’d give you their email addresses, their mobile numbers, they were always there if you needed them. The college itself was just really friendly.

The support continues even after you graduate. I’ve applied for jobs and I’ve a couple of interviews lined up next week. The career-guidance counsellor in DBS has been a massive help to me, checking my CVs for me, offering advice.

It’s really great to have that kind of back-up even after you graduate.