Q: I'm a 17-year-old second-level student. I'd love to do a degree in social science and work in this area. Where can I apply for these courses? If I don't get enough points for a degree, is there any other similar training or work experience available ? What other courses would qualify me for this work?
- West Dublin student
A: You shouldn't worry unduly about getting the points for degree courses in social science studies. There are many ways by which you could get into this kind of work other than with a degree.
At degree level, UCC and UCD offer a three-year course and you could then do the master's programme to gain the professional social work qualification.
Unfortunately, the other two UCC courses are not open to school-leavers: the degree in social work is for mature students who have a commitment to social work and who are active in a voluntary capacity and the degree in youth and community work is geared for community activists.
TCD also has a four-year degree programme (TR084) which includes professional social work training and the professional qualification (NQSW). You should apply for these anyway but should also consider doing any other degree with a view to doing a transition diploma course afterwards in applied social studies.
There are only two undergraduate courses which fulfil the National Qualification in Social Work (NQSW). These are UCC's degree in social work (mature students only) and the TCD degree in social studies.
Four postgraduate courses qualify: UCC's masters of social work and H Dip in social work studies, UCD's masters of social science and diploma in applied social studies.
But other options are available: the DIT four-year degree in social care (FT471) and the two-year certificate in applied social studies (DT 470); the Waterford IT three-year diploma in applied social studies (WD018) which usually is a restricted-application course, so you should apply to CAO by February 1 of year of entry.
Both Athlone IT and Cork IT have courses in applied social studies and Carlow IT has social care.
Alternatively, you could apply to nearby PLC colleges which provide courses in the social and community care training areas. To enter these courses, you are generally required to have five passes in the Leaving Cert and there is an interview.
These courses generally lead to NCVA qualifications which in turn could gain you access to cert and diploma courses in the ITs provided you reach a certain standard.
Ballyfermot Senior College in Dublin has a certificate in community and child care, two certificates in community and health services (for the elderly and those with a disability) and a diploma in caring services which requires a Leaving Cert with two honours and a pass in English and maths.
Inchicore Vocational School, Dublin, has child care and pre-nursing, social studies and care of the elderly in the home and community. The Liberties College, Dublin, has social studies (youth and community work), applied social studies, childcare and community care. Because of the interview factor, you should try and get some work experience to help clarify your own ideas and prepare you for this training.
Finally, another possibility would be to work in the field of social care in the Dublin region and take the in-service social care three-year course in DIT. This involves attendance at college two days a week.
You could then proceed to the diploma for one year on a full-time basis which will give you a professional qualification. Information is available from the Irish Association of Social Workers - phone (01) 677 4838).
Q: I'd like to become an accountant but I don't think I will get the grades for the professional courses. I'd like some information on the technician courses: where they are held, whether they are full-time/part-time, what I need to get in and what exemptions are available.
Carlow student
A: Two bodies deal with accounting technician courses. The first is the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI). The minimum requirement is five passes in the Leaving Cert and two of these must be English and maths or English and accountancy.
The courses are held in over 60 educational centres throughout the country on either a full-time, part-time, day-release or, in the case of one centre in the Dublin area, correspondence / distance learning.
In your own area, there is a full-time course in the Vocational School, Carlow - phone (0503) 31187 or 31247. As I said these are run by IATI which is a partner body of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, 87-89 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4 - phone (01) 660 2899.
This partner body gives exemptions to those who achieve high standards in the IATI exam: exemptions are granted from the first of its four exams and from a further subject at the next stage.
Similar arrangements are in place with other professional bodies including the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, the Institute of Bankers in Ireland, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators and the Institute of Taxation.
These exemptions are detailed on a separate form (EX98) which includes exemptions from third-level institutions as well as professional bodies.
The second body dealing with accounting technicians is the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT), Monarch House, Leeson Place, Dublin 1 - phone (01) 496 3260. This body is affiliated to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) - phone (01) 496 3144.
The only requirement for entry to this course is to be 16 years of age - there are no formal qualifications. On completion of your course, you will get exemption from the Foundation stage of the ACCA. Another advantage is that there is no time limit - you can qualify at your own pace and fit studies around work or family commitments. This qualification is linked to the British BTEC NVQ in accounting.
Queries can be answered only through this column and not by phone or post. Write to Sile Sheehy, Education & Living, The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 - or by email to education@irish-times.ie
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