B.C.F.E. Times Thursday 8 January 2014
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Education Amalgamation with Ballyfermot College by Liam O’Leary
institutions, unlike SOLAS courses. Ballyfermot and Finglas, will come under the City of Dublin ETB. Training centres in Baldoyle, Tallaght and Loughlinstown, will move to Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB. One training centre each will move to Cork (Bishopstown) and Kerry (Tralee) ETBs. A further 12 training centres will transfer from SOLAS to other ETBs in the coming months.
The Fas center in Ballyfermot has closed and some of its services will be transferred to Ballyfermot College of Further Education. The current services offered by BCFE are likely to be diluted over the coming years. Minister for Education and skills Ruairí Quinn T.D announced the consolidation of these two very different education providers on the 1st of January 2014. The new service will fall under Dublin City Education and Training Board. “This marks an important further step in the development of an integrated high-quality further education and training sector, following the establishment of SOLAS last October.” he said. Speaking to the BCFE Times today, BCFE Deputy Principal Kevin Devine said within the next few years, there will be an advent of new courses for people with more of a practical disposition, and some of the current courses may be dropped. Integrating these new courses into the current prospectus will be the main challenge for the college. He said: “It will require careful management to ensure the ethos and mission of BCFE is maintained” SOLAS is the new Further Education and Training Authority in Ireland that has replaced FAS. The courses offered are mostly practical in nature such as welding and plumbing. BCFE and other further education colleges are renowned for their high quality courses in a broad range of areas, from business to music. They are usually either directly or indirectly linked to third level
CAO Appliactions Opened By Barbara Crabtree
Awareness: One of the many posters around college As the spring term commences and we enter the final stretch of the academic year, the time has come for students to begin thinking toward next year and considering their options for progression. By Barabara Crabtree Beyond the college, BCFE graduates have many further education options. A group of 8 BCFE Music Management students The CAO application process is open are taking part in a program called DNA Ireland, in which they bring a Dutch artist over to Ireland for a now and welcomes FETAC students. two week tour. Run in conjunction with the Herman Through the Higher Education Links Brood Academy in The Netherlands, Ireland is one of Scheme, students can apply for a place 4 countries around Europe to have an up and comin Universities and Institutes of teching Dutch musician travel and tour the country for 2 nology using their FETAC grades. weeks in March. Universities and ITs are asked to recruit at least 15% of their intake from a mix of non-traditional applications. Students with a FETAC level 6 award can be eligible for advanced placement, joining a course in the second or even third year. To gain advanced entry, students must apply directly to the institution they wish to attend, where they will be interviewed. Former BCFE student and recent National College of Ireland graduate Peter Brennan explains the advanced placement process. “I had a level 6 Business diploma from Ballyfermot and decided to apply to NCI to get my degree in Human Resources Management. After I sent my application I was interviewed.
Dutch invasion
Not So Social By Amelia Arkins
that it is a lack of interest on the student’s part but they aren’t placed in the canteen which is the social gathering for many of the college students. According to former student of MJC Barbara Crabtree ‘there was a film club in 2012 but it never carried on into 2013’. Could this be due to the fact that many courses in the college are only for one year? Is there chance for societies or clubs in colleges of further education? Doyle’s (SU) hopes for 2014 are that more groups get up and running such as the astro turf and soccer ‘as many have an interest for it.’ If any student has an interest in setting up a society, speak to David Doyle of the Student Union in the main building of the college.
USI Finish with Drinkaware by Ashleigh Dunleavy
The Union Students of Ireland (USI) officially severed its ties Diageo’s DrinkAware on November 9th. The motion was passed at the USI National Council in Dublin Institute of Technology. The DrinkAware campaign encourages students to drink responsibly. However USI president, Joe O’Connor said when asked, that the campaign merely “normalise[s]” alcohol consumption. “Encouraging students to drink responsibly is still an encouragement for students to drink”, he added. Instead the USI wishes to develop an independent campaign alongside “other bodies not funded by a self-regulating drinks industry.” Meanwhile Meas, the company who run the DrinkAware campaign, has said that it refuses to engage in a “nanny state” approach. Chief Executive of Meas, Fionnuala Sheehan said that Meas was “an alcohol social responsibility organisation, not an alcohol prohibition body”.
Office of The Student Union It is a common aspect in the college life of students to be members of a certain society. Whether the social clubs range from drama to sports or even djing; the list is endless. However, the situation is different in Ballyfermot College of Further Education. BCFE is known for its vibrant student life yet on campus there are no social clubs listed. Although BCFE isn’t an onsite campus, neither is DIT; yet, their social clubs have a long history, similar to those at colleges such as DCU and UCD. In other colleges and universities the social clubs are able to sustain more than one year, as they are passed down to up and coming students who enter their doors. This is a broader issue with smaller colleges, as the Liberties once had a ‘Mature Students Society’ yet over the years it has slowly died out. The lack of clubs isn’t due to funding; according to David Doyle, member of the Student Union in BCFE ‘people aren’t bothered! Unfortunately.’ There have been numerous attempts to set up clubs such as astro turf soccer ‘but it fell through as nobody turned up’. Also how students who join the groups haven’t got the commitment and end up leaving them. Could this be true that students aren’t bothered or could it be down to a lack of information? With posters up around the main building of the college it seems
In response to the USI’s statement she said the MEAS “does not encourage anyone to drink”.
CAO Appliactions Opened Continued from page one They asked me about my course, what I did and any other experience I had that was relevant to the degree. Because I had my qualification I was able to join the course in second year.” Within BCFE, students have a few options. Those completing FETAC level 5 courses can apply to join a two-year level 6 course within the college. For media students, they may apply for a special one year add-on course which provides them with a level 8 degree accredited by DCU. First-round applications are open now. It seems that students are well aware that it’s time for applications thanks to BCFE’s attempts to raise awareness, with one saying, “There are posters all over the college, it’s impossible not to notice!”
”Adopting a ‘do not drink’ approach to this age group is a turn-of”. Mrs Sheehan said. She stated that “85 per cent of over-18s are aware of drinkaware.ie.” “The very difficult task which Meas/drinkaware. ie undertakes is to challenge and change some of the harmful cultural ways in which Irish people have, for generations, used alcohol.” DrinkAware.ie was founded in 2006 with the aim of promoting the sensible consumption of alcoholic beverages and to challenge anti-social drinking behaviours. It’s most recognisable event, Arthur’s Day was launched in 2009 and 2013 saw the event raise a revenue of €50 million brought into the Irish economy. The campaign targets youths between the age of 18 & 24, 87% of which drink alcohol. Over the years however, Arthur’s day has received increased criticism as the night sees an increase in ambulance callouts, most notably a 30% increase during the 2012 celebrations. Many have labelled it as a ‘pseudo-national holiday’ to market Diageo’s products. In September 2013, ‘Boycott Arthur’s Day’ a social media campaign, began to grab national and international attention. The campaign encouraged individuals to ‘Say NO to Diageo’s boozefest’. After the criticism of Arthur’s day 2013, an insider said “Arthur’s day had a good run but the tide of public opinion had clearly been turned this year. It came under fire and the decision was taken that it won’t be back next year.