[liu83]

I was accepted for the SLT course in Limerick this year, but I wasn't aware of the budgets cuts for the postgraduate students.
Can anyone please advise if it is worth taking out a loan to cover the fees. Would I find a job as a new graduate?
I don't see any advertisements for the SLTs at the moment. Going abroad as new graduate isn't an option either.
The IASLT website states that only when new graduates finish 1260 hours of clinical supervision, they could be awarded the full membership which would allow to practise abroad subject to additional certification.
I might be wrong in my opinions/statements, could anyone give me some advice please?

[LizT]

Originally Posted by liu83

I was accepted for the SLT course in Limerick this year, but I wasn't aware of the budgets cuts for the postgraduate students.
Can anyone please advise if it is worth taking out a loan to cover the fees. Would I find a job as a new graduate?
I don't see any advertisements for the SLTs at the moment. Going abroad as new graduate isn't an option either.
The IASLT website states that only when new graduates finish 1260 hours of clinical supervision, they could be awarded the full membership which would allow to practise abroad subject to additional certification.
I might be wrong in my opinions/statements, could anyone give me some advice please?

Employment prospects aren't great. I graduated last year and haven't had any luck yet.
You can practise in the UK but registration with the HPC (required for viturally every SLT job) is quite expensive if you recieved your qualification in Ireland and I think it takes around 6 months for your registration to clear (Not 100% sure on that one, I trained in the UK so it's different requirements for me).

The thing is, no one can say what the employment prospects will be in two years time. I would assume there will have to be a shift at some point.

[drunknmunky_21]

Hi Liu83, I'm in my last few weeks of the four year degree programme and the job prospects are bleek at the minute. However there are options as long as you are willing to travel. As the above poster stated, in 2 years time the employment prospects may have changed.If you are willing and are fortunate enough to be in a position where you can work abroad there are opportunities for employment.

By registering with the HPC you can apply for jobs in the UK. There is a 6 month waiting list for your application to be completed. However there are plenty of jobs over there.

Singapore are currently recruiting new grads. A number of my friends are employed there at the moment. They work long hours (12 hours a day) and those working in hospitals also work Saturdays. However they are gaining invaluable experience and have the opportunity to travel throughout Asia during their time off.

You can also apply to New Zealand as a new grad. You apply for provisional membership of their body and then you build up your hours so that you can apply for full membership.

To work in Canada, additional Audiology hours are requires. To work in the United States you must sit CCC exams for the specified state that you wish to work in.

Also, while the HSE are not currently hiring many newly qualified speech and language therapists, the charitable organisations(Enable Ireland Brothers of Charity etc.) are hiring.

I hope this helps.