FETAC in Healthcare Support

hairycakes · 15-01-2015 3:33pm #1

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to change career and get into Social Care. I want to do a FETAC in Healthcare Support and work my way up that way. I work full time so will be doing this module by module at night. My query is is it better to enrol in courses that have actual classes or would the Open College online learning course be as good?

Thanks for any help!

katydid · 23-01-2015 11:10pm

hairycakes wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to change career and get into Social Care. I want to do a FETAC in Healthcare Support and work my way up that way. I work full time so will be doing this module by module at night. My query is is it better to enrol in courses that have actual classes or would the Open College online learning course be as good?

Thanks for any help!

Depends on yourself, really. I know I'd be useless at distance learning, because I need the discipline of attending
classes, and I like meeting with and exchanging ideas with class mates. But everyone is different.

Spirogyra · 24-01-2015 2:45pm

How is Fetac assessed? no reference to any examination when I looked at Open College. Is there essays or something? thanks S

katydid · 24-01-2015 9:43pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

How is Fetac assessed? no reference to any examination when I looked at Open College. Is there essays or something? thanks S

It depends on the course. Some modules, such as Communications, are 100% assignments, other modules are a mixture of assignments and a final exam. There are eight modules, so you would have quite a variety.

I'm not sure how modules like Communications, which involve things like presentations and interviews, can be done by distance learning. Might be worth investigating before you make any decisions.

Spirogyra · 24-01-2015 10:24pm

katydid wrote: »

I'm not sure how modules like Communications, which involve things like presentations and interviews, can be done by distance learning. Might be worth investigating before you make any decisions.

Thanks Katy, I'm sceptical of the value of a distance course for something that is very practical... I actually was seriously considering an evening fetac course, so if I could do some from home,without the travel, it would be great, but feel a bit sceptical..... I'd like to work in a hospital, like people and a lot of my friends are nurses but think I've made a mess of my career.....

katydid · 24-01-2015 10:36pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

Thanks Katy, I'm sceptical of the value of a distance course for something that is very practical... I actually was seriously considering an evening fetac course, so if I could do some from home,without the travel, it would be great, but feel a bit sceptical..... I'd like to work in a hospital, like people and a lot of my friends are nurses but think I've made a mess of my career.....

You would have a lot to do at home as it is, as there are so many assignments, but you would get great support from classmates and teachers if you do it "live", so to speak. It is a bit of a pain to travel, especially after a day's work, but it would be worth it if you really wanted to change career.

Spirogyra · 24-01-2015 10:40pm

katydid wrote: »

You would have a lot to do at home as it is, as there are so many assignments, but you would get great support from classmates and teachers if you do it "live", so to speak. It is a bit of a pain to travel, especially after a day's work, but it would be worth it if you really wanted to change career.

Thanks, think I might have liked to have been a nurse, but's impossible now, it really is, haven't four years free, or E25K in fees.... I had no interest in health care growing up, but for various reasons, feel quite drawn to it now.....career has been a total shambles....

katydid · 24-01-2015 10:47pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

Thanks, think I might have liked to have been a nurse, but's impossible now, it really is, haven't four years free, or E25K in fees.... I had no interest in health care growing up, but for various reasons, feel quite drawn to it now.....career has been a total shambles....

I know what you mean. It's hard to change career when it involves such a financial commitment. But if you can do this healthcare thing, you might be able to change direction without all that commitment and expense. My sister in law did the Level 5 Healthcare course, and is now working full time as a care assistant in a nursing home. Like you, she was always drawn towards this kind of work but never did nursing. She loves her job and says that the good side is that you have the job satisfaction, but at the end of the day, you don't have the responsibility the nurses have, so it's a bit more relaxing.

Spirogyra · 24-01-2015 11:02pm

Thanks Katy, that's reassuring to hear. Have spoken to the local hospital about their volunteer programme, might enable me to see what its really like.

I did a Liberal Arts Degree, which frankly lead me nowhere, and also meant I had to pay fees if I wanted to do something else, am 36 now, with dependants, not exactly ancient, but feel a career as a nurse is certainly beyond me......so maybe Fetac, would have to do all 8 modules I assume?

katydid · 24-01-2015 11:12pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

Thanks Katy, that's reassuring to hear. Have spoken to the local hospital about their volunteer programme, might enable me to see what its really like.

I did a Liberal Arts Degree, which frankly lead me nowhere, and also meant I had to pay fees if I wanted to do something else, am 36 now, with dependants, not exactly ancient, but feel a career as a nurse is certainly beyond me......so maybe Fetac, would have to do all 8 modules I assume?

I wouldn't say a career as a nurse is beyond you at your age; I teach on a pre-Nursing course, and there are often older women (and men) on the course. But most of them have some kind of Back to Education support. It's hard to do it without that. But other healthcare options might be just as rewarding.

If you want to get a full FETAC award, you have to do the full eight modules, but it might be possible to do four a year over two years part time.

Spirogyra · 25-01-2015 9:37am

Thanks Katy.....regarding Open College, are their reductions genuine? they claim their prices were double what they are now? surely not? that sort of marketing make's me cynical, feeling it's a business rather than a genuine training college http://www.theopencollege.com/courses/fetac-healthcare-courses/care-skills-5n2770-fetac-level-5/

Yes I sometimes think I would be better off without any degree, at least then I'd get funding for something useful. Liberal Arts taught me a lot, but was of little relevance to the workplace.

But I will seriously consider this, maybe try one module first and get a feel for the course and the providers?.

katydid · 25-01-2015 1:30pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

Thanks Katy.....regarding Open College, are their reductions genuine? they claim their prices were double what they are now? surely not? that sort of marketing make's me cynical, feeling it's a business rather than a genuine training college http://www.theopencollege.com/courses/fetac-healthcare-courses/care-skills-5n2770-fetac-level-5/

Yes I sometimes think I would be better off without any degree, at least then I'd get funding for something useful. Liberal Arts taught me a lot, but was of little relevance to the workplace.

But I will seriously consider this, maybe try one module first and get a feel for the course and the providers?.

I really don't know anything about Open College, maybe someone else can answer that question. All i'd say, and maybe I'm biased as someone that works in the state system, but I'd be wary of private providers as they don't always take their commitement to quality as seriously as FE colleges do.

Your degree wasn't wasted. I did an arts degree too. I went into teaching, because that's what I wanted to do, but when I lived abroad, my arts degree was seen as an advantage rather than a limitation, because the way they saw in in the UK and in France was that I had got a good training in logical thinking, research skills and was a good candidate for many areas of work. I was offered jobs in marketing, PR, financial advising (if they only knew I lurch from month to month, pay cheque to pay cheque).

Arts degrees are looked down on in Ireland as the Cinderella of the academic world. But look what happened Cinderella... Be proud of your degree and how it trained your mind, and you can use those skills in whatever course of study or work you follow.

Spirogyra · 25-01-2015 5:47pm

Thanks Katy.....will see how I feel over the next few day's and weeks, thanks for the positive words

katydid · 25-01-2015 7:50pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

Thanks Katy.....will see how I feel over the next few day's and weeks, thanks for the positive words

Let me know how you get on. PM if you like.

Spirogyra · 25-01-2015 10:23pm

Thanks Katy, will do

spurious · 26-01-2015 12:08pm

For FETAC awards from private places, please make sure they are offering the full award. I would always recommend people, where possible, to go to established providers like the ETB (previously VEC) FE colleges, for a number of reasons, not least the cost.

Spirogyra · 26-01-2015 6:41pm

I'd be surprised if Open College were not guilty of false advertising, have asked them to explain but yet to hear a response...seriously discredits them in my eyes, makes them look like a shop rather than a school.... I'd really like to work in a hospital, or related care setting, if a degree isn't feasible, Fetac and something like Health Care Assistant is probably my only option? . A lot of my friends work in the local hospital , it feels natural for me to want to do so too....

katydid · 26-01-2015 9:36pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

I'd be surprised if Open College were not guilty of false advertising, have asked them to explain but yet to hear a response...seriously discredits them in my eyes, makes them look like a shop rather than a school.... I'd really like to work in a hospital, or related care setting, if a degree isn't feasible, Fetac and something like Health Care Assistant is probably my only option? . A lot of my friends work in the local hospital , it feels natural for me to want to do so too....

You should enquire if they will take you without a qualification, but I suspect that they would look for at least a Fetac Level 5. Worth asking, maybe.

spurious · 26-01-2015 10:18pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

I'd be surprised if Open College were not guilty of false advertising, have asked them to explain but yet to hear a response...seriously discredits them in my eyes, makes them look like a shop rather than a school.... I'd really like to work in a hospital, or related care setting, if a degree isn't feasible, Fetac and something like Health Care Assistant is probably my only option? . A lot of my friends work in the local hospital , it feels natural for me to want to do so too....

I would be surprised if they were guilty of false advertising. That's quite an allegation. They may not be a school, but they have full QQI accreditation and are a respected provider. The way other providers offer courses (such as the ETB colleges) does not suit everyone's circumstances and the Open College and others fill a gap in provision.

Have you had a response to your query yet?
From what I know of them they are usually fairly quick about responding to queries.

Spirogyra · 26-01-2015 10:33pm

spurious wrote: »

I would be surprised if they were guilty of false advertising. That's quite an allegation. They may not be a school, but they have full QQI accreditation and are a respected provider. The way other providers offer courses (such as the ETB colleges) does not suit everyone's circumstances and the Open College and others fill a gap in provision.

Have you had a response to your query yet?
From what I know of them they are usually fairly quick about responding to queries.

No, I'd be amazed if the course prices were ever really double what they are charging now, if they weren't, that's false advertising, and I stress -if-, but the prices of these courses, in local vec night colleges, is about the same, even slightly less than Open College are now charging, so am I to believe that they were ever really the alleged original prices? Have this trick in shops too, to fool a customer into thinking they were getting a great deal

*** actually there is a response, they have said that (former) vec colleges are cheaper due to taxpayers funding them, and that their reductions are real.....

spurious · 26-01-2015 10:56pm

Spirogyra wrote: »

*** actually there is a response, they have said that (former) vec colleges are cheaper due to taxpayers funding them, and that their reductions are real.....

So they did reply.

That is true about ETBs being cheaper because of taxpayer funding. Private providers of course have to allow for their shortfall of public funding by charging more.
I'm not really seeing what your issue is. Somewhere providing a course on a private basis will always be more expensive than a publicly funded course.

Public courses come with limitations, such as the start of the school year, the hours of the courses, whether there is a distance option. Private providers can offer courses almost at any time, intensively or on a distance basis.

spurious · 26-01-2015 10:57pm

Perhaps the Open College Verified Rep. on Boards will respond to this thread.

Spirogyra · 26-01-2015 11:00pm

I concede that I was wrong on this occasion and apologise, that explanation make's sense. Have been 'bitten' before elsewhere, hence my antenae were raised, but in this case I was mistaken.

Spirogyra · 26-01-2015 11:03pm

Regarding Health Care as a discipline, I have quite a lot of Psychology at Degree level (but not an actual degree) behind me. A friend, who is a nurse, said this would help me a lot in patient care. Feel like I have a lot knowledge, but few actual skills.....

The Open College · 27-01-2015 11:28am

Hello Spirogyra,

We have been reading through the posts here and notice that we have replied to your question on our Q&A session on our website. To further expand on what we have said - we are a Private College and do not receive public funding to run our courses and as pointed out by Spurious we do fill a requirement in the Further Education sector that cant be completed by the ETB's (ex VECs). In light of that, our courses will always be more expensive then that of the public funded colleges but as we are a not for profit organisation our prices will most likely be less than many other private providers. The original course prices listed are correct but as we mentioned we are always running offers so prices will remain low most of the time. After reviewing the issues that this has raised we might look at removing the original prices to save confusion but we would need to check our legal obligation on this as with any promotions in any business the original price needs to be displayed. We are a fully accredited QQI provider and this in itself requires us to be at a standard set by QQI that would be the same as the ETB's. I hope that we have cleared this up for you.

On your other points about the Healthcare Discipline and what is required - The minimum requirement to work in the HSE or most care facilities is the Healthcare Support Major award - 5M4339. We along with the ETB's and many other private colleges offer this award and it would compliment your Psychology studies nicely.

To assist you with your questions and uncertainty around the Healthcare discipline and area, we would like to offer you the opportunity to discuss your requirements with our Healthcare tutor who is a registered general nurse and also tutors for the ETB's. She would be the best person to advise you on your next course of action and would be unbiased advice that we would gladly assist you with.

If you would wish to speak with our tutor please email your contact details to our college info account with a copy of this message and the best time to contact you and we can have her contact you by phone or email, whichever you wish. With Kind Regards, The Open College

Spirogyra · 27-01-2015 2:22pm

Again I'm sorry for this erroneous assumption. It just echoed colleges advertised in tabloid newspapers in the past, which were not worth the proverbial paper they were written on, unrecognised and useless....However I apologise unreservedly in this instance and am sorry for having sullied your name....all I want,all any student wants, is to know that what they are doing is recognised and has the potential to lead them somewhere. It's clear to me now that your college is very legitimate and I'm sorry....

The Open College · 27-01-2015 3:27pm

Hello Spirogyra,

That is no problem, just glad we could clear this up for you and thank you for your honesty. That offer of liaising with our tutors to see what would be your best option is still open so just email us at our info account and we can get this sorted for you. Kind Regards, The Open College

Spirogyra · 28-01-2015 2:05pm

thank you

Spirogyra · 07-02-2015 2:58pm

Open College, sent that email with my contact details a week and a half ago and have heard nothing......

The Open College · 08-02-2015 9:28pm

Hello Spirogyra, Sorry will have this checked and revert tomorrow. We will PM you with another email account that you can send your details to and we will get on it immediately. We have been watching for an email and were only commenting the other day that we hadn't received anything as yet. With Kind Regards, The Open College

Spirogyra · 09-02-2015 3:20pm

Very informative and good discussion with the tutor, it really added a lot. She said that it was best to have work placement lined up in advance which make's a lot of sense. She also advised on the best modules to take as a beginner. So quite pleased really. Don't know whether I proceed, but a good result today , thank you Open College

FETAC in Healthcare Support

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