Soccer for Women FAI/FAS

Mars Bar

I'm hoping to do a course through FAI And FAS/SOLAS. This course provides training leading to a FETAC Level 5 Major Award in Sports and Recreation.

I'm curious as to how they can have the following requirement:

For persons that have no formal educational qualifications or have achieved less than 5 D’s in their Leaving Certificate or other equivalent qualification.

I did the Leaving twice to get good points to get my course in an IT which I graduated from this year but I would like to take a break from that field and try this one.

I am essentially, too qualified to do this course. That's not equal opportunity at all.

It said on the FAI site that it's for people who dropped out of school. I told the guy over it that I had my LC and a degree and he said that was fine. Can they really enforce that requirement?

looksee

For heaven's sake, how many bites of the cherry do you want to be 'entitled' to? You have got your degree, you are theoretically employable. Now you want a year to indulge a fancy, and you are not 'qualified'!

They have already said they would not have a problem with your qualifications so what do you want? There are a lot of people out there for whom their one chance in life to improve their employability/confidence etc is a FETAC course.

They are not designed for people with degrees, though those people do do them occasionally. You sound like someone who would sit through the theory classes rolling your eyes because its all too easy and the rest of the class is thick. Try looking at life from a less 'self' centered point of view.

Mars Bar

looksee wrote: »

For heaven's sake, how many bites of the cherry do you want to be 'entitled' to? You have got your degree, you are theoretically employable. Now you want a year to indulge a fancy, and you are not 'qualified'!

They have already said they would not have a problem with your qualifications so what do you want? There are a lot of people out there for whom their one chance in life to improve their employability/confidence etc is a FETAC course.

They are not designed for people with degrees, though those people do do them occasionally. You sound like someone who would sit through the theory classes rolling your eyes because its all too easy and the rest of the class is thick. Try looking at life from a less 'self' centered point of view.

Oh for **** sake.

I'm saying everyone should have the opportunity to do any course they want be you stupid or a genius. Why should I have a better opportunity going to an IT because I happen to be a bit handier at books than another person so I can get points? Why does a person who didn't finish school get a chance that I won't get to do something really interesting because of some rules?

I'm not looking for a "fancy" year. I'm looking for a change to do something I really want to do after struggling through my final year of college due to depression.

If I got this course for the year, it would be a labour of love.

Take your attempt at moral high horsery somewhere else.

looksee

But if that were the case you probably would not have got on your IT course, regardless of your points, because it would have been filled on a lucky dip or first come basis, with people who didn't pass their leaving. You can't have it both ways.

And anyway, you said yourself that you had been told your qualifications are ok. The requirements are to encourage people who might otherwise think they are not qualified to do it. I really can't see what you are complaining about.

Mars Bar

looksee wrote: »

But if that were the case you probably would not have got on your IT course, regardless of your points, because it would have been filled on a lucky dip or first come basis, with people who didn't pass their leaving. You can't have it both ways.

And anyway, you said yourself that you had been told your qualifications are ok. The requirements are to encourage people who might otherwise think they are not qualified to do it. I really can't see what you are complaining about.

I understand there would be an influx of people applying for college but there has to be some sort of happy medium.

You see, this course isn't automatically open every year. It has to be contracted between FAS and FAI and it wasn't when I got in contact with them. I suppose I am afraid that now that it is contracted, they might enforce the rule more and with the bank holiday weekend, I won't find out until tomorrow and it's killing me worrying about whether or not I can get it!

Apologies for my rant! I REALLY want this course and do not regard myself to be self centered or think I'm above anyone. My two best friends didn't do the normal LC and I don't regard them any less for it.

implausible

If this is a field you're interested in, why don't you apply to do a FETAC Level 5 course in Sport & Recreation in one of the further education colleges. I'm sure your local VEC will have a few places that offer this course.

Mars Bar

I had a look at the GTI website and they do a sports and leisure soccer skills course. I didn't realise that until you said to look at other VEC's!

If the FAI one doesn't work out then I will definitely have a look at the GTI one. There is also a follow on year to go to Level 6 too so I could do Sports Psychology too.

The reason I have my eye on doing the FAI one first is you get to work with people closer to the FAI and it's an all girls course so you have a better chance playing football. the DWSL is a much better league than the GDSL league too.

kob29

If you have a degree the vec's will in general no longer entertain you for entry to fetac level 5 or 6 courses because they wont get funded for you given that you have a higher qualification and rightly so.

You could do a fetac level 5 qualification in portobello institute, which isnt soccer based, but you will have to pay full fees to a private provider.

Mars Bar

kob29 wrote: »

If you have a degree the vec's will in general no longer entertain you for entry to fetac level 5 or 6 courses because they wont get funded for you given that you have a higher qualification and rightly so.

You could do a fetac level 5 qualification in portobello institute, which isnt soccer based, but you will have to pay full fees to a private provider.

Well I was into FÁS and the lady said that there is no problem at all. I'm meeting them next week and I have been put down on the list.

Where did you get the info that someone with a higher qualification can't do a Fetac level 5?

looksee

True you will not get a grant, but otherwise I haven't heard there is any problem. I have had (admittedly not many) people with degrees, and we always go to some lengths to emphasise that they will find the classwork easier than they are used to. On the other hand if it is a completely new area they may well find themselves on a pretty equal footing.

implausible

kob29 wrote: »

If you have a degree the vec's will in general no longer entertain you for entry to fetac level 5 or 6 courses because they wont get funded for you given that you have a higher qualification and rightly so.

Not true. We have received no such information from the VEC about applicants. Sure, that's like saying someone with a degree can't do another degree.

kob29

deemark wrote: »

Not true. We have received no such information from the VEC about applicants. Sure, that's like saying someone with a degree can't do another degree.

Well I work for a vec and we were told last year not to take applicants with third level qualifications. And no it's not like saying someone with a degree can't do another degree- they obviously can but they'll have to pay full fees themselves and wont be entitled to a grant.

implausible

kob29 wrote: »

Well I work for a vec and we were told last year not to take applicants with third level qualifications. And no it's not like saying someone with a degree can't do another degree- they obviously can but they'll have to pay full fees themselves and wont be entitled to a grant.

So do I and we weren't told this, so it's obviously not across the board. There is no provision at further ed level in the public sector to pay "full" fees, so that makes it hard to compare the situations, but someone doing another degree would not get the grant either.