springboard IT course full

con___manx1

A friend of mine applied to an IT springboard course today. she was informed the course was full and put on a waiting list.
the course closing application date is not till monday the 31st.
my question is how can the course be full even tho they have not recieved all applications? if anyone who has done a springboard course could offer some advice it would be great. I would imagine you would have to do an interview and bring proof of certificates and so on to get on these courses but im just guessing.

tenifan

If you and your friend can't figure this out between you, maybe third level isn't the place for your friend.

Sigh

The college put a closing date for applications. Many people applied before the closing date. Now the course is full.

con___manx1

tenifan wrote: »

If you and your friend can't figure this out between you, maybe third level isn't the place for your friend.

Sigh

The college put a closing date for applications. Many people applied before the closing date. Now the course is full.

yes but its a state run course.it doesn't matter how many applicants they have half of them could be muppets that couldn't turn on a computer.are you saying they should be given a place on the course because they applied first?another guy I know did a course though fas 100 people applied and only 20 places.they did interviews and the candidates had to bring in any certificates or degrees they had and their cv. thats really what I want to know about the springboard courses is it the same system?

if your not goin to write constructive comments when people are asking for advice I would advise you to keep your smart comments to yourself. my friend has a degree by the way but sadly no job.

L1011

con___manx1 wrote: »

are you saying they should be given a place on the course because they applied first?

That is generally how courses with no or vague entry requirements work.

tenifan

con___manx1 wrote: »

if your not goin to write constructive comments when people are asking for advice I would advise you to keep your smart comments to yourself. my friend has a degree by the way but sadly no job.

Just yankin your chain.

I did a springboard course in IT. It was very much getting bums on seats. The majority of people were not fit for the course. As a result, the course was severely dumbed down. Group projects were used to haul people through (one talented person was lumbered with 2-3 idiots). Lecturers gave generous hints. People learned stuff off by heart even though they didn't know what it meant. Everyone passed.

If you want a career in most areas of IT, this course is a waste of time. In the course I did, the business analysis / project management lecturer was an absolute disgrace. She would not get a job outside the public sector.

The course was useful in 2 ways:

1. Skills learned on the course can complement your previous area of work. It upskills you. I don't think what you learn on this course would be particularly useful after 4 years of college without any work experience. Just another year.

2. It can be used to whitewash a period of unemployment. "I left college, couldn't get a job, upskilled myself, and look at me now."

As for the interview process.. they let anyone in. They were told no previous experience with computers were necessary. Some thought they were signing up for an ECDL. The first class in web design was spent showing people how to copy their files on to a memory key.

STEINBERG

con___manx1 wrote: »

yes but its a state run course.it doesn't matter how many applicants they have half of them could be muppets that couldn't turn on a computer.are you saying they should be given a place on the course because they applied first?another guy I know did a course though fas 100 people applied and only 20 places.they did interviews and the candidates had to bring in any certificates or degrees they had and their cv. thats really what I want to know about the springboard courses is it the same system?

if your not goin to write constructive comments when people are asking for advice I would advise you to keep your smart comments to yourself. my friend has a degree by the way but sadly no job.

That is exactly what happens, its is first come first server, and to add to your they could be muppets and not be able to turn on a computer comment.

I have just come off the cloud careers programme and i was studying with guys who basically didnt even know what a web browser was.

Those guys are now fully employed tech support engineers in vmware. Just because your friend has a degree does not give them the right to pick and choose what course you want to do and expect to get on it.

Those courses are there for a reason to help people get off the social welfare and give them the skills needed to find employment.

excollier

I recently finished an 11 month course at FAS/SOLAS/ETB (whatever it's called this week) in Letterkenny and studied for CompTIA A+ and Network+. We all had to do an aptitude test and those that passed it (44 in total) had to do an interview before being given a place (20 available).
Everyone on the course was pretty good with computers and out of the 20 that started 16 stuck it out and passed both certs.
The instructor really knows his stuff and can teach it well.
So sometimes the process is genuine and very selective, and a really thorough course.
Just a pity there's very little in the way of actual opportunities up here.