Differing to complete final college year..?

Tdireddi

Hello,

Just wondering from people here who have, or are about to deffer for similar reasons what's involved with deffering..?

I'm approaching my final year in college and today I got an invite to attend the induction week and that i would be officially starting at the start of September..?

I'd like to finish my degree as I'd rather not waste the three years but then again the Guards is, and has been a dream job of mine from a very early age.

My final year in college starts on September 7th and should be finished by late March early April..? My main fear is that the Gardaí stop recruiting before then and that I will have lost my chance.

I told the HRM lady and she said it's a great reason to deffer and a good choice but unfortunately she couldn't promise the guards would still be recruiting when I finish, something I completely understand as anything could happen..change in government ect..?

Does anyone know if I deffer will I need to sit the medical and PCT again and what would people advice be..?

Thanks

craichoor

Can you do the final year part time over two years/four semesters?

Another option would be to join the Gardaí and apply for a career break (see the GRA website, I cannot link) of 1 year after you are two years in the Gardaí.

However, if you enter the Gardaí with a degree you are eligible for an allowance (two jumps on the payscale), however you are not eligible for this allowance if you obtain your degree whilst in the Gardaí.

What is your degree out of interest?

RedmondHR

Tdireddi wrote: »

Hello,

Just wondering from people here who have or are about to differ for similar reasons what's involved with differing..?

I'm approaching my final year in college and today I got an invite to attend the induction week and that is be officially starting at the start of September..?

I'd like to finish my degree as I'd rather not waste the three years but then again the Guards is and has been a dream job of mine from a very early age.

My final year in college starts on September 7th and should be finished by late March early April..? My main fear is that the Gardaí stop recruiting before then and that I will have lost my chance.

I told the HRM lady and she said it's a great reason to differ and a good choice but unfortunately she couldn't promise the guards would still be recruiting when I finish, something I completely understand as anything could happen..change in government ect..?

Does anyone know if I differ will I need to sit the medical and PCT again and what would people advice be..?

Thanks

It's a tough one to be honest.
I think the odds of recruitment being frozen are pretty low but I don't know. Couple of questions to ask yourself first.

What's your degree about? How do you value your degree? It mean more, leas or equal to you than the garda. Is it important to you personally or as a stepping stone towards the garda?

How likely will you be to go back and finish your degree after Templemore? Pay increments also important to consider. For the sake of holding it off for 7-8 months being able to skip 24 months on the pay scale. If you are placed down in opposite end of the country to your college how motivated will you be to compete it?

I know for the other police forces your PCT has ask due date of 6 months, after that it's out of date and you will have to do an other one. Not to sure ask bout the garda though.

I was in the same boat with my masters, it's a part time one so I will go back and finish it after the probation period.

Delphinium

I think you mean deferring, to defer or delay. Words sound almost the same but with very different meanings. Just so you get it correct on any paperwork. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Mou2016

craichoor wrote: »

Can you do the final year part time over two years/four semesters?

Another option would be to join the Gardaí and apply for a career break (see the GRA website, I cannot link) of 1 year after you are two years in the Gardaí.

However, if you enter the Gardaí with a degree you are eligible for an allowance (two jumps on the payscale), however you are not eligible for this allowance if you obtain your degree whilst in the Gardaí.

What is your degree out of interest?

where could i find out more about the allowance youre given for entering with a degree ? i have my pct tomorrow and will have graduation ceremony for college this october. Wasnt even aware of an allowance for college graduates !

Tdireddi

Delphinium wrote: »

I think you mean deferring, to defer or delay. Words sound almost the same but with very different meanings. Just so you get it correct on any paperwork. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Sorry was on my iPhone, that autocorrect can be quiet a pain and not always correct, if a mod could possibly change the title that would be very much appreciated! Thanks for informing me also @Delphinium

Tdireddi

RedmondHR wrote: »

It's a tough one to be honest.
I think the odds of recruitment being frozen are pretty low but I don't know. Couple of questions to ask yourself first.

What's your degree about? How do you value your degree? It mean more, leas or equal to you than the garda. Is it important to you personally or as a stepping stone towards the garda?

How likely will you be to go back and finish your degree after Templemore? Pay increments also important to consider. For the sake of holding it off for 7-8 months being able to skip 24 months on the pay scale. If you are placed down in opposite end of the country to your college how motivated will you be to compete it?

I know for the other police forces your PCT has ask due date of 6 months, after that it's out of date and you will have to do an other one. Not to sure ask bout the garda though.

I was in the same boat with my masters, it's a part time one so I will go back and finish it after the probation period.

Thanks for your input...

I value my degree as there's absolutely no doubht it had a massive effect on me getting the guards as it really helped me putting my case across during the interview and used any anount of scenarios from it during questioning in the interview.

It's communications I study, through Irish. It covers PR, Journalisim, Radio and TV...I love the course and would love to finish it as its quiet enjoyable. However the guards has always been an aim of mine. I was even hoping to possibly use the degree to possibly work within the PR sector of An Garda Suíochana.

Also the pay incentive also helps as the Garda wage is quiet low as is, so every little helps, but that being said its not a massive factor if I'm honest.

Part time would be a possibility but the course as you can imagine is quiet hands on and practical, radio shows ect..

The lady on the phone said if I was to deffer for more than a year the PCT would need to be done again, along with my medical. However as said my college year will go from 7th September - 1st May (Absolute latest). That's in turn 8 months...?

Does anyone know when the usually take people in...? From what I can gather...June/July, September, Novemeber..?

If they recruit in June/July I would be ready regarding my college..?

Turbo T

As far as i know you can only defer 1 intake. So if you don't go in September, you can go in the next one after it whenever it is but you won't be able to defer that one.

You will be taken off the list of candidates and will have to go back to the beginning unfortunately the next time the competition opens again. Whenever that may be.

Think about it though cause you don't want to make the wrong decision.

If you're young and have time on your side you could finish your degree and then apply but look, the decision is entirely yours.

Tdireddi

Turbo T wrote: »

As far as i know you can only defer 1 intake. So if you don't go in September, you can go in the next one after it whenever it is but you won't be able to defer that one.

You will be taken off the list of candidates and will have to go back to the beginning unfortunately the next time the competition opens again. Whenever that may be.

Think about it though cause you don't want to make the wrong decision.

If you're young and have time on your side you could finish your degree and then apply but look, the decision is entirely yours.

There is another intake in November as far as I know but the HRM lady said to send an email stating why and for what duration i will be differing for..?

Im really stuck between a rock and a hard place on this..?

Im young but have worked hard to get that email inviting me to join them in Templemore in September and i have worked equally as hard to get into my final year in Communications.

Its going to be a sleepless night i think......

I'm a guard, with 17 years service.
I would always advise anyone to defer & get their degree if they can.
There's no point wasting the few years you already spent doing it.
It may or may not be useful to you in AGS.
But there are post graduate course you can take that AGS will pay some tuition fee towards, when your in.
It's worth jumping 2 pay scales anyway, cos the money new recruits are on is so bad, & you won't get an increment for 3 years, that anything helping you up is good.
I don't know if they will be still recruiting next May, I have no insider knowledge, but I would imagine they will. I'd say recruitment will be ongoing for the foreseeable future, we are very under resourced ATM.
A degree is always a good thing to have no matter what.
I'd finish it if I was you.

Elliot192

Tdireddi wrote: »

There is another intake in November as far as I know but the HRM lady said to send an email stating why and for what duration i will be differing for..?

Im really stuck between a rock and a hard place on this..?

Im young but have worked hard to get that email inviting me to join them in Templemore in September and i have worked equally as hard to get into my final year in Communications.

Its going to be a sleepless night i think......

If you can defer for the period of time you need to complete your degree, I would. It will stand to you.

You have worked hard to get where you are and it will feel amazing to hold that degree in your hand. So, if HRM are indicating that you can take the 8 months or so why not go for it?

There's the pay bump the degree will bring. The possible usefulness in your future role. Plus the pr savvy will come in handy when you're being filmed by people just itching for you to mess up. Also, heaven forbid, anything happens to you on the job and you have to retire on medical grounds you will have a decent degree with job prospects.

My two cents is that the decision to stop training new gardai is a political one and we do not have a stable government. What we do have is a crime problem, an under-resourced police force and an improving economy. In my opinion it would be political suicide for Frances Fitzgerald, Paschal Donohue, Michael Noonan and Enda Kenny to club together and decide they're going to call a halt to Garda recruitment. This government is going to kick any major decisions to touch and wait for a majority/stable partnership. The only thing that could throw a spanner in the works in the forseeable future is Brexit and you will be a fully attested member by then.

Sure even if the economy collapsed tomorrow and Templemore shut its doors, you have time on your side.

Tough, tough call and I don't envy your decision but I'd talk it over with friends and family and any garda I knew, then I'd go with my gut. Best of luck with it whatever you decide. You're going to have a great year either way!

Elliot192

Didn't see bubblypop's post til now. There you go. Solid advice straight from the horse's mouth!

Tdireddi

bubblypop wrote: »

I'm a guard, with 17 years service.
I would always advise anyone to defer & get their degree if they can.
There's no point wasting the few years you already spent doing it.
It may or may not be useful to you in AGS.
But there are post graduate course you can take that AGS will pay some tuition fee towards, when your in.
It's worth jumping 2 pay scales anyway, cos the money new recruits are on is so bad, & you won't get an increment for 3 years, that anything helping you up is good.
I don't know if they will be still recruiting next May, I have no insider knowledge, but I would imagine they will. I'd say recruitment will be ongoing for the foreseeable future, we are very under resourced ATM.
A degree is always a good thing to have no matter what.
I'd finish it if I was you.

Hello, very grateful for your input, nice to hear that from an experienced Garda.

I'm going to get onto a few people today that hopefully will be able to give me better info regarding the possibility of an intake around or after June 2017.

I'm a fit fella so repeating either the Medical or PCT wouldn't be a big thing but it would be needless hassle if you get me.

The degree is important to me and have had many a sleepless nights with deadlines, having nothing to show for it will break my heart, likewise with the Guards..

Time will tell. Fingers crossed.

Il inform all by 3p.m today!

Tdireddi

Elliot192 wrote: »

If you can defer for the period of time you need to complete your degree, I would. It will stand to you.

You have worked hard to get where you are and it will feel amazing to hold that degree in your hand. So, if HRM are indicating that you can take the 8 months or so why not go for it?

There's the pay bump the degree will bring. The possible usefulness in your future role. Plus the pr savvy will come in handy when you're being filmed by people just itching for you to mess up. Also, heaven forbid, anything happens to you on the job and you have to retire on medical grounds you will have a decent degree with job prospects.

My two cents is that the decision to stop training new gardai is a political one and we do not have a stable government. What we do have is a crime problem, an under-resourced police force and an improving economy. In my opinion it would be political suicide for Frances Fitzgerald, Paschal Donohue, Michael Noonan and Enda Kenny to club together and decide they're going to call a halt to Garda recruitment. This government is going to kick any major decisions to touch and wait for a majority/stable partnership. The only thing that could throw a spanner in the works in the forseeable future is Brexit and you will be a fully attested member by then.

Sure even if the economy collapsed tomorrow and Templemore shut its doors, you have time on your side.

Tough, tough call and I don't envy your decision but I'd talk it over with friends and family and any garda I knew, then I'd go with my gut. Best of luck with it whatever you decide. You're going to have a great year either way!

Thanks for that, really has taken the blinkers off me!

It's not the pay bump at all, tbh I believe happiness before money and I'd know I'd be happy as a guard and I believe I'd make a great guard as I'm a very motivated person and will be looking to climb that ladder but unfortunately that also means I find it very difficult to start something and not finish it...my communications degree, I know for a fact if I head down in this intake come 2 years down the road il be kicking myself for not finishing my degree, not for money but for myself.

Decision will have to be made by 3p.m today so..better get thinking!

Mou2016

bubblypop wrote: »

I'm a guard, with 17 years service.
I would always advise anyone to defer & get their degree if they can.
There's no point wasting the few years you already spent doing it.
It may or may not be useful to you in AGS.
But there are post graduate course you can take that AGS will pay some tuition fee towards, when your in.
It's worth jumping 2 pay scales anyway, cos the money new recruits are on is so bad, & you won't get an increment for 3 years, that anything helping you up is good.
I don't know if they will be still recruiting next May, I have no insider knowledge, but I would imagine they will. I'd say recruitment will be ongoing for the foreseeable future, we are very under resourced ATM.
A degree is always a good thing to have no matter what.
I'd finish it if I was you.

is there anywhere i could read more about the 2 pay scale jump for graduates or is it just known ? looked on garda website and no mention of it anywhere

Mou2016

Mou2016 wrote: »

is there anywhere i could read more about the 2 pay scale jump for graduates or is it just known ? looked on garda website and no mention of it anywhere

I'm not sure tbh, basically once your probation is up & you move a pay scale, anyone with a degree moves ahead by two pay scales. It might be in the Garda code. I'd imagine it's on the GRA website

itsjustme85

Well Tdireddi, what did you decide to do? Were HRM any help?

Tdireddi

itsjustme85 wrote: »

Well Tdireddi, what did you decide to do? Were HRM any help?

I decided to deffer until early May. Its going to be a straight dive into my thesis. Hopefully it will be all worth it! Thanks all for the incredibly helpful advice, very much appreciated !

craichoor

Ádh mór i do chéim, a chara! Phíoc tú an rogha níos fearr, dhéarfainn!

Tdireddi

craichoor wrote: »

Ádh mór i do chéim, a chara! Phíoc tú an rogha níos fearr, dhéarfainn!

Go raibh a míle, le cúnamh dé anois éiríodh liom agus éiríodh leatsa freisin a mhate !

AudiKid

Ta scammel sa speir. Is maith liom caca milis

MondeoMan92

Mou2016 wrote: »

is there anywhere i could read more about the 2 pay scale jump for graduates or is it just known ? looked on garda website and no mention of it anywhere

Go to the Garda Representation Association website gra.ie. go to information and trainee garda. Plenty of info there for ye