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Can anyone recommend a PLC course to prepare for Engineering Degree?

  • 30-05-2017 02:16AM
    #1
    Sallywag37
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭


    I am wondering if anyone has advice about the best 1 year PLC courses in Dublin to prepare a young man for applying for an Engineering degree? My son is 23, has been working on a building site for the last few years and thankfully is about to get his act together and go back to school.

    He'll be old enough to apply for university as a mature student next year (as you have to be 23 from January 1st on the year you're applying) and we are thinking rather than waste the intervening year he'd be much better off doing a one-year course that would give him a better shot of getting a place on the degree while also preparing him for it. I'd really appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

    (Apologies mods if I am posting in the wrong place and if so feel free to move it.)


Comments

  • #2
    Werido
    Site Banned Posts: 26 ✭Werido


    Don't know, sorry.


  • #3
    Surreptitious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,130 ✭✭✭Surreptitious


    Education forum would better suit you.

    I think when he's doing an Engineering degree which is usually four years there's little point doing a PLC adding to it so he should work and save money to make life easier when he's at college because it's expensive unless you are going to fully subsidise him. After he might want to do post grad which is more money and more time so maybe ask him what he wants. He doesn't essentially need the PLC in the first place if he will pass the interview/exam required as a mature student so I think it's a waste of time. Just my opinion anyway.
    Edit
    It might depend on his LC whether he did well in it or not? If he did pretty badly then he might need the PLC but if he's bright he should pass the college's exams to enter.


  • #4
    bodhrandude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,216 ✭✭✭✭bodhrandude


    OP maybe try the education thread, what is PLC again is that level 4/5 or thereabouts, or the same as FETAC. If you are long term unemployed springboardcourses.ie would be a good site to look at what you are looking for.

    Education Forum

    Springboard Courses.

    If you want to get into it, you got to get out of it. (Hawkwind 1982)



  • #5
    the_syco
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,310 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Sallywag37 wrote: »
    I am wondering if anyone has advice about the best 1 year PLC courses in Dublin to prepare a young man for applying for an Engineering degree?
    Ask the college that he intends to do the degree at; most colleges will have PLC courses that are somehow linked to their degrees.


  • #6
    Surreptitious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,130 ✭✭✭Surreptitious


    bodhrandude wrote: »
    OP maybe try the education thread, what is PLC again is that level 4/5 or thereabouts, or the same as FETAC. If you are long term unemployed springboardcourses.ie would be a good site to look at what you are looking for.

    Education Forum

    Springboard Courses.

    PLC is level 6, LC is level 5. (4 might be LC actually not too sure)


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  • #7
    Persephone kindness
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Persephone kindness


    Sallywag37 wrote: »
    I am wondering if anyone has advice about the best 1 year PLC courses in Dublin to prepare a young man for applying for an Engineering degree? My son is 23, has been working on a building site for the last few years and thankfully is about to get his act together and go back to school.

    He'll be old enough to apply for university as a mature student next year (as you have to be 23 from January 1st on the year you're applying) and we are thinking rather than waste the intervening year he'd be much better off doing a one-year course that would give him a better shot of getting a place on the degree while also preparing him for it. I'd really appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

    (Apologies mods if I am posting in the wrong place and if so feel free to move it.)
    Does he know what kind of engineering he wants to do? Also where are you based ?

    Here are few civil engineering courses for PLC civil engineering in Galway tech institute ...and engineering abd construction technology in Carlow institute of further education

    This is sligo http://www.qualifax.ie/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=194?Mainsec=courses&Subsec=course_details&ID=29059
    This one in colaiste dulaigh ..
    https://www.cdcfe.ie/courses/science-technology/preliminary-engineering
    Here is one in Tallaght institute of technology :)
    http://www.qualifax.ie/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=194?Mainsec=courses&Subsec=course_details&ID=2612

    Here is a directory in PLC courses :)

    http://www.plccourses.ie/


    Two PLC courses that offer a good introduction to civil engineering are Construction Technology – Civil Engineering in Galway Technical Institute and Engineering – Construction Technology in Carlow Institute of Further Education.
    - See more at: http://www.gotocollege.ie/civil-engineering-courses.html#sthash.jBtEqm0T.dpuf
    Two PLC courses that offer a good introduction to civil engineering are Construction Technology – Civil Engineering in Galway Technical Institute and Engineering – Construction Technology in Carlow Institute of Further Education.
    - See more at: http://www.gotocollege.ie/civil-engineering-courses.html#sthash.jBtEqm0T.dpuf


  • #8
    Persephone kindness
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Persephone kindness


    the_syco wrote: »
    Ask the college that he intends to do the degree at; most colleges will have PLC courses that are somehow linked to their degrees.
    I think the one in Tallaght that i linked is one such case :)


  • #9
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,060 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Can he not do his own research?


  • #10
    GalwayGrrrrrl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭GalwayGrrrrrl


    Firstly- I think at age 23 he should be sorting this out himself. Does he want to do the study? He will need lots of self motivation to get through 4 years of a degree course.
    However- he could check with the university about plc or access courses. Some (maybe all?) engineering courses have a LOT of maths in them so he might want to freshen up his maths skills in the year before he starts the degree. Course tutors can advise on this.


  • #11
    Sallywag37
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭Sallywag37


    Thanks so much to everyone who posted useful, constructive suggestions. We have followed up on some of them already.


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  • #12
    GerryDerpy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 761 ✭✭✭GerryDerpy


    Did he get at least a C in Higher level maths for the Leaving Cert? Will struggle with Engineering degree without very strong maths.


  • #13
    Boom_Bap
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭Boom_Bap


    Moved from After Hours, this is a much more suitable forum. If you are following the redirect from AH, please have a gander at the local charter before posting.


  • #14
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,467 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    This soudns like a suitable course:
    https://www.cdcfe.ie/courses/science-technology/preliminary-engineering

    This might also be of interest:
    http://lcta.ie/courses/engineering/

    If you contact your local ETB college they will be able to give you a guide to the courses in the whole ETB.


  • #15
    Pawwed Rig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,480 ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    GerryDerpy wrote: »
    Did he get at least a C in Higher level maths for the Leaving Cert? Will struggle with Engineering degree without very strong maths.

    Agree strongly with this. If he has a poor leaving cert then a heavy maths focus is essential. Calculus was a huge element when I did engineering along with statistics.


  • #16
    trihead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 442 ✭✭trihead


    Use this site for searching

    https://www.fetchcourses.ie

    When looking for Dublin based courses - make sure you look under Dun Laoghaire area as well as city of Dublin.

    Its PLC courses - Level 5 QQI - Pre Enginneering


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