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Springboard - pros/cons?

  • 04-06-2020 9:49pm
    #1
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭


    Coming 27 soon, my background is in construction as a Quantity Surveyor (Estimator both pre & post project). Have did bits of project management too.

    Looking to get out and looking at springboard at the moment. They haven't released 2020/2021 courses yet but I believe they will soon.

    What basically are the pros/cons of doing a course through springboard versus just applying for one through the UK/Irish colleges? Is it that you're getting a discount?? I looked at the eligibility criteria, seems like anyone can go through it essentially.

    Conscious of whether completing a PgDip, PgCert or Masters matters. I still work in construction and know I will have to take a considerable wage drop to enter a new industry sector, hoping to not have to drop under the €40K mark which probably isn't realistic :( I have no children/dependants but my girlfriend and I live in an apartment I bought and just paying the mortgage on it in Dublin.

    I'd love to just go at it full time from Sep-May but will have to consider the slow slog of part time over 2 years. A part time job would prove difficult to come across to support us, she works but is on a low grad salary of €30K.

    Did part time before with my undergrad in QS from 18-23 and it was a long stint, but I gained valuable experience during it. Time is ticking on with our plans for marriage and family etc so I'd prefer not to be on a grad salary as I begin my 30s...


Comments

  • #2
    Nelbert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭Nelbert


    CBear1993 wrote: »
    Coming 27 soon, my background is in construction as a Quantity Surveyor (Estimator both pre & post project). Have did bits of project management too.

    Looking to get out and looking at springboard at the moment. They haven't released 2020/2021 courses yet but I believe they will soon.

    What basically are the pros/cons of doing a course through springboard versus just applying for one through the UK/Irish colleges? Is it that you're getting a discount?? I looked at the eligibility criteria, seems like anyone can go through it essentially.

    Conscious of whether completing a PgDip, PgCert or Masters matters. I still work in construction and know I will have to take a considerable wage drop to enter a new industry sector, hoping to not have to drop under the €40K mark which probably isn't realistic :( I have no children/dependants but my girlfriend and I live in an apartment I bought and just paying the mortgage on it in Dublin.

    I'd love to just go at it full time from Sep-May but will have to consider the slow slog of part time over 2 years. A part time job would prove difficult to come across to support us, she works but is on a low grad salary of €30K.

    Did part time before with my undergrad in QS from 18-23 and it was a long stint, but I gained valuable experience during it. Time is ticking on with our plans for marriage and family etc so I'd prefer not to be on a grad salary as I begin my 30s...

    There's typically no difference some colleges run some programs exclusive to Springboard though.
    If there's a springboard course you're interested in a 90% discount is a pretty major pro.

    Con from the experience of doing 2 Springboard courses - career modules were an element of both.

    I'm a massive advocate of Springboard, I've ended up with a master's and a post grad cert for a total of under €3k as I only paid for the top up of diploma to masters and a few hundred for the pg cert.

    As soon as the new courses are announced I'll be reviewing myself to see if there is anything my staff could avail of (or if there's anything short I could do).

    I did full time and it was Tuesday and Thursday evenings and full day Saturdays for the pg dip part of masters. It was a tough slog but worth the time and effort. The other half was a big support throughout which was a massive help.


  • #3
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭CBear1993


    Thanks for that.

    In general what is the acceptance into courses like? Say for instance - someone of my background went to do a medical device engineering degree or economics... the admission criteria usually states an undergraduate degree in a related discipline - so for economics it would be mathematics or finance undergrad etc.. of course there are always exceptions if you can prove your portfolio / career ...

    But do you generally get turned down for these? Can’t see why someone who has already went through 4 years of college minimum couldn’t turn their hand to another area completely different from that for a 1-2 year postgrad..

    Obviously when we’re talking about medicine or something this is different as someone from a QS/project management degree would have no real way of getting in unless they were to start over at undergrad level..

    I guess what I’m asking is, can anyone who has completely an undergrad bachelors degree progress onto most post grad / masters courses? Rather than having to go back and do a 3-4 year sandwich undergrad


  • #4
    Nelbert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭Nelbert


    CBear1993 wrote: »
    Thanks for that.

    In general what is the acceptance into courses like? Say for instance - someone of my background went to do a medical device engineering degree or economics... the admission criteria usually states an undergraduate degree in a related discipline - so for economics it would be mathematics or finance undergrad etc.. of course there are always exceptions if you can prove your portfolio / career ...

    But do you generally get turned down for these? Can’t see why someone who has already went through 4 years of college minimum couldn’t turn their hand to another area completely different from that for a 1-2 year postgrad..

    Obviously when we’re talking about medicine or something this is different as someone from a QS/project management degree would have no real way of getting in unless they were to start over at undergrad level..

    I guess what I’m asking is, can anyone who has completely an undergrad bachelors degree progress onto most post grad / masters courses? Rather than having to go back and do a 3-4 year sandwich undergrad

    That's less a springboard issue that more of a general postgrad issue.

    My background was a BTech in Construction Technology (ordinary degree) in DIT followed by a chunk of experience in database and some visual basic app development (completely self taught / googled it).

    For the data analytics postgrad the primary concern they had was aptitude for maths / stats. So the code examples I submitted as part of my application was a good start and then I did a recorded online test (primarily logic and maths based) and I was in.

    I've always naturally been good at maths though but I'd imagine you'd be fine given the QS background. If it's data that really interests you. You may get in without the test / interview.

    Edit: in general the maths nature of your course and experience should get you in to most STEM courses I'd imagine.


  • #5
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭CBear1993


    Thanks a mill!!


  • #6
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭CBear1993


    Anyone viewed springboard website ? Courses for 2020 reopen for applications this Thurs 25th june. The courses are on a downloadable excel file at the moment which is quite annoying, very little info. Just wondering how soon they fill up as it would take a bit of the day thursday studying them, a brochure or more info on each course would be needed big time.

    I logged into the online open evening and it was fairly terrible to be honest.


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  • #7
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,244 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    CBear1993 wrote: »
    Anyone viewed springboard website ? Courses for 2020 reopen for applications this Thurs 25th june. The courses are on a downloadable excel file at the moment which is quite annoying, very little info. Just wondering how soon they fill up as it would take a bit of the day thursday studying them, a brochure or more info on each course would be needed big time.

    I logged into the online open evening and it was fairly terrible to be honest.

    Site seems to be down at the moment so haven't seen any of what they are offering. I'm desperate to get out of my current job so quite keen to see what they have going this year!


  • #8
    CBear1993
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭CBear1993


    Website is offline to tomorrow (Friday 26th) due to traffic ha


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