Stillorgan College of Further Education has been a specialist centre for Further Education/Post Leaving Cert courses since 1986. During this time it has developed an enviable reputation for its delivery of Further Education programmes. The college offers a range of practical courses that develop the necessary skills for the workplace or to progress to further study in the Institutes of Technology or Universities.
The college is innovative in providing courses that meet the current needs of industry. A recent addition to the courses offered is a Level 5 course in Illustration & Design. This exciting course introduces students to the wide-ranging discipline of Illustration and helps them gain an improved understanding of the possibilities of image-making.
Through a series of studio-based projects, lectures and excursions students gain the confidence to explore their work on a practical level and the skills to construct appropriate work to form a strong portfolio for admission to higher level education.
High standards
Another new course is their Level 6 course in Photography. This course builds on the long-established and successful Level 5 course in Photography. A testament to the high standards in this department is that a recent graduate from the Level 5 course, Joanna Gnasiuk, won the News Photographer Of The Year at the 2017 Student Media Awards.
Since its introduction a few years ago, the Level 5 course in Animation has gone from strength to strength. This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third level course in animation production.
The course, taught by professionals, blends the practical and the creative. With a dual focus on drawing and computer skills, the course covers all the fundamental areas required for a successful portfolio submission. Students learn to visually develop and communicate their ideas through life drawing, storyboarding, character design, background design and planning.
Creativity
The success of the Animation course builds on a particular strength of the college in the creative areas of Art and Photography. One of the longest established courses in the college is the Art Foundation course.
This course provides tuition in areas such as Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics and Combined Materials. Graduates of this course leave with a very extensive portfolio that can be used to progress to Degree courses in colleges such as the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and IADT, Dún Laoghaire.
Indeed, the course has an exceptionally high success rate of graduates progressing to their chosen degree courses in these and other Art colleges. The well-established Photography course also has an excellent track record for students progressing into industry or further study.
The college also offers Level 5 and Level 6 course in Multimedia and Web Development. A unique strength of the Multimedia courses taught in the college is the emphasis they place on incorporating Digital Video into multimedia content. This is a skill that is rarely taught on other similar courses and offers graduates of this course a particular advantage when it comes to the jobs market.
Practical skills
Also on offer is a Travel and Tourism course with Airline Studies. This course prepares students for work in all areas of the travel industry. Not only do students cover the theory behind this dynamic industry, but they gain practical skills in First Aid and Computerised Reservation Systems (Amadeus), as well as spending 4 days in the Academy of Aviation’s simulated aircraft cabin environment near Dublin Airport. Students on the Event Management course also gain practical experience in organising a number of events during the course of their studies.
Courses in Media Production, Journalism and Level 5 and 6 courses in Computer Skills for Business round off the extensive offering of courses in the college.
Industry experience
The staff of the college have extensive industry experience in their respective fields and are dedicated to ensuring that, whether aiming to move to Higher Education or entering the employment market, students leave the college with every skill necessary for the future. Indeed, the college takes particular pride in the excellent success rate of students progressing to Degree courses in Higher Education.
Sited close to Stillorgan Shopping Centre, the college is serviced by many bus routes and is also accessible via Dart and Luas networks. Car parking is available on the college grounds. The college is fully wheelchair accessible. Mature students are welcome on all courses.
If you would like more information about the courses available in the college call in to their Open Day on Wednesday, March 7th from 10 am to 4 pm. More details are available from the college website: http://www.stillorgancollege.ie.
