Choosing the right college for you is about so much more than just picking a course and hoping for the best.
Your college years are a combination of education, self-development and life experience, so you’ll want to spend them in a place that you’ll love for the duration of your course. It’s about finding a home away from home, making new friends and doing a course that you’ll really enjoy.
That’s why SligoCFE ticks all the boxes. It offers everything from level 5 and 6 QQI Awards to ITEC, City & Guilds and Trades at a single campus on the edge of Sligo town. These qualifications ensure that students have the relevant expertise, skills and experience to gain employment in their chosen field with the option of progressing to higher Education if they wish.
At Sligo College of Further Education, our aim is to provide further education courses of the highest quality to school leavers, as well as adults returning to education. Our tradition and success in this area makes us the pre-eminent provider of Post-Leaving Certificate education in the North West. Here’s why SligoCFE is the perfect college for you.
Top class courses and tutors
College may be about more than just learning, but SligoCFE gives you the chance to learn from the best in their field. Its passionate, engaging tutors combine academic theory with industry experience in their lessons.
SligoCFE has a truly diverse range of courses on offer, many of which really suit learners who excel in creative and practical areas such as Art & Design, Furniture Design, Nursing, Early Learning & Care, Hairdressing & Beauty, Sport, Recreation & Exercise.
Most programmes offer added value like professional accreditation, work experience abroad or progression pathways into college. With a very high employability rate, students leave SligoCFE ready for the world of work or to further their education experience in college. Our dedicated and experienced staff are on hand to guide students through over 30 courses across the schools of:
• Business & Computing
• Heath Care & Social Studies
• Design
• Science, Engineering and Services
• Hairdressing & Beauty
Great Facilities
SligoCFE invests heavily in state-of-the-art facilities like industry-spec computer labs, science and engineering labs as well as quality teaching spaces.
The latest addition is a newly designated Create Digital Media suite with Apple Macs and a Nursing / Childcare Hub which will open this September. There’s also an on-site canteen to cater for the modern student needs.
A real sense of community
SligoCFE is the sort of college where you’ll get to know your teachers almost as well as your classmates. It’s a far cry from some of the bigger colleges, where you can sometimes feel like you’re just another face in the crowd.
The Guidance department will keep you up to date with career progression opportunities and our support services cater to the need of all academic abilities. We are also situated right next door to the newly formed Atlantic Technological University (ATU). SligoCFE has formed close ties to this University over the years, with many courses offering advanced entry routes for SligoCFE QQI Level 6 students.
A Lively Town atmosphere
Another attraction of coming here is the chance to live and study in Sligo, a town that has everything you’ll need but with a more relaxed lifestyle than its city counterparts. It’s a safe, friendly, lively town where the students and the locals mix freely.
As you’d expect from somewhere in Yeats County, Sligo has a thriving cultural scene, but you’ll also find great eateries, cafes and bars in town. It’s home to artists, writers, digital creators and filmmakers as well as exciting new enterprises in technology and food tourism.
Erasmus+ Opportunities
The Erasmus+ Programme offers SligoCFE students the opportunity to apply to work abroad (usually for a three-week period). Placements will be arranged with employers in the host country with support from SligoCFE.
You can experience living in another culture, enjoy travelling, improve language skills, gain a Europass Qualification, add this experience to your CV and get that valuable job. Students will have the opportunity to complete placements in their vocational area in Kempten and Hameln (Germany), Fougères (France), Playa de Las Américas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife), Barcelona, Malaga and Cadiz (Spain).
Placements normally take place during the academic year September-May. If your application to work aboard is successful, you will qualify for a grant towards the cost of the mobility programme including travel, accommodation and living expenses. In addition, you will receive language and cultural preparation prior to departure.
A natural wonderland on your doorstep
One of the advantages of studying along the Wild Atlantic Way is the wealth of natural amenities and scenic destinations on offer. From surfing at Mullaghmore or Strandhill to camping at Lough Gill or hiking Benbulben, the surrounding countryside is an adventure playground that’s just waiting to be explored.
Its dramatic coastal scenery makes it an ideal spot for road trips with friends or outdoor pursuits when you need a well-deserved break from the books. The S1 and S2 bus routes run directly opposite the college and make it easy to reach popular hotspots like Strandhill or Rosses Point.
Lots of accommodation options open
The student accommodation villages are super convenient but there are other options available. The town also has plenty of digs accommodation on offer or you can privately rent out a room in a shared house or with friends.
In Sligo, you’ll be a world away from the soaring rents and the accommodation crises you’ll find in bigger cities.
A lower cost of living
One of the biggest college expenses is rent but student accommodation is a lot more affordable in Sligo than in other student towns or cities.
The cost of simple things like groceries, gyms, taxis, eating out or even a pint is also lower in Sligo than it is in major cities. So your Euro will go much further, which is good news for students.
Travelling home is easy
You may be having too much fun to think about home, but you’ll need to get that laundry done eventually!
As the largest urban centre in the North West, Sligo is well-connected with a road and rail infrastructure.
FIND OUT MORE:
Check us out at www.sligocfe.ie for a full list of courses.
Applications now open for September 2022 enrolment.
Contact us: admin@sligocfe.ie
Tel: 07191 45480
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @SligoCFE
