Sallynoggin College of Further Education (SCFE) is a leading provider of vocational education in Ireland. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, SCFE offers a range of courses that equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s environmentally conscious world.
A Flourishing Future: Sustainability in Floristry
SCFE’s Professional Floristry course is a prime example of sustainable education in action. Students are taught to create stunning floral arrangements while minimizing their environmental impact.
Throughout the year students practice these skills in a real-life setting, creating window displays and installations throughout the college. By utilizing natural, foraged, and reusable materials students learn to reduce waste and conserve resources.
For instance, during Halloween, students produced 11 breathtaking displays using only sustainable materials. The result when everything was dismantled was just one tiny bag of waste.
This commitment to sustainability extends to Christmas as well, with students crafting stunning decorations using foraged materials and handmade ornaments like dried apples and oranges, twigs, Irish foliage etc,
Former SCFE floristry student Sharon O’Connor, who now runs her own florist Sweetpea and Willow specialising in Wedding Flowers and events, recognises the importance of environmental awareness in floristry “I am a sustainable florist, using no floral foam, as being eco-friendly is important to my business”
Fashioning a Sustainable Future
SCFE’s Fashion Department is committed to sustainable fashion education, encouraging sustainability and circular fashion.
The annual “Love Me Again” pop-up shop is a testament to this commitment. In collaboration with local charity and vintage shops and DLRCC, students on the Fashion Industry Practice and Fashion Buying, Styling and Visual Merchandising courses curate an inspiring exhibition of pre-loved garments, reimagining and restyling them to showcase the possibilities of sustainable fashion.
Beyond the “Love Me Again” event, SCFE’s Fashion Department is actively involved in various sustainability initiatives. Students learn about ethical sourcing, fair trade practices, and upcycling techniques. They also organise and participate in community projects, such as clothing swaps and repair workshops.
Art, Craft and Design Courses
Our art teachers are also keen to use found materials in students’ creations.
Level 6 students are busy collecting used paper in the college, which will be soaked and blended to create recycled paper.
Our Level 5 students are collecting cardboard rubbish around the college to use in a cardboard sculpture project.
A Community-Minded College
SCFE is not only committed to environmental sustainability but also to social responsibility.
Our Social Studies students and teachers have taken the initiative to collect plastic bottles and cans to return to the Deposit Return Scheme.
The funds raised from this will be donated to Focus Ireland, a charity chosen by the students themselves.
This initiative not only promotes recycling and environmental awareness but also fosters a sense of community and social responsibility among our students.
A Bright Future for SCFE Graduates
SCFE continues to ensure that our courses are up to date, relevant and future-proofed to give our students the edge in their chosen field.
To find out more about any of our courses, check out http://www.scfe.ie. Our Course Coordinators are available to answer specific questions about individual courses, and their contact details are listed on each course page. Our applications are now open at http://www.scfe.ie.
If you would like to find out more about Sallynoggin College and the courses in our Childcare, Social Studies, Art, Fashion, Sport and Fitness, Health and Wellbeing, Special Needs Assisting, and Travel and Tourism Departments, why not visit our Open Day on Wednesday 15th January from 10am to 2pm.
For more information contact reception@scfe.ie or call us on 01 285 2997.
Visit the SCFE website: https://www.scfe.ie/
