NCI Blog

Calling all Leaving Certificate Students! You’ve completed your mocks, you’ve been studying hard, and you are now just a few weeks away from the main event. It can be a nerve-wracking time but just remember, you got this!

When it comes to filling in your CAO Application Form, it is completely normal to find the process overwhelming. You may find yourself asking “What course should I study”, “Which college should I choose?” or “I'm not sure what I want to do with my future!”.

Starting college is an exciting time for any undergraduate student. Meeting new people, exploring a new campus and potentially living away from home for the first time are just some of the changes you may face as you embark on this next stage of your educational journey.

Deciding between a full-time or part-time postgraduate programme is a significant decision to make, with many factors that you will need to be take into consideration.

At National College of Ireland, we understand that the demands of a busy lifestyle can impact your decision to return to education. Therefore, we have designed accelerated business courses which are delivered in a flexible, intensive way to ensure that you can work towards your undergraduate degree while keeping up with multiple commitments such as work and family life.

If changing careers and starting a new path has been on your mind for some time now, why not consider a career change into technology? It’s challenging, exciting and in Ireland, you will be given significant opportunities to really make an impact in the industry.

COVID-19 had a major impact on businesses worldwide, with employees facing several challenges as a result. Adapting to a hybrid working model, uncertainty around job security and an unsettled jobs market resulted in many employees staying in their existing roles throughout the pandemic as it was considered the safer option.

Navigating a career crossroads can be tricky for several reasons. You might ask yourself “how can I progress further in my current role? What industry do I want to work in? Do I have the right skills to switch roles? Can I afford to return to education if required?”. If you have asked yourself any of these questions, then a Springboard+ programme may be a suitable solution for you!

While technology continues to evolve and change the way we work for the better, so too do the challenges that come with it, most notably around protecting key information against cyberattacks. The threat of such attacks is at an all-time high, with Grant Thornton Ireland reporting the economic cost of cybercrime in Ireland to be €9.6 billion. These threats have increased the demand for cybersecurity specialists, with organisations now actively seeking out skilled professionals who can protect the privacy and confidentiality of their sensitive data.

Starting college is an exciting and significant milestone in any individual’s life but it can feel quite daunting. Meeting new people, possibly moving away from home for the first time, combined with assignments and study can all lead to a sense of being overwhelmed, which can affect your day-to-day life. Effectively managing your time can be a great way to deal with this anxiety as it will help bring clear structure and balance to your busy lifestyle, ensuring you can enjoy the fun, social activities of college life as well as successfully fulfilling your academic responsibilities.