11 minute read
Paul Hopkins
The Fact OfThe Matter
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PAUL HOPKINS PAUL HOPKINS
College aside, there’s the University of Life
SCHOOL days may well be the best days of your life as 61,000 students, Leaving Cert results to hand this week, are about to nd out as they face the reality of repeats or jobhunting or, in the case of 60% of them, the mad scramble for a place in college or university where, now, required course points have risen dramatically, putting their rst choice out of reach for most pupils.
If that 60% thought the pressure for points humongous, they ain’t seen nothing yet. e nancial burden, alone, on parents and students themselves – €19,000 to €36,000 over four years, and that’s if they’re living at home – is just one pressure point. e need to succeed another. e number of combined Leaving Cert students, the last two rears, taking on higher level subjects increased this year has jumped signi cantly.
Pushing themselves to that limit, however, comes with a cost, with one in every six, or 6,000, in third-level dropping out in the rst year. Dropping out comes at a cost too. Aside from feelings of failure and regret, there is the nances. If a student opts to return to college, their grant entitlement is lost for the year they repeat.
In addition, they may be liable for some or all of the tuition fees for that year, depending on the timing of their withdrawal. Construction, services and computer science have some of the highest dropout levels. In some courses, as high as 80%.
Colleges, however, say the gures can be misleading. Not all students in third-level courses progress directly from year one to year two in the same course. Some may have changed courses, while others may have deferred or taken a year out.
All of which begs the question: are students who are not academically able, or just not ready, being propelled into higher education? With the aforementioned 60%, Ireland has one of the highest proportions of young people in Europe going on to higher education. In contrast, there has been a dramatic fall-o in the numbers taking up apprenticeships or training, a pattern which coincided with the economic downturn.
Prof. John Hegarty of the Royal Irish Academy says the high student drop-out rates in some courses is because many students are not “suited” to college. Students totally unsuited to higher education are being “shoehorned” into universities by their parents, the “snob value” being higher than apprenticeships and training.
Studies indicate that dropout rates are down to more complicated issues than just academic ability. Socio-economic background, the type of course students are completing and the type of institute they are attending can all play a role in whether or not a student remains in higher education.
However, Dr Jim Murray, director of academic a airs at the Technological Higher Education Association, rejects any suggestion that they are taking on too many students. He says the expansion in the numbers enrolled in institutes of technology has played an important role in greater numbers of disadvantaged students and students with lower levels of Leaving Cert. attainment accessing higher education. “I wouldn’t like to say to anyone that you shouldn’t go to higher education.” he says.
Agreed. A university education may well be the best legacy a society can bestow on its young but are we allowing many of our young students become victims of an illusion? Of a misplaced idealism of what really matters in life, that a degree guarantees you a job for ever, and loads of money? In short, plain sailing through life?
In a changing world of living with viruses, out-sourcing, au tomation, emerging markets and empty pension funds, nothing is guaranteed any more. Certainly not a job for life. University is not for everyone. As Mark Twain noted: “ I never let schooling interfere with my education.”
I would suggest those unsure of what they’re about to contend with could do worse than take a year out to think things through. Dare I suggest they taking the time out, travelling, exploring the world, making new friends, getting a job at Happy Burger, adapting to grown- up responsibilities.
A year at the university of life.
Alternatively, their innate aptitude may lean towards an apprenticeship. A trade, of which there are growing shortages in this country, can, in the end, pay huge dividends.
Remember the last time you paid a plumber? at is, when you could manage to nd one...
Search is on for our Heritage Hero for 2021
THE search is on for Ireland’s ‘Heritage Hero’ for 2021.
Every year, the Heritage Council seeks nominations for an individual or a group of people who have worked tirelessly to protect and promote heritage.
People in Kilkenny are invited to nominate the person or group that they feel is most deserving of the award by completing the Heritage Hero nomination form. Nominations close at noon on Monday, September 20.
Speaking about the call for nominations, CEO of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan said: “Heritage Heroes come in di erent forms: last year, the council acknowledged Christy Cunni e, who had recently retired as the archaeological eld monument advisor for Co Galway.
“Mr Cunni e was recognised as a ‘Heritage Hero’ for his e orts throughout his 30 years of involvement in heritage, in engaging with local communities and heritage groups, and sharing his own knowledge and enthusiasm with those around him,” she said.
“Heritage Heroes are special people who have made a signi cant contribution to maintaining and promoting our heritage: it may be natural heritage, built heritage or our intangible heritage, which comprises everything from traditional skills to language and sport.”
e Heritage Hero Award is part of the National Heritage Awards, which takes place annually to celebrate the outstanding projects and events from National Heritage Week. National Heritage Week 2021 ran from August 14 – 22, and comprised a mix of online, in-person and community activities and projects. In total, over 1,000 projects and events took place around the country and there were 32 National Heritage Week projects and events shared by project organisers in Co. Kilkenny.
At the National Heritage Awards, the Heritage Council will also recognise the most successful heritage project from Co. Kilkenny as part of the County Award category.
WIT reopens 11 courses to help alleviate points fiasco
THE Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) has re-opened applications (through the CAO) to a number of undergraduate courses in a bid to help people achieve their dreams of a college experience and fresh start this September.
Eleven courses at The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year 2021 are available to apply for via the CAO’s ‘available places’ list, meaning these courses are now open for applications from people who have not already applied to the CAO, as well as existing CAO applicants.
Dr Derek O’Byrne, Registrar and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at WIT, said the institute’s decision to add a wide range of courses to the available places scheme “reflects the institute’s commitment to providing the widest possible opportunities to school leavers during this difficult and unpredictable time and will allow many students to take stock of their career choices as we emerge from the pandemic”.
He said: “We have already offered more places in 2021 than we did last year but the upheaval of the past 18 months, coupled with the return to campus life for third level students, means that many individuals and families will be reviewing what the best option is for their future.
“We feel it important to provide an opportunity, where we can, to students who still have not got an offer they are happy with so this year we have added a number of CAO courses to the available places list across levels 8, 7 and 6 and across a variety of disciplines to help anybody who wants to start college in Waterford this year to do so.
“WIT’s available places offering is right across computing, engineering, arts, business, culinary, science and sport, opening the door for many to their desired futures.”
The WIT courses on the CAO Available Places list are: • A new honours degree in Business Information
Systems which will be a popular choice for the career focused – already there is a demand for graduates from the course. • A number of
WIT’s common entry courses, which give students further time to choose their desired discipline. Choose from: Engineering, Arts and Applied
Computing. • A selection of twoyear level 6 higher certificates which give people an opportunity to go straight into work after two years or if eligible to progress onto a level 8 degree: Culinary Arts, Legal
Studies and Business. • Degrees closely tied to niche needs of the growing pharma and life sciences industry in the region: Science (level 7), Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical
Science, and Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering.
Outlook is optimistic for food and agri business
Saint Sister all set for a great ‘atmosfolk’...
A SERIES of live music events at Kilkenny’s Set eatre for the month of September sees female duo Saint Sister as part of the act. Saint Sister, pictured above, are an Irish traditional duo, whose music is sometimes described as ‘atmosfolk’.
Built around mesmerising close-knit vocal harmonies, electro-acoustic harp and synthesisers, sonically they have been likened to Enya, Lisa Hannigan, Cocteau Twins. e duo’s gig is on Tuesday, September 14.
September 16 sees a performance from Kilkenny’s e Wha, composed of Finn Cusack, Sam Cullen, Marek e Lech and Abe G Harris. e Wha’s attachment to their hometown endures and is evident in their video for ‘Innocents’, lmed here. “Growing up in Kilkenny has its ups and downs,” the band are quoted as saying. e following night, Irish band Wild Youth merge elements of rock, R&B, and boyband harmonies to their exuberant brand of pop. eir 2019 single ‘ e Last Goodbye’ went down well chart-wise.
During the early nineties, the biggest Irish band in the world was U2 but in Ireland it was e Stunning.
In the seven years they were initially together, they toured relentlessly building up a following that would make them one of the most successful Irish bands ever. ey will perform at e Set On Sunday the 19th
* Tickets via ‘set.ie’ or by calling 056-7765133.
WITH a robust vaccine rollout and plans to remove the outstanding COVID restrictions afoot, ifac’s just published fourth Food and AgriBusiness Report shows that optimism levels among Irish Food & AgriBusinesses have seen a signi cant rebound, up from 55% in 2020 to a four-year high of 77% in 2021.
Also, reassuringly, with the agri-food industry facing signi cant challenges related to climate change, 37% of SMEs are putting ESG factors high on their agendas. A total of 87% are taking positive climate change actions and all food and agribusiness SMEs are continuing to invest in climate change initiatives; sustainable packaging continues to be the top trend impacting Irish food businesses, as well as managing waste and by-products.
On the other hand, the ndings show that 71% of respondents reported an increase in costs this year, from transport and energy to raw materials and packaging; an issue – in some cases – that could contribute to food price in ation in the coming months.
A total of 64% of businesses saying they have been negatively a ected by Brexit; one in every two businesses cite transport disruption as a major impact of Brexit.
Also, Covid-19 has made its mark with 55% of SMEs say the change in consumer habits is the biggest long-term e ect of the global pandemic.
The Gloaming join September Sounds series
KILKENNY’S September Sounds announces an exciting lineup of headline artists to perform over the weekend of September 24-26, with more to come!
Coined as one of Ireland’s most celebrated and gifted musicians,violinist Patrick Rafter will headline Woodstock Gardens on Friday, September 24. He will be joined by his parents and guests on the night, Paddy and Maura D Rafter.
Also performing in the beautiful Woodstock Gardens in Inistioge is one of Europe’s best-known harpists Siobhán Armstrong accompanied by Ronan Browne.
Siobhán Armstrong plays pre-1800 repertory on reconstructions of medieval to 18th century instruments performing and recording early church, chamber-music and baroque opera with some of the most respected directors, ensembles, orchestras and opera companies in the eld. e Gloaming’s, Iarla Ó Lionáird will be joined by guests Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Matthew Nolan & Ryan Molloy at Butler Gallery Courtyard in Kilkenny City. In addition, the stellar McCauley Brothers and friends will also play the stunning Kilkenny City venue courtyard.
‘September Sounds’ takes place from 24th to 26th September in Woodstock Gardens, Ballykee e Amphitheatre and Butler Gallery. More acts to be announced.
All concerts are free but ticketed.
