Testimonials

“I started in Moate Business College after the summer of 2022. I had just completed my Leaving Certificate 3 months prior to starting my Software Development Level 5 Course in MBC. I decided to do this course as I felt that I wasn’t ready for Level 7/8 courses for Software Development at the time. Therefore, I decided to try out the Level 5 Software Development Course in MBC to see what I thought of it, and it was a great experience to say the least. I always had the idea of Software Development in the back of my mind. However, I felt at the time that I did not know enough about it to go straight into a Level 7/8 Course for Software Design with Mobile Apps and Connected Devices in TUS Athlone. Hence, the main reason why I decided to study the Level 5 Software Development in MBC was to see if the field of Software Development really suited me.

Thankfully, it turned out that I made a great decision as I really enjoyed the course and the modules connected with it. To anyone out there that wants to know more about Software/Computing, I would highly recommend doing this course. This is because there is more one to one interaction with the tutors if you are unsure of something and the help they give you is very beneficial going forward.

If you like gaming, then you’ll enjoy the Games Analysis and Design module. If you like programming/coding, then you’ll love the Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Programming module. If you like creating and building websites, then you’ll really like the Web Authoring module. If you have a passion for Software/Computing, I would highly recommend this course, as it allows you to be creative, gain useful skills and learn the basics of various computer applications. All the tutors in MBC went over and above to make sure that we grasped all our modules, and that we were staying on top of our assignments and submissions.

After completing assignments to the best of my ability in each module, I began to feel confident in my own ability. I gained a lot of knowledge on the various disciplines within Software Development from this course in MBC. After finishing this course, I have applied and will be returning to do the Level 6 Advanced Software Development Course in MBC. After that I am hoping to make use of the Advanced Entry into Year 2 in TUS Athlone the following year. I thoroughly enjoyed my first year in MBC. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Moate Business College for giving me the chance to learn more about Software Development, I really appreciate the opportunity that you gave me.”

I started in Moate Business College after I had applied for a course in NUIG and decided not to go through with it as I felt I wasn’t ready. Luckily Moate Business College took me in with open arms and I never looked back. I always had the idea of digital marketing in the back of my mind, but I felt I didn’t know enough about it to go straight into the degree course in TUS Athlone. I then decided to study the Level 5 course in Digital Marketing & Business in MBC to see if the area of digital marketing suited me.

It’s safe to say I made the right decision as I fell in love with the course and the modules associated with it. This course really has something for everyone, if you like business, you’ll love the Business Administration and Bookkeeping modules, but if you feel you also have a creative side, the Image Processing and Digital Marketing modules will also suit you. If you have a love for social media and creating content, I would highly recommend this course, as it allows you to be creative and gain valuable skills and knowledge on how to use social media for businesses. All the staff and lecturers in MBC always went above and beyond to ensure we understood all our modules and we were keeping on top of assignments and submissions.

After completing this course, I then applied to TUS Athlone for the Level 8 (Honours) Digital Marketing degree. I am currently in first year of this course and I love it! I felt really confident starting this course as I had gained a great understanding of the world of Digital Marketing from my time in Moate. I can’t thank Moate Business College enough for preparing me for college and my future career in the world of digital marketing!

I started in Moate BC after dropping out of a degree that was not for me. I had hoped for a course in teaching in UL but did not get the required points. MBC’s Sports course was a plan B option. I started two weeks into the semester, and I quickly made friends with students who were in the same boat as me, waiting for next year’s CAO. Little did I know my results from the PLC would later give me the course I missed out on last year. My QQI L5 results were what left me eligible for the reserved spaces for QQI applicants on PE & Maths teaching in University of Limerick. This is the first time this has ever happened as UL did not generally take QQI applicants for this course. If I hadn’t taken on MBC I don’t know where I would be, but it certainly wouldn’t be in college starting a degree in my dream course.

Overall, MBC was a fantastic year filled with new experiences such as my trip to Italy on Erasmus where I made some amazing people and friends for life. Other things like completing First Aid, Lifeguarding and so much more. It was a year to sort myself out and be sure I was prepared for my next academic adventure. I learned so much including that you are no longer babied or watched over to make sure you were doing your work, as it is in Uni. The year in MBC has thoroughly prepared me for my degree and I couldn’t be more grateful to the amazing and kind tutors who made it that bit easier. PLC courses are extremely underrated. They get you where you want to be even if it means taking the year to get there and I am living proof.

Life’s about the journey, not the destination!

The journey to this day was far from straight forward. The day I received my Leaving Certificate results was devastating. Although I received well over the points needed for my chosen course, failing honours maths put a stop to any dream I had of going away to college that September.

Fast forward five years and I can truly say I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had been able to go ahead with my chosen course.

I started off studying Business Administration & Office Management for two years at Moate Business College while also having the opportunity to repeat Leaving Cert maths! At Moate Business College I gained an unforgettable work experience trip with the Erasmus+ programme in Timisoara, Romania which was an amazing start to my journey! After my two-years in Moate, I was employed in my first professional role and made the decision to continue to work full-time while studying.

I then joined Athlone Institute of Technology for one year for my first blended learning course. After this, I was able to gain advanced entry to Griffith College Dublin BA Honours programme in Business Studies.

So here we are today, graduated at last and moving to London for a new job role! I cannot wait for the new experiences and opportunities awaiting me!

I first applied for the Digital Marketing and Business Level 5 course in Moate Business College in May 2021. At that point I had been out of mainstream education for a few years, and I was nervous to be returning to it, especially with all the lockdowns and restrictions due to COVID-19. I wasn’t sure I would handle a full-time college course with everything happening. I started in late September on a hybrid learning programme, with onsite classes two days per week and online classes the other three days and fell absolutely in love with the course. The classes were amazing and very informative along with allowing me and my classmates the time to create our own ideas for how different marketing strategies could work. The staff there were also incredible, they went above and beyond to ensure we understood everything and were prepared for any assignments or exams as they approached. Even going so far as to provide extra classes for us for revision or offering one on one calls to explain in further detail anything we were struggling with. As well as the class tutors being so supportive, the course coordinator was a fantastic source of support and advice and had the patience of a saint!

I have never been very good at studying or retaining large batches of information on different subjects, but anything I struggled with the staff were there to offer help and advice or alternative methods to help me, which I greatly appreciated. They would also continuously check in throughout projects or assignments to see how we were getting along offering to review drafts or layouts to ensure we were on the right track. Overall, the course was an absolutely amazing experience, and I could not recommend it enough, especially to anyone looking for an alternative route to continue their education. My experience and success on this course is also one of the reasons I decided to continue and return to Moate Business College this September to obtain my Level 6 in Advanced Business with IT.

“It was a huge stroke of luck for me to be a student of Moate Business College, where I can learn and improve. The entire I.T. department work tirelessly to mould one’s destiny. My one year at Moate Business College was a fantastic learning experience with a lot of exposure to the I.T. industry in terms of software applications, workshops and virtual events with Software Developers in various companies.

The Software Development Level 5 course has helped as a steppingstone into the field of Computer Engineering as I am currently pursuing a Bachelors of Honours Degree in Computer Engineering with Network Infrastructure at the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) formerly known as AIT.

Huge admiration, affection, and loyalty for the entire Software Development team at Moate Business College. It is because of their efforts that I consider myself to be a better professional.”

“My name is Conor Fagan and I come from Rosemount. I am 23 years old. I completed my leaving certificate in 2016 in Moate Community School. From a young age, I had an interest in the work of many different health care professionals. Through experience and research, I realised radiography was my chosen career path. It is innovating and exciting too. I have a passion for science and appreciate its importance in our everyday lives. In senior cycle I decided that I wanted to complete a degree in Diagnostic Radiography following on from my work experience in the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar in Transition Year. However, at the time, there was only one course in Ireland that would allow me to do this. This degree was available in UCD but the points were well above best efforts. Therefore, I decided to explore studying in the UK.

In 6th year I did several interviews for college in the UK. I finally accepted a “conditional” place to study in Scotland – provided I obtain a grade of B2 or above in both higher-level Biology and Chemistry. Like everyone else at the time, I put all my study time into these two subjects, forgetting that I had five other subjects to focus on too. Although I put my heart and soul into these, nobody can predict what the papers will be like on the day. Let’s just say, Biology most certainly let me down and I knew then and there that I would not obtain the grades that I needed for both Ireland and England. Living in hope during the summer post exams, I was nervous my exam results. When the day came around and I opened my envelope I realised I not enough points to obtain a place at my chosen university. In hindsight, I failed to realise just how well I actually did in the exams, in many respects I work ethic and perseverance paid off but in the midst of disappointment I could not recognise my achievements.

I convinced myself that repeating the Leaving Certificate exams was the best option for me and had not even considered alternative options. My Guidance Counsellor (only for her) mentioned to me about completing a Post Leaving Cert. course at Moate Business College. Initially this was not what I wanted to hear. I was very reluctant to do a PLC, I thought to myself “why should I stay in Moate for another year when all of my friends are off enjoying themselves in Limerick and Galway etc.” The last thing you want to hear post LC results is family and friends saying “there is an alternative route into everything” and “what’s for you won’t pass you by” however, these statements are so incredibly true and I live by them to this day.

Following on from my snobbery and reluctance around Post Leaving Certificate courses, I accepted a place on the QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies PLC course at MBC. Everyone thinks that PLC courses are for the students who don’t try or for students who did not get a “good enough” Leaving Certificate however, this is most definitely not the case. This course taught me skills that are essential for my college degree and work. I learned skills I didn’t even know about during school. It also allowed me to do work placement in the Radiology Department at Mullingar Hospital. This experience confirmed for me that this career was exactly what I wanted to do. Of course, I learned a lot, but we also had incredible craic and some of my closest friends to this day are those I met in MBC.

During my year at MBC I received an offer from 5 of 5 universities in the UK with the condition that I obtained distinctions in the course modules. With the support I received from every tutor at MBC, I knew this would not be an issue. Some of my class mates who did not want to to study in the UK pursued CAO courses in nursing and Health Science-related fields after completing the PLC course having also achieved the required grades.

I moved over to Middlesbrough in the UK (40 mins south of Newcastle Upon Tyne) and began my BSc (Hons) in Diagnostic Radiography. Fast forward three years and I completed my degree with honours (2:1). I was lucky enough to get a job in the largest major trauma centre in the north of England, the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle Upon Tyne, where I have been working as a band 5 Diagnostic Radiographer for the past year. I hope to go back to university this coming September as a part-time student (whilst working) to complete my Masters of Science in Medical Ultrasound which will allow me to move to a band 7 position, qualifying as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.

Believe me when I say, I’ve been there guys, 5th year and 6th year at school were the most difficult years of my life, there were stressful. But if I learned anything it was to work hard and to have faith in myself. I therefore, advise you to study hard and give it your best shot.

For those of you who need to hear it, there is a back door into everything nowadays and take it from someone who had to learn the hard way, it may be another year or two of study but we will all be working long enough in our chosen career paths. There is no rush in finishing college before you’re 22.

Also, never compare yourself to others! If you really want something and are willing to try hard for it you will most definitely get there. There are lots of opportunities out there if you are willing to explore all options open to you. Had I not I done that I would not be where I am now, working in a career I love.

Best of luck!”

“I have really enjoyed my time on the Art & Design Level 5 course. Some of my favourite aspects of the course include the emphasis on research and developing your idea. I enjoyed brainstorming ideas and seeing where it would take me. It gave me a lot of inspiration and helped me to discover new interests in different kinds of art and styles. I also found the teachers very helpful. They helped to give direction and a boost if I was feeling stuck with something and I definitely got the vibe that they want to help their students produce excellent and meaningful work.
This course has helped me improve my drawing and painting skills as well as teaching me techniques and mediums I hadn’t tried before. I look forward to incorporating these new skills into my personal art in the future.
I also liked being in a class with other artists and seeing everyone’s process, style, and train of thought. My classmates have been very inspiring, and I enjoyed learning other techniques and ideas from them.
I recommend this course for anyone who wants a creative boost, wants to build a portfolio and/or try out different mediums. It’s a really valuable and fun experience! It was such a great experience I have decided to stay on in Moate Business College to complete Art & Design at Level 6 next September.”

“My name is Nichole McLoughlin I am a past student of Moate Business College where I studied Level 5 Applied Social Studies. I started in MBC as a mature student at the age of 29 and the course gave me the confidence I needed as I had been out of education for a number of years. The support I received from all tutors was amazing, the belief they had in me encouraged me to apply through CAO to study Psychiatric Nursing. I am now entering into the third year in AIT and I firmly believe without Moate Business College this would not have happened. The course in MBC really prepared me for not only meeting deadlines, writing assignments and academic writing in general but it was fantastic foundation and introduction into the healthcare sector. I am so grateful for my time in Moate Business College and for putting me on the right path for my future career.”

“My name is Katie Rigney and I have just completed a level 5 course in Tourism with Business in Moate Business College.

I completed my Leaving Cert in 2019 and was very unclear of what I wanted to study in college. I found the idea of committing to a 3 or 4 year course hard when I had no idea of what area I wanted to study in. With this in mind I decided to try the Tourism with Business course in MBC as I had an interest in the Tourism sector but did not know much about it. Looking back, I honestly think this was the best decision I ever made for myself.

The standard of learning that was provided to me by the staff in MBC was second to none. I found all the staff to be extremely helpful and they made the course fully engaging and welcoming. I am hugely grateful for the level of care and support I experienced from them, especially in the last few months as classes and end of year assessments were brought online due to the current Covid19 pandemic.

I was also extremely fortunate to take part in MBC’s Erasmus+ programme this year. Through this programme, I got the opportunity to travel to Romania to complete a 3-week work placement. I completed my work placement in the marketing department of the Central University Library Timisoara. It is one of the best things I have ever done as I got to experience the sights and culture of a country I had never been to. It definitely was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

Thanks to Moate Business College I can proudly say I have boosted my confidence in moving on to 3rd level education. Due to this, I will now be moving on to complete a degree in Business Studies with Travel and Tourism Management in Limerick Institute of Technology. I would highly recommend it to any student who is unsure in what they want to do or are thinking of trying something different. Your decision to study here will be one you won’t regret.”