Course Summary
Course Category: PLC (Further Education - FET) - Apply directly to College
This is a one year specialist course training students to work as Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in Pre school, Primary and Secondary School Classrooms. Primary and Secondary Schools as well as specialist schools employ Special Needs Assistants to work in a variety of educational settings.
Applicants should have a love of children and gain pleasure in helping others. If you have a vocation to assist pre school,primary or secondary students and enjoy school life, this course is very fulfilling. You should be mature, hardworking and organised. You will be responsible for securing an appropriate off site work placement.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS (Level 5)
Any student over 16 years seeking entry to this programme does not need a previous formal qualification. However, the student must demonstrate at interview the capacity to successfully participate on this programme. This includes both the academic and work experience elements of the programme. Should the student have previous qualifications, one of the following may be advantageous for admission to the programme:
- Leaving Certificate/LCA
- QQI Level 4 Award
- Students who may not have formal academic requirements but who have the ability to successfully participate on the course will be considered. (RPL Recognition of Prior Learning)
Course Details
This course prepares you for working in the following Career Sectors:
What will you study?
-
Care Provision & Practice
Care Skills
Human Growth & Development
Special Needs Assisting
Intellectual Disability Studies
Communications
Work Experience
Understanding Special Needs
Infection Prevention & Control
Important
- Colleges may add/remove modules to keep the course updated and to meet demands.
- Almost all PLC courses have a Work Experience module, which requires students to find their own placement in an area directly related to their course.
Progression to CAO Courses
Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS)
This course leads to a QQI Major Award, and provides progression opportunities to a number of Higher Education courses, including those in the CAO.
To view CAO courses to which this award provides a possible progression route, click below:
| QQI Code |
| 5M4468 |
To calculate Points based on your QQI award results, use the PLC Points Calculator.
The Student - Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Further Research
National Statistics for this Award (All Ireland)
The following data provides general information about this Award from colleges across Ireland.
Disclaimer: These links are to web sites outside of CareersPortal and we accept no responsibility for the information on them.
Career Progression
Students may also use this course to progress to participating Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) through the QQI Higher Education Links Scheme. Some past students have gone on to Education, Social Science, Social Care & Psychology degrees.