The main objectives of the programme are:

1. Like other college students, the learners will learn more about: communication techniques, working as part of a team, personal and interpersonal skills, social skills, personal awareness, independence, the world of work, self-advocacy, and assertiveness skills.
2. The programme will offer the learner an opportunity to participate in the social and leisure activities of college life: socialising with other students, participating in the gym and some sports.
3. Through their participation in classes, learners will develop confidentiality skills, memory skills, imagination and an understanding of other people’s lives.
4. In the different tutorials that learners attend, they will develop: academic, artistic, reasoning and problem solving skills in PDP (Personal Development Plan) class, drama, maths, computer class, work skills, horticulture, creative studies and health promotion.
5. The overall objective of the programme—and the benchmark by which it will ultimately be measured—is that the learner, having completed the programme, will be better equipped to attain employment—and to maintain—employment

Lero and CONFIRM Smart Manufacturing have partnered with the University of Limerick (UL) to deliver Ireland’s first qualification at level 10 (DEng) funded through the national apprenticeships programme: The Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng).

How a professional doctorate differs from a traditional doctorate
The traditional doctorate, the PDEng programme focuses on preparing candidates for an academic career and is thus focused on training people to rigorously address scientific problems which can result in a contribution to knowledge that can be published in the peer‐reviewed scientific literature.

Professional doctorates recognise the existence of research activities which can be described as professional practice. The context for this DEng programme is the practitioner workplace and the focus is on solving real‐world problems faced in the daily work‐place. The scope of these problems can be sufficiently large to be addressed in a significant piece of research planned and conducted over a period of time and which can ultimately result in a DEng award.

The Access to University Course is a full-time 13-week pre-entry course that leads to a place on your chosen undergraduate programme at UL. This course is for students whose economic or social backgrounds are underrepresented in higher education.

The course runs from January to June during the spring semester. The Access to University course has no course fee.

The course is open to QQI entrants and those under the age of 23.

The School Leavers course is designed for students who are 22 years of age or under who have already completed a Leaving Certificate, QQI level 5 or 6 qualification or equivalent.