PLC Providers
- Question
- My son is interested in doing a PLC course but I was wondering if these courses can only be provided by ETBs or if private colleges can offer PLC courses. Some of the courses he's looked at in further education colleges are only €300 but in some private colleges they can be as much as €2,000! Is there any difference in these courses, or is it just that the ETB run courses are government funded? Are they all recognised as PLCs?
- Answer
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"Yes private colleges can provide Post Leaving Cert courses, Portobello Institute and Dorset College would be 2 popular private colleges offering these. A PLC course by definition is a course that follows Leaving Cert. Leaving Cert is at levels 4 and 5 on the NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications)
PLC courses are on levels 5 and 6 on the NFQ, therefore as long as the course is certified by QQI and at level 5 or 6 then a successful PLC graduate has the option of progressing onto levels 7 or 8 in IT or university (if progression options are available) or can use the qualification for employment.
Regarding the cost, the private colleges are not state sponsored, whereas most further education colleges would be, so yes this is the difference."