Lifelong learning: ‘It's been completely transformative for me, really life-affirming'
There are plenty of reasons why people who are well past school-leaving age take third-level courses, says Dr Ciara Staunton, pointing to those she delivers in the area of forensic psychology.
'One course I run is eight weeks long and always full because there are always people fascinated with crime,' she says. 'It has nothing to do with their work. It has nothing to do with anything. It's purely they love a podcast, a TV programme, and the course is a step up from that.'
Staunton also runs a diploma course, a two-year part-time programme, but in this case she says every student who takes it 'is a professional working in criminal justice or one of the allied services and they're doing this for professional purposes because it's part of their remit'.
'So there are all sorts of seasons for participating in lifelong learning,' she says. 'People who want to upskill and reskill, people who have moved into a management space but don't have the qualification or who never went to college but have always had that hankering.'
READ MORE
Staunton is the project director at the national Recognition of Prior Learning in higher education project and is working on an assessment of a recently completed five-year programme intended to enable would-be students to have more account taken of their work or life experience when applying for or participating in courses.
The range of that experience can be broad and individuals and institutions alike have traditionally struggled to quantify or properly value it.
Sometimes, she suggests, people take a course in what is very much their own area of expertise for the formal qualification or the self-confidence it offers.
Fashion consultant and events organiser Fiona Hayes is an example of this.
Self-employment, she says, 'can be a very lonely place and I don't know whether this is endemic among women in their 40s, which is a really tricky stage, but I've certainly found myself questioning my ability at times'.
The public side of her work, Hayes says, for a long time included a regular slot on daytime TV, which might seem anything but solitary. Yet, she adds, much of the daily routine is far more insular and studying at the
University of Limerick
(UL) has been has been hugely beneficial personally and professionally.
On the face it, opting to do a professional diploma in public relations and communications might be taken for studying what she already knew, but Hayes says the experience has been 'completely transformative for me, really life-affirming'.
'Originally the decision was partly to do with the fact I'd never got a degree and so I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder, but I didn't know whether I'd be able to negotiate a master's but it's been an eye-opener,' she says.
'The course is delivered in a way that takes account of the fact most people are working, there is flexibility around the delivery of assignments and the network of people I've connected with is really worthwhile. And the content is very relevant to me, I'm already applying things I'm learning to my work, thinking more strategically about the things that I do.'
Hayes, who is progressing towards the master's by way of shorter diploma courses, was one of the speakers at UL's recent Transforming Higher Education conference, which also heard the story of Diego Silva, a Brazilian with a background in engineering who was working until recently as a night porter while getting the Irish qualifications required to resume his professional career.
These, say people involved in the sector, are the sorts stories that are going to get more common as lifelong learning becomes intertwined with career evolution.
A greater need for people to retrain seems inevitable given the scale of change coming to many workplaces.
A UN-backed report published this month suggests up to 40 per cent of global jobs will be affected by technological change, most obviously
artificial intelligence
, in the coming years, with 33 per cent of roles in countries such as Ireland said to be exposed to automation.
The scale of it all has prompted an array of educational initiatives intended to facilitate upskilling and reskilling through shorter and more flexibly structured courses, with a view to recognising experience and, in some cases, offering significant funding to help with fees.
However, the proportion of people involved remains relatively modest. The numbers aged over 24 starting a full degree course in recent years have declined significantly, with the scale of the demands involved seen as off-putting by many.
Similar figures for postgraduate courses jumped by more than 20 per cent to nearly 40,000 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and have remained high since.
There has also been a growing emphasis on shorter, specialised courses packaged as building blocks to more prestigious qualifications. What once might have been a certificate course is now a micro-credential, or 'microcred', a key part of a developing strategy to facilitate largely career-related learning.
There are about 500 course options in colleges involved in the
Irish Universities Association
's microcreds.ie initiative, many of them in the business and technology areas but with far more options around the country.
Student feedback tends to be very positive, although the cost, at anything between €250 and €2,000, can be pretty substantial.
'A very high volume are employer-sponsored,' says Orla Bannon, head of careers and development at Trinity College Dublin, where more than 1,000 people have completed microcreds in recent years.
'Employers are encouraging people to do the courses in the way they have always encouraged people to do, say, aMBA. Microcredentials are now included in a lot of those portfolios, which is great.'
More needs to be done, employer representatives say, and help is needed to pay for it.
'There has been a huge investment by employers into the National Training Fund and it's at times like these we should see that investment coming back through into the workforce,' says Maeve McElwee, executive director of employer relations at Ibec.
'AI is going to have a huge impact over the next two to three years, it isn't five to 10 years away, it's much closer. This is the time now that we should be looking at how we can upskill and reskill, both in the traditional skills and also in AI literacy.'
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Irish Examiner
02-05-2025
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Workplace Wellbeing: Arrogance, ego, and entitlement at work — how to cope
Janine Delport once had a boss who enjoyed making her cry. Before moving to Ireland, the Galway-based learning and development professional lived and worked in South Africa. 'I had a great job, which gave me opportunities to help people,' she says. 'But I dreaded my boss. Whenever he got upset, which was often, he picked a fight with me and continued fighting until I ended up in tears. I think he liked the sense of power it gave him.' The 45-year-old now wonders if he was a narcissist. Because it wasn't just the power trips: 'He constantly bragged about his achievements, too. Anything anyone else had done, he had always done better. And he only ever wanted to hear he was right and got angry if you contradicted him. I used to walk on eggshells so as not to trigger a reaction, but, as the person who reported directly to him, whenever something went wrong, I bore the brunt of it.' Patricia Mannix McNamara, professor of education leadership at the University of Limerick, has spent over 25 years researching narcissism in the workplace. She says: 'We all want to be seen and admired by others in some way. It's when it tips over into behaviour that hurts people that it becomes a problem.' Dean McDonnell, a psychology lecturer at the South East Technological University and member of the Psychological Society of Ireland, says levels of narcissism can vary as we go through life. 'People can become self-absorbed when they are stressed, anxious, or depressed, for example. Young children's brains aren't fully developed, so they don't have the capacity to think of others. The personality development we undergo in adolescence can contribute to egocentrism.' Dr Dean McDonnell: "It's common for narcissistic bosses to micromanage and criticise. They often encourage gossip so that people tell tales on each other to stay in the boss's good books. They often lack empathy when it comes to things like granting leave. And they can be bullies.' These are passing phases for the majority, but for those with NPD, narcissistic personality disorder, it's a permanent state of affairs. 'These are grown adults who have an inflated perception of their self-worth,' says McDonnell. 'They disregard the feelings and needs of others in favour of their own. They often lie and manipulate to get what they want. And they do this consistently.' He explains that clinicians use an acronym to help diagnose NPD: SPECIAL ME. 'It stands for Self-importance; Preoccupation with power, beauty, or success; Entitled; Can only be around people who are important or special; Interpersonally exploitative for their own gain; Arrogant; Lacking in empathy; Must be admired; and Envious of others, or believing others are envious of them,' he says. Trademark behaviours are associated with these traits. 'Your boss claiming credit for your work because they want the glory for themselves is one,' says McDonnell. 'Becoming defensive when receiving feedback or being told they have made a mistake is another. 'It's common for narcissistic bosses to micromanage and criticise. They often encourage gossip so that people tell tales on each other to stay in the boss's good books. They often lack empathy when it comes to things like granting leave. And they can be bullies.' Self-care is vital Although NPD only affects an estimated 1-5% of the population, Mannix McNamara believes it may be disproportionately represented at higher levels in the corporate world: 'People who push others to get what they want are seen as efficient go-getters. They get results, which usually leads to promotion. That's why it's not uncommon to have a narcissistic boss.' The way jobs are advertised may even encourage narcissists to apply. A study published in the Journal of Management Science last year found that people who scored highly for narcissism were drawn to postings containing words like 'ambitious' and 'persuasive'. However, those who scored highly for empathy were more attracted to words like 'grounded' and 'collaborative'. Mannix McNamara sees this tendency to hire and promote narcissists as cause for concern. They may get the job done, but often leave a trail of destruction in their wake. 'Having a boss who criticises, manipulates, hurts, or humiliates us affects our job satisfaction and morale, and can spill over into our home life,' she says. 'So much of our identity and self-worth is intertwined with our work. A narcissistic boss can undermine all of that, affecting us on a very deep level.' So what can we do about it? Is there any way to counter narcissistic behaviour? Mannix McNamara suggests keeping records of all incidents: 'There should be policies in place to ensure everyone feels psychologically safe at work. Keep clear notes of what happened and the impact it had. Then, once you have evidence, arrange a meeting with HR or someone more senior in your organisation to discuss what can be done.' McDonnell recommends setting boundaries. This means starting and finishing work on time, taking all your breaks, and adhering to the tasks in your job description. 'If you're clear about your role, that should restrict your boss's ability to manipulate you,' he says. Narcissists often feed off emotional responses, so Mannix McNamara advises maintaining a professional, cool demeanour at all times. She says the 'grey rock' method can help with this: 'Rocks are present but never respond or react. If you can be like a rock, unresponsive to the drama unfolding around you, the narcissist should soon lose interest.' She reminds us that it's essential to look after ourselves. 'So many people start eating badly and stop exercising when they come under pressure. That's counterproductive. They should be doing their best to stay well so they have the energy they need to cope at work.' Looking after ourselves includes seeking support from others. 'Talking helps,' says Mannix McNamara. 'But maybe not with others in the workplace, as what you say could get back to the boss and be used against you. A friend or family member would be better, or a coach, psychologist, or counsellor who would understand the dynamics of narcissism and give you strategies to deal with it.' Know when to walk away There are circumstances where the best strategy is to walk away. 'A workplace is supposed to be a collaborative and supportive place,' says McDonnell. 'Things can get stressful at times but that shouldn't constantly be the case. If you're losing sleep or if your job is causing anxiety or depression or negatively impacting relationships and family life, it might be time to leave.' Another commonly used approach is biting your tongue and telling your boss what they want to hear. While it may succeed in keeping you out of the crosshairs, Mannix McNamara is clear that it comes with a price. 'You'll disempower yourself and allow the narcissist to remain in the workplace, but it may be what you need to do to survive,' she says. Delport felt like she had no choice but to appease her boss: 'South Africa has high unemployment and if you have a job, you keep it. In an ideal world, I'd have been able to go to someone senior in my organisation and something would have been done about my boss. But life doesn't always work that way, particularly if you can't provide outright evidence about what happened behind closed doors. The safest bet for me was not to hurt the narcissist's ego.' However, she made sure she got support outside of the workplace. 'My husband was a great help,' she says. 'I'd encourage anyone with a narcissistic boss to reach out to someone. They will tell you that it's not your fault and that you shouldn't take your boss's behaviour personally. Narcissists power themselves up by making you feel weaker. Even if you only understand this one thing, it can help.' Read More
Irish Times
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Leaving Cert textbook author resigns from curriculum reform group amid ‘dumbing down' concerns
A university lecturer and author of Leaving Cert textbooks on construction studies has resigned from a group tasked with redeveloping the subject over claims that the new syllabus is being 'dumbed down'. Trevor Hickey, associate professor and course director of the teacher education programme for construction studies at University of Limerick , was a member of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 's (NCCA) subject development group. Construction studies, studied by more than 10,000 Leaving Certificate students each year, has not been updated since it was introduced in 1983. A new curriculum is being developed and scheduled to roll out for fifth-year students from September 2026. Mr Hickey told the NCCA that he was 'very concerned' that while the current syllabus had a significant amount of applied science content, the latest draft was 'hardly recognisable to me as a Stem [science, technology, maths and engineering] subject. READ MORE 'If the current draft proceeds as is, in future some third-level courses may not accept construction studies for matriculation on to third-level Stem programmes,' he said. The original construction studies syllabus, he said, included references to 'fundamental scientific concepts and knowledge that underpin the design of buildings', such as heat and thermal effects. This original vision of construction studies as a Stem subject has been 'all but abandoned in the proposed draft', he said. A significant majority of the subject development group, Mr Hickey said, wished the subject to become a 'Leaving Cert version of Junior Cycle wood technology'. Yet, trainee teachers were coming through the University of Limerick on 'very high points' and 'more than capable of delivering a scientific and technological version of construction studies that reflects the latest advances in the industry,' he said. 'If action is not taken now the future of version of this subject will be a missed opportunity; one we have been waiting for since 1983,' Mr Hickey said. 'Let us not forget that Ireland is in the midst of a housing crisis.' The industry had been rocked 'in recent memory by boom and bust cycles', he said, and by 'building scandals' such as defective apartments. 'We have here a unique opportunity to educate the next generation of young people on how to design and build homes' In response to his concerns, the NCCA's chief executive Arlene Forster told Mr Hickey by letter last December that the council worked closely with 'teachers, students and school leaders to gather their experiences of working with [construction studies], and their hopes and aspirations for a redeveloped specification.' She said further consultation and engagement with schools and the wider public was planned during 2025 to allow others to share their perspectives and contribute to updating the subject. [ Leaving Cert reforms to press ahead this year despite union opposition Opens in new window ] Ms Forster's letter also states that while many students use their Leaving Cert results for matriculation purposes, subject specifications are not designed specifically for matriculation. 'They are designed for broader educational purposes and the decision to allow a specific subject or not to be used for matriculation purposes for Stem programmes rests with higher education institutions,' she wrote. Each post-primary subject development group working on senior cycle education includes nominees from the teachers' unions, school management bodies, the Department of Education, the State Examinations Commission, and further and higher education interests.
Irish Times
29-04-2025
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Lifelong learning: ‘It's been completely transformative for me, really life-affirming'
There are plenty of reasons why people who are well past school-leaving age take third-level courses, says Dr Ciara Staunton, pointing to those she delivers in the area of forensic psychology. 'One course I run is eight weeks long and always full because there are always people fascinated with crime,' she says. 'It has nothing to do with their work. It has nothing to do with anything. It's purely they love a podcast, a TV programme, and the course is a step up from that.' Staunton also runs a diploma course, a two-year part-time programme, but in this case she says every student who takes it 'is a professional working in criminal justice or one of the allied services and they're doing this for professional purposes because it's part of their remit'. 'So there are all sorts of seasons for participating in lifelong learning,' she says. 'People who want to upskill and reskill, people who have moved into a management space but don't have the qualification or who never went to college but have always had that hankering.' READ MORE Staunton is the project director at the national Recognition of Prior Learning in higher education project and is working on an assessment of a recently completed five-year programme intended to enable would-be students to have more account taken of their work or life experience when applying for or participating in courses. The range of that experience can be broad and individuals and institutions alike have traditionally struggled to quantify or properly value it. Sometimes, she suggests, people take a course in what is very much their own area of expertise for the formal qualification or the self-confidence it offers. Fashion consultant and events organiser Fiona Hayes is an example of this. Self-employment, she says, 'can be a very lonely place and I don't know whether this is endemic among women in their 40s, which is a really tricky stage, but I've certainly found myself questioning my ability at times'. The public side of her work, Hayes says, for a long time included a regular slot on daytime TV, which might seem anything but solitary. Yet, she adds, much of the daily routine is far more insular and studying at the University of Limerick (UL) has been has been hugely beneficial personally and professionally. On the face it, opting to do a professional diploma in public relations and communications might be taken for studying what she already knew, but Hayes says the experience has been 'completely transformative for me, really life-affirming'. 'Originally the decision was partly to do with the fact I'd never got a degree and so I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder, but I didn't know whether I'd be able to negotiate a master's but it's been an eye-opener,' she says. 'The course is delivered in a way that takes account of the fact most people are working, there is flexibility around the delivery of assignments and the network of people I've connected with is really worthwhile. And the content is very relevant to me, I'm already applying things I'm learning to my work, thinking more strategically about the things that I do.' Hayes, who is progressing towards the master's by way of shorter diploma courses, was one of the speakers at UL's recent Transforming Higher Education conference, which also heard the story of Diego Silva, a Brazilian with a background in engineering who was working until recently as a night porter while getting the Irish qualifications required to resume his professional career. These, say people involved in the sector, are the sorts stories that are going to get more common as lifelong learning becomes intertwined with career evolution. A greater need for people to retrain seems inevitable given the scale of change coming to many workplaces. A UN-backed report published this month suggests up to 40 per cent of global jobs will be affected by technological change, most obviously artificial intelligence , in the coming years, with 33 per cent of roles in countries such as Ireland said to be exposed to automation. The scale of it all has prompted an array of educational initiatives intended to facilitate upskilling and reskilling through shorter and more flexibly structured courses, with a view to recognising experience and, in some cases, offering significant funding to help with fees. However, the proportion of people involved remains relatively modest. The numbers aged over 24 starting a full degree course in recent years have declined significantly, with the scale of the demands involved seen as off-putting by many. Similar figures for postgraduate courses jumped by more than 20 per cent to nearly 40,000 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and have remained high since. There has also been a growing emphasis on shorter, specialised courses packaged as building blocks to more prestigious qualifications. What once might have been a certificate course is now a micro-credential, or 'microcred', a key part of a developing strategy to facilitate largely career-related learning. There are about 500 course options in colleges involved in the Irish Universities Association 's initiative, many of them in the business and technology areas but with far more options around the country. Student feedback tends to be very positive, although the cost, at anything between €250 and €2,000, can be pretty substantial. 'A very high volume are employer-sponsored,' says Orla Bannon, head of careers and development at Trinity College Dublin, where more than 1,000 people have completed microcreds in recent years. 'Employers are encouraging people to do the courses in the way they have always encouraged people to do, say, aMBA. Microcredentials are now included in a lot of those portfolios, which is great.' More needs to be done, employer representatives say, and help is needed to pay for it. 'There has been a huge investment by employers into the National Training Fund and it's at times like these we should see that investment coming back through into the workforce,' says Maeve McElwee, executive director of employer relations at Ibec. 'AI is going to have a huge impact over the next two to three years, it isn't five to 10 years away, it's much closer. This is the time now that we should be looking at how we can upskill and reskill, both in the traditional skills and also in AI literacy.'
