- Opinion
- 18 Dec 23
Across its many departments – each with its own selection of impressive alumni success stories – Ballyfermot Campus, City of Dublin FET College (formerly Ballyfermot College of Further Education) continues to offer unique learning pathways to remarkable careers in countless fields...
In an ever-changing world, being able to adapt, upskill, and stay on the cutting edge of your chosen industry are essential skills, no matter what career you’re pursuing. In Dublin, Ballyfermot College of Further Education has now become Ballyfermot Campus, City of Dublin FET College – and it continues to stand out from the pack by putting that emphasis on embracing change at the forefront of its learning programmes, allowing you to shape your own thrilling path into the future.
Uniquely, Ballyfermot offers courses from Level 4 to Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications, meaning that it’s the top choice for many students – each looking to gain crucial skills in an area they’re passionate about.
The college recently launched a brand new BA (Hons) degree programme in Immersive Media Production – which equips learners with the necessary skills and knowledge to produce truly immersive and engaging media experiences. The first two years of the four-year course are delivered at Ballyfermot, with the final two years taking place at the Institute of Art, Design & Technology near Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
Embracing various forms of media, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and 360-degree video, the graduates of the Level 8 programme are highly prepared to thrive in the rapidly evolving area of immersive media production, across industries such as entertainment, education, marketing and training.
In addition to the numerous BA degree programmes, Ballyfermot also offers an acclaimed array of Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. which can open up pathways to successful careers in countless industries. At Ballyfermot, you’ll find PLCs in areas like Animation & Games, Art & Design, Business & Tourism, Digital Media, Education & Learning, Music, Television & Film, Visual Effects, Media, and Health & Social Care. And from 2024 on, all PLC courses are free!
Ballyfermot’s alumni success stories continue to impress, with animation and film graduates winning Oscars and BAFTAs – and highly respected journalists, presenters, musicians, game designers and more former students making major waves too.
The college experience at Ballyfermot is also something to look forward to, with a strong emphasis placed on every student’s individual journey. As well as bringing in notable guest speakers and running class trips, Ballyfermot sends up to 70 students on Erasmus+ training trips abroad each year, to destinations such as Finland, Portugal, Malta, Spain and Germany.
Interested in learning more about what Ballyfermot Campus, City of Dublin FET College has to offer? All are welcome to attend the college’s next Open Day, taking place on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, from 10am to 4pm.
For more, visit bcfe.ie
Esteemed Alumni:
Richard Baneham
The Irish animator and visual effects supervisor has won two Academy Awards since training at Ballyfermot in the early ‘90s. He’s worked on the Avatar films; The Iron Giant; The Lord Of The Rings films, and more.
Damien Dempsey
One of the country’s most lauded singer-songwriters, Damo is a former student of Ballyfermot’s famed Rock School.
Sharon Tobin
Appointed as the new RTÉ News: Six One presenter earlier this year, Sharon previously progressed from Ballyfermot’s Radio course through to the college’s Media Production Management degree.
Cartoon Saloon
The founders of the production studio – famed for films like The Secret Of Kells, Song Of The Sea, The Breadwinner and WolfWalkers – met while studying animation at the college.
Cruthaigh do Thodhchaí
Leis na ranna iontacha atá ann - lena chuid scéalta alumni eagsúla freisin- bíonn Coláiste Breisoideachaos Bhaile Formaid ag cruthú nasc idir dhaltaí agus a slite beatha i réimsí iomadúla.
I ndomhan at ag síorathrú, ní foláir uasoiliúint a chur ort féin chun a bheith den chineál is úire, pé slí beatha atá agat. Anseo, i mBaile Athá Cliath, bíonn Coláiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid chun cinn i réimse an bhreis oideachais - Cuireann an Coláiste béim ar bheith ullamh chun coiméad suas leis na forbairtí nua seo - tabharfaidh sé seo seans duit do bhealach féin a chruthú sa todhchaí romhat.
Tugann Coláiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid deis do dhaltaí cúrsaí a fháil idir leibhéal 4 leibhéal 8 ón gCreat Náisiúnta Cáilíochtaí. Dá réir sin, bíonn an Coláiste mar an chéad rogha do na mílte daltaí – leis na héinne acu ag lorg na scileanna atá uathu chun feabhas a chur orthu féin i réimse poist a bhfuil siad paiseanta faoi.
Tá an coláiste díreach tar éis céim nua a bhunú céim Baitsiléir Ealaíon (BA) i Léiriú na Meán. Tugeann agus cothaíonn an chéim seo na scileanna agus an t-eolas cuí a bhíonn de dhíth chun scéalta agus cláir mheáin atá tarraingteach a chur le chéile. Reáchtáiltear an chéad dhá bhliain i gColáiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid, agus an tríú agus cheathrú bliain in Institiúid Ealaíne, Deartha agus Teicneolaíochta Dhún Laoghaire, Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Tugtar aghaigh ar na cineálacha meán iomadúla, mar shampla: intleacht shaorga, réaltacht bhreisithe, réaltacht fhíorúil, réaltacht meascaithe, agus físéan 360 céim. Réitítear céimithe an chláir Leibhéal 8 do dhomhan na méan léirithe, i dtionscail éagsúla amhail an tsiamsaíocht, an t-oideachas, an mhargaíocht agus an oiliúint.
Chomh maith leis na céimeanna Baitsiléara Ealaíon (BA) go léir atá ar fáil, tá an-chuid Cúrsaí Iar-ardteistiméireachta le dea-cháil orthu. Osclaíonn na cúrsaí seo roghanna duit chun tabhairt faoi shlite beatha i réimsí iomadúla. Tá CIAnna ann sa Ghearrthóg Bheochana agus Chluiche Ríomhaire, Ealaín agus Dearadh, Gnó agus Turasóireacht, Oideachas agus Foghlaim, Téilifís agus Scannánaíocht, na Meáin Dhigiteacha, Maisíocht Físe agus Seirbhísí Sláinte agus Sóisialta.
Tá ualach dea-scealta ó Choláiste Baile Formaid chomh maith i dtaobh mhuintir na n-alumnas. Téann na scoláirí ó neart go neart i ndiaidh na céime. Tá duaiseanna Oscars agus Baftas buaite ag na céimithe beochana agus físéain. Anuas air sin, tugtar an-mheas go deo do na hiriseoirí, láithreoirí, ceolteoirí agus dearthóirí cluiche mar aon le hiar-mhic léinn eile a d’fhreastail ar an gcoláiste.
Bíonn an taithí an cgoláiste i mBaile Formaid spraíúil chomh maith, le béim láidir curtha ar shaol na mac léinn. Chomh maith le haoichainteoirí speisialaithe a thabhairt agus turas ranga a reáchtáil, téann 70 scoláirí ar Erasmus+, in aiteanna amhail an Fhionlainn, an Phortaingéil, an Spáinn agus an Ghearmáin.
Má tá suim agat níos mó a fhoghlaim faoin méid atá ar fáil i gColáiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid tá fáilte roimh chách ag an gcéad Lá Oscailte eile a thionólfar ag an gColáiste. Beidh sé ar súil Dé Céadaoin, an 17ú mí Eanair idir 10 r.n. agus 4 i.n.
Tá níos mó eolais ar fáil ar bcfe.ie
An tAlumnas
Richard Baneham
Beochantóir de dea cháil, tá dhá gradham Oscars buaite aige ó bhí sé ina Mhac Léinn i mBaile Formaid le linn na 90idí. D’oibrigh sé ar na scannáin Avatar, Iron Giant agus Lord of The Rings.
Damien Dempsey
Iar scoláire den scoil rac-cheoil cáiliúil, Coláiste Bhaile Formaid, tá Damien Dempsey cheann de na ceoltóir mó le rá sa tír.
Sharon Tobin
Mar an láithreoir nua ar RTÉ News: Six One, thosaigh a saol craoltóireachta i mBaile Formaid le cúrsa Raidió sa choláiste, mar chuid den chéim sa Bhainistíocht Leirithe Méain.
Cartoon Saloon
Bhuail bunaitheoirí an stiúideo scannánaíochta cáilúil seo agus iad fós ina mic léinn sa choláiste – d’oibrigh siad ar scannáin rathúla cósúil le The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner agus WolfWalkers.