Lucy applied for advanced entry onto a level 9 Certificate in Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship based on learning acquired through work experience.
Lucy tells us about her RPL application journey, her work experiences and the opportunities it will provide for her in the future.
Inspired by her mother’s love for cooking, Lucy had always been passionate about all things food related and was determined to build her career in that sector. Like most, Lucy worked a variety of jobs after completing her second level education but soon found her feet when she leased and managed her first café over 25 years ago. Lucy has owned, managed and worked within the food industry during those 25 years gaining significant experiential learning and has been innovative in her approach to each project.
When Lucy read about the Certificate in Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship course available in ATU Galway (then GMIT), she instantly made inquiries knowing it would be something that may help her embark on her next project. Her only concern was that although she had a vast amount of relevant experience, she had no formal third level education and felt she would not be eligible to apply for the Level 9 certificate. On meeting with the RPL facilitator in ATU Galway, it was confirmed that Lucy did not meet the formal entry requirements of an Honours Degree but that her 25 years of experiential learning would be recognised when making her application.
Using the myexperience.ie website, Lucy submitted her RPL ePortfolio including all supporting evidence required for her application. Lucy found the tool very user friendly and felt that she gained a lot from creating the ePortfolio realising the importance of her experience and skillset she sometimes took for granted. She was delighted that she had the opportunity to gain access to the course.
