Position yourself to succeed in the ‘New Normal’
Our world has changed rapidly since March of 2020. The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the disruption of many industries globally. Never before have individuals needed to think more like an entrepreneur than now. The value employers previously placed on creative problem solving, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking has increased significantly as we adapt to new ways of doing business. New opportunities are emerging. This course is designed to enable you with the mindset, skillset and an actionable set of tools to capitalise on these opportunities and Reimagine Your Career.
“The kernel of this course is to unlock the student’s creativity and to deliver the most relevant and disruptive innovation processes and tools to help us create businesses or reinvent our careers”
– Current student May 2020
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for individuals working in any sector, who want to reimagine their career path as an entrepreneur at the head of a new venture or who want to bring value to a new role within an existing organisation. Participants range in age from 24 – 70+. This course is free for eligible jobseekers, returners, carers and those who are formerly self-employed and offered at a significantly subsidised rate to eligible applicants in employment via the Higher Education Authority Springboard+ initiative. Springboard+ is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020.
Meet some of our Graduates.
“This course has given me the confidence to believe in myself.”
– Sharon Keegan, Founder of Peachy Lean
How can it benefit me?
Since it was established in 2012, almost 1900 people have participated in the UCD Postgraduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Over 70% of participants to date have found employment or established self-employment within six months of completing the course.
Shane Reilly, Co-Founder, Moyee Fairchain Coffee Ireland
“The four and a half months at the Academy fundamentally changed my mindset in terms of my career goals and gave me the confidence and skills to set up a venture in a new industry.”
What will I learn?
This 35 ECTS UCD Postgraduate Certificate course consists of three core modules. In each module you will explore specific themes through a variety of individual and team-based challenges.
– Creative Communication
– Teamwork and Collaboration
– User Centred Design
– Opportunity Recognition
– Pitching and Presenting
– Who and what is an entrepreneur?
– Digital up-skilling and learning how to navigate multiple platforms
– Design Thinking from foundations to fruition
– Business Model Canvas
– Pitching and Presentation coaching
– Navigating Remote Customer Discovery
– Lean Marketing and Bootstrapping a Business
– Innovating through Social Media
– Learning about Franchises
– Social Entrepreneurship
– Mentoring
– Resilience and Vulnerability as key entrepreneurial factors
– Reimagining your CV
– Financial Planning for start ups & Alternative Revenue Streams
– Voice & Performance coaching for interviews
– How to use LinkedIn so it works for you
– Mind your own business – how to survive in the current climate
– How to pivot within your sector
– The Realistic optimist
– Creating an action plan and accountability
How will I be assessed?
Attendance*
Assignment: Innovation Sprint Team Report and Poster
Presentation: Innovation Sprint Team Pitch
Assignment: End of Module Reflection Report
*Attendance: This modules requires active participation and engagement, which necessitates attendance at ALL scheduled classes. (80% attendance is required to pass this component)Attendance*
Assignment: Project Report
Presentation: Project Presentation
Assignment: End of Module Reflection Report
*Attendance: This modules requires active participation and engagement, which necessitates attendance at ALL scheduled classes. (80% attendance is required to pass this component)Attendance*
Presentation:Presentation of Demonstrated Actions and Plan
Assignment: End of Module Reflection Report
*Attendance: This modules requires active participation and engagement, which necessitates attendance at ALL scheduled classes. (80% attendance is required to pass this component)When will it run?
This course has been re-structured in such a way that if you are at home, with family commitments, you can still participate. It is delivered online two mornings a week (9.30am-1.30pm) for 22 weeks approx. An average of 20 additional hours per week is required for work outside class. This will be a mixture of self-directed learning, reflective learning and group or individual work.
“Balance stimulating online learning with home and work demands.”
– Current online course participant (May 2020)
What are the Eligibility Criteria?
All applicants must hold a minimum of an honours degree (Level 8) in any discipline – OR – 5+ years relevant employment history, in the absence of a degree.
As part of Springboard requirements, we must ensure that places are allocated on the basis of priority for the unemployed/formerly self-employed and homemaker categories ahead of employed so places will not be offered to any eligible applicant in employment unless places are available the Wednesday prior to the course starting.
Springboard+ Requirement
Documentation Required to Apply
*Click here for full English Language Requirements for UCD.
Places will be offered on a rolling basis as eligible applicants complete their applications and document upload until the course is full. If you don’t have all the required documentation to hand, we would encourage you to begin your application and upload any remaining documents as soon as possible after that.
What are the Course Fees?
Please CLICK HERE to assess your eligibility to apply for a place under the HEA Springboard+ / HCI Pillar 1 initiatives.
Jobseekers / Returners / Carers / Formerly Self-employed: Free for those who qualify through Springboard+. See the criteria here.
In Employment: €400 for those who are in employment and meet the Springboard+ critera.
Non-Springboard+: €3,000 (EU Citizens) / €6,000 (Non-EU Citizens)
What do I do next?
Please click this link below to take you to an online registration form. Complete this form and we will send you further information about the course. Please note that by completing this form you are simply expressing an interest in the course and that this is not a formal application – formal applications must be made via springboardcourses.ie.
Contact
For more information contact Mary Saunders at mary.saunders@ucd.ie
