Students from Louth and Dublin make up the largest percentage of enrolments at 30% and 15% respectively, with Meath (9%), Monaghan (7%), Cork (6%) Cavan (4%) and Galway (3%) also accounting for large numbers of part-time learners. Northern Ireland residents account for 6% of DkIT’s part-time students.

At the heart of this growth are DKIT’s 4 Schools and its Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC). The LLC has been coordinating part-time courses for nearly 25 years. With over eighty courses currently on offer, DkIT caters to individuals eager to explore new fields, update their professional skills, or enhance their qualifications. With offerings across various disciplines -including Business, Humanities, Engineering, Computing, Creative Arts, Health, and Science - the Institute is dedicated to fostering a learning environment that adapts to the evolving needs of today’s workforce.

The Lifelong Learning Centre is also committed to providing comprehensive support and information services to its growing student body with part-time and flexible learners now constituting 21% of the Institute’s student population.

Speaking about the increase in numbers, Anton Barrett, Head of Lifelong Learning at DkIT said:

“It’s great to see the significant increase in flexible and part-time student enrolments over the past decade. The growing number of students coming from counties all across Ireland is a testament to the high calibre of our courses and the variety of subjects and levels which the Institute offers. From certificate to Masters level, DkIT aims to cater for all levels of upskilling and continuous learning. Our courses cover topics from across all of our academic schools including Business & Humanities, Informatics & Creative Arts, Engineering and Health & Science. The opportunities available for part-time study are invaluable, allowing students to return to education or upskill without the full-time commitment.”

Recent additions to the part-time course catalogue include the Certificate in Science in Nursing: Community Mental Health Nursing, the Certificate in Compliance and Continuous Improvement in Sustainable Food Manufacturing and the Qualified Certifier (QC) in Electrical Testing and Verification, among others. For those interested in full-time study, the new MSc in Management and the MSc in Community Mental Health Nursing offer exciting opportunities to deepen expertise in these critical fields.

DkIT is also proud to offer a range of Springboard+ funded courses, which provides free and heavily subsidised higher education upskilling and reskilling opportunities in areas where there is an identified skills need. Ranging from level 6 to 9, these courses cover a wide range of topics from Culinary Skills to Digital Media Design to Health and Safety.

With small class sizes that promote a personable learning experience, DkIT stands out as a hub for lifelong education. As the demand for flexible and professional courses continues to grow to keep up to date with the fast pace of technological change in Ireland, DkIT remains at the forefront of meeting these needs, empowering students to achieve their educational and professional goals and helping employers to maintain a highly skilled workforce to tackle ever evolving challenges.

DkIT student, Megan Cromwell commenced a part-time Certificate in Applied Electrical Engineering in Autumn 2023 completing it in May 2024 and has since progressed this current academic year onto the full-time Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Systems.

Speaking about DkIT’s part-time courses Megan said:

The number of part-time course options available to me in DkIT was amazing. Studying part-time allowed me to continue working while also exploring whether Electrical Engineering was the right career path for me in the long term. I found the small class sizes really enhanced my learning experience as I got to engage directly with the lecturers which really helped me to understand difficult concepts. I’ve now moved into a full-time Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Systems, and the knowledge I gained in my part-time course has given me such a solid foundation for success in my degree. I’d highly recommend that anyone thinking about studying part-time takes that leap.”

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