Ninth Level Ireland

“Many college students are faced with compulsory placements and no guarantee of payment. A day’s work warrants compensation. In January 2019 pharmacy students took to the streets of Dublin to protest a ban on paid internship placements, required as part of the final two years of their degree. The group were successful with the ban being lifted but payment still remains optional …” (more)

[Niall Hurson, University Observer, 21 November]

“A university student has brought a High Court challenge over what she says is the wrongful inclusion of a criminal conviction against her on a disclosure issued by the Garda National Vetting Bureau …” (more)

[Ann O’Loughlin, BreakingNews.ie, 5 March]

“Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the issues faced by pharmacy students who will now have enormous tuition fees for the fifth year of their course will be addressed; his views on whether the changes will result in students not pursuing studies in pharmacy in the future for purely financial reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 5 February]

“The Union Students of Ireland have come out in support of Pharmacy Students and upcoming changes to their programs. These changes under the new integrated Pharmacy programme means that students will be required to pay increased fees and participated in greater levels of unpaid placements as a result of a ban in place by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) in paying for student labour …” (more)

[Aaron Bowman, College Tribune, 30 January]

“The fate of unpaid pharmacy placements remains unclear, after the Pharmacy Society of Ireland (PSI) declined to offer support for paid placements in spite of a march by hundreds of students from all over the country from the Dáil to the offices of the PSI this morning …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 24 January]

“Pharmacy students from all over the country, backed by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), will rally at the Dáil next week in protest at fee increases and unpaid work placement. The protest, which takes place on January 24th, is being organised by USI in conjunction with the Irish Pharmaceutical Students Association …” (more)

[Aisling Marren, University Times, 18 January]

“Dissatisfaction with a new course structure for pharmacy students in Ireland is escalating around the country, with students launching a campaign against unpaid work placements. An online petition formed this weekend has received over 4,000 signatures at the time of publication …” (more)

[Yasmin Mello, Trinity News, 17 December]

“Officials at University College Cork are to meet with the pharmacy regulator amid concern about mental health issues and a lack of motivation among young pharmacists coming in to the industry. It comes as part of a remarkable row between the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and students coming into the industry …” (more)

[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 16 December]

“Trainee teachers who are required to carry out unpaid work in schools as part of their studies are suffering from severe financial difficulties, a new survey indicates. The poll of more than 3,000 student teachers indicates that close to half – 42% – consider dropping out due to financial pressures …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 29 March]

“Nursing students have accused Trinity of abandoning them today and ignoring the impact the snowy weather would have on students attending placement. With Trinity remaining resolutely open this morning, even as other colleges closed their doors, nursing students on placement were left unsure what to expect …” (more)

[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 28 February]

“Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House today to respond to the issue I have raised on third level fees, specifically those charged to students undertaking a year’s internship as part of their course of study. The issue was highlighted to me by a student in north County Dublin who is in her third year in Maynooth. She is on work placement for the full year. She also has a friend who is in DCU who is on a full-year’s work placement. They both have to pay their full fees to their particular universities amounting to more than €3,000 each …” (more)

[Seanad Debates, 6 February]

“The University of Limerick failed to pass on health concerns about the Air Corps hangars to its work placement students, despite several warnings over chemical exposure fears. Although it was told that students ‘may have been exposed to toxic chemicals and organic solvents during the course of their work placement’, UL did not follow up on requests to inform the relevant students …” (more)

[Joe Leogue, Irish Examiner, 19 April]

“TCDSU report finds far-reaching issues for midwifery student experience, with two-thirds reporting adverse mental health effects, as a result of financial, victimisation and responsibility pressures …” (more)

[Edmund Heaphy, Sinéad Baker and Dónal Ring, University Times, 5 June]

“The Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English, TD, today launched 40 traineeships / placements for Irish graduates. The initiative is funded from the Irish Erasmus+ budget and builds on a 2012 recommendation from the Forfás Expert Group on Future Skills Needs that the programme should be used to support employability and German language learning …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 3 November]

“A class of 11 students who went to court last year to be allowed complete a cancelled audiology degree at Athlone Institute of Technology should be able to begin clinical placements with the HSE in January …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 17 October]

“When choosing my third-level course in public relations at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), I always knew I would spend the second half of third year on work placement …” (more)

[Derek Owens, Independent, 3 June]

“A proposal for a graduate placement scheme, similar to the one currently in place for nurses, has been slammed by a group representing students training in this area …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 9 March]

“The University of Limerick is the only third-level Irish college short-listed for an international award for quality placement programmes. The institution has been selected as one of only five finalists from a total of 350 applications in the Best University Placement Awards …” (more)

[Jimmy Woulfe, Irish Examiner, 20 January]

“Alex White, the Labour Junior Minister, has been in a bit of hot water after he contacted his daughter’s university to try to change her work placement …” (more)

[Kim Bielenberg, Independent, 19 November]

“NUI Galway says it cannot comment on the Junior Health Minister allegedly lobbying the University to change a family member’s work experience …” (more)

[Connacht Tribune, 18 November]