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Check out the courses in Monaghan Institute before planning on going somewhere further because the programme you are interested in may be available locally

Niall McKenna, Sports and Leisure Management learner at Monaghan Institute reflects on his decision to complete a one-year programme locally and gives advice to future learners.

“I applied to study the QQI Level 5 Sports and Leisure Management course at Monaghan Institute after I saw it advertised online and I was interested in it. I went to the college’s open day and was impressed by the college and was amazed by how modern the facilities were. After the open day I knew I wanted to study in Monaghan Institute, and I enrolled for my course that day. 

I chose this course because I believe it can set you up to progress onto whatever route you are interested in, let it be teaching, becoming a fitness instructor, physiotherapy, nutrition, and so much more, this course creates so many opportunities for anyone who completes it.

I studied nutrition, sports anatomy and physiology, leisure facility, sport and recreation, exercise and fitness, GAA coaching, soccer coaching, word processing, work experience and customer service. I enjoyed being able to meet people who had similar interests as me and being able to learn all the various modules. I really enjoyed work experience as it helped a lot being in the actual environment and seeing everything I had learned about in motion and operating. The gym in Monaghan Institute is great and being able to practice all the exercises I wanted to learn was also something I really enjoyed.

I understood the course structure as I met with course coordinator Elaine on the open day, which helped me make my decision as everything was explained in great detail. I was unsure of how much actual time in the gym we would be able to complete with the covid situation but thankfully the restrictions did not stop us from being able to get in the gym and practice, and thankfully it did not stop us going on work placement either.

I think the most beneficial thing about the course was learning more and becoming qualified, there are lots of people out there who have a passion for health and fitness, and this course can give them the qualifications they need to excel and go further in the sector and really broaden their knowledge. Thanks to this course I was able to get a part time job in the sports facility I completed work placement in, which is great to gain employment during a one-year course.

Next year, I want to keep studying at Monaghan Institute and hope to complete the Advanced Certificate in Health, Fitness and Sport Performance. As I now have a part time job thanks to completing my Sport and Leisure Management course, I will keep working part-time while studying. Having the ability to remain studying at Monaghan Institute and progressing is beneficial for me as it allows me to be able to continue to work part-time and I do not have to travel to the likes of Dublin or Belfast.

I would advise any student to attend the open day and speak with the tutors of the courses they are interested in or speak with the students who are studying the course you are interested in so you can learn more about each module. I recommend checking out the courses in Monaghan Institute before planning on going somewhere further because you might not be aware that the programme you are interested in is available locally.”


Do you want to pursue a future in the Sports field? The QQI Level 5 courses at Monaghan Institute allows learners to complete their studies in this dynamic and fast moving sector and gain a qualification to work in an industry with real rewards. As part of the training, learners will complete fitness testing, instruct exercise classes, prescribe exercise through the development of gym programmes, delve into nutrition and gain invaluable exposure to the leisure industry during work placement.
 
Apply today to study with us at Monaghan Institute this September, to kick start your progression to completing a degree course and career. We welcome Leaving Certificate students and mature candidates returning to education. Browse all our 2022 Courses Now.