Meeting the NFQ Level 5 Educational Requirement
To become a member of an Garda Síochána, do you have to have completed the Leaving Certificate? The answer is no! …but you do need to have a Level 5 Major Award.
Essentially, in Ireland, the education system has different levels. The Junior Cert is Level 3, Leaving Cert Applied is Level 4, and the Leaving Cert is Level 5.
While we are all familiar with the Leaving Cert because it is the final hurdle in the Irish secondary school system, it is just a Level 5 Major Award. At Forus Training, we offer a great alternative to the Leaving Cert – the Business Studies Level 5 Major Award (5M2102). This course can open the same doors that the Leaving Cert can!
So, if you want to become a garda, you can do this Business Studies course with Forus Training and that will satisfy the education requirement for joining the gardaí. It is an officially recognised alternative to the Leaving Certificate!
About the 5M2102 Business Studies Course:
The QQI Level 5 Business Studies (5M2102) involves eight modules that cover different areas of business. The beauty of the course is that it has a great blend of practical and written work across the various modules and you get to choose the modules that most appeal to you.
You need to do two of the following modules:
- 5N1348 Accounting Manual And Computerised
- 5N1610 Business Administration Skills
- 5N1400 Marketing Practice
One of the following modules:
- 5N0690 Communications
- 5N0972 Customer Service
- 5N1951 Entrepreneurial Skills
- 5N1367 Teamworking
You must do:
- 5N1356 Work Experience
Two of the following modules:
- 5N1364 Digital Marketing
- 5N1619 Retail Selling
- 5N1354 Bookkeeping Manual And Computerised
- 5N1546 Payroll Manual And Computerised
- 5N2091 Business Law
The value of the Business Studies (5M2102) Course:
As well as meeting the education requirements of joining the Gardaí, these modules closely align with the skills and knowledge needed to become an effective member of An Garda Síochána. This includes:
- Staying calm and professional during confrontation
- Keeping accurate notes and records of events
- Effective use of non-verbal communication
- Teamwork and problem-solving skills
- Digital administrative skills
- Handling complaints
- Deescalating aggression
- Following and enforcing legislation
Make your Garda Application stand out
Submitting an application to become a Garda with the Business Studies (5M2102) qualification, will make your application really stand out from the rest. Compared to an applicant with the leaving cert, the Business Studies course shows that you can choose your own path and that you’ve got the confidence and ability to be independent and use your initiative.
The skills and knowledge you gain on the course are practical and transferable to working as a Garda, in a way that not all Leaving Cert subjects are. The modules on the Business Studies course will give you practical experience that is directly linked to a lot of the daily tasks involved in being a Garda; from keeping records to handling conflict to working as part of a team.
And, at the end of the day, the course is so useful that it will be a great Plan B for you to fall back on in case you ever want to change your career path down the line.
