BACK IN 2015, father-of-three Brian McKenna found himself without secure employment the first time since finishing school. After 17 years working in different areas of the financial sector, a round of redundancies left him without a job.

For some people, being made redundant at 36 would have been a major obstacle. For Brian, it became a stepping stone to pursuing a brand new career path, after close to two decades in the same field.

“After the Leaving Cert I accepted an Electrical Engineering course, but it wasn’t for me. I lasted a week and a half. Not long after that I got a job in the bank,” he recalls.

I thought I was stuck there for life – maybe I’d end up working for a different institution, but it would be the same job. Being made redundant gave me the opportunity to re-evaluate everything: my study, my employment and what I wanted to pursue down the line.

Full-time study was new to me

Brian took a couple of months off to spend with his kids, and began researching different academic options, with a view to retraining in computer programming.

My wife is very academically focused. She’s a scientist with a PhD. I’m the polar opposite, but I knew that the time had come to take the step. Over the years, I had done the main QFA banking exams and some part-time certificates, but going to college full-time was new for me.

Late in the summer of 2015, Brian applied for a Higher Diploma in Science in Data Analytics at Dublin Business School, provided free under the Government’s Springboard+ initiative.

As his wife was in employment, Brian fell below the Back To Education grant threshold so finding a free course that suited his needs was a big advantage – but it wasn’t the only deciding factor.

The main draw for me was the fact that it was a highly condensed course. I needed a programme with low impact on family life, and one that would allow me to get back into employment as soon as possible.

Following 17 years in the workplace, was the thought of becoming a full-time student a daunting one? “I was very apprehensive going into it,” admits Brian, “but as it turned out, I loved every minute.”

It was tough – but I made it work

With 30 hours of lectures a week, plus family commitments and another “30-40 hours of coursework and additional study in the evenings,” Brian’s experience was trying, but enjoyable. “The college were very flexible, helpful and open the whole time and I really felt that they understood my situation,” he says.

Ultimately, the experience was rewarding, too: last year, the 38-year-old accepted a full-time paid role with KBC as a Risk & Capital Data Analyst. While his time at college was “tough and intense,” Brian doesn’t hesitate to give the course credit for the many doors it opened for him.

“Yes, I had workplace experience already, but I don’t think I would have gotten an interview with KBC if I didn’t have the course. Going to college gave me the chance to make a marked difference in my life, and to direct where I wanted to go.”

Want to learn new skills or expand your current knowledge? Dublin Business School offers a range of FREE full-time and part-time ICT courses under the Government Springboard+ initiative, for those in or out of employment. All courses are flexible, so it’s simple to find one that suits your needs. For more information, check out the DBS website or email springboard@dbs.ie.