"It's very immersive, very hands-on, very practical" - Videographer Shane Ó Ceallaigh on diving into the creative industry

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When Shane Ó Ceallaigh decided to pivot his career into the world of creative media, the Digital Media Production course at Kerry College seemed the perfect steppingstone. And while he entered the course feeling relatively inexperienced, today, his business in the West of Ireland offers "a complete service of audio visual production and post-production and facilitates the telling of emotionally impactful stories," his website explains.

As a Further Education and Training college, Kerry College provides a range of (free) full-time and part-time courses that can help those looking to progress in their existing careers or find employment in a brand-new area. Learners can also use their QQI qualifications to progress to higher education.

Shane's move to a creative industry came after spending time in both the finance and hospitality sectors. He says that while he entered the course feeling quite 'green', the hands-on approach meant he quickly found his feet - a career foundation that has stood the test of time.

"I didn't have any experience, I didn't have a portfolio of work at the time, but Jim Twomey, Digital Content Producer Instructor, Kerry College, picked a group of people that were enthusiastic and wanted to work in the industry.

"There's not much about it that I can't still apply now. You start off with still photography, then move into video, then graphic design, a little bit of animation, and some post [production]. What would happen is people would filter down into their skill set.

"There's not too many courses that I've heard of where you get a camera the first day and they tell you to use this as much as you want. It's very immersive, very hands-on, very practical. So the course was really great."

For those interested in a career in creative media, Kerry College offers a suite of courses held in a state-of-the-art Digital Skills Centre with a functional TV studio, a working radio desk, and a full production centre. The college also offers a range of art and design-based courses spanning graphic design, mixed material art, traditional art techniques, and game design — an absolute trove of opportunities for creative minds.

Shane says that Kerry, as a location, also acts as an ideal backdrop for inspiration citing the “peaceful surroundings and the beauty of the landscape” as inspiration. “If you can be healthy and peaceful and inspired by your surroundings, those are good ingredients for creation and personal progress.”

After completing his course, Shane found himself in Dublin, fine-tuning his skills and gearing up to go freelance - his ultimate goal.

"My next career move was basically to cut my teeth in Dublin. I got an internship. And then I went freelance and started expanding my client list slowly. Freelance was always what I wanted to do because I want to be based in the West of Ireland and have a certain amount of autonomy."

In an almost serendipitous turn of events, seven years after he graduated, Shane was one of the first to come to mind when Kerry College began the search for a contractor to help them showcase some of the work by the current learners.

After winning the contract, Shane journeyed to Siamsa Tíre National Folk Theatre in Tralee to document and film the annual exhibition held by Kerry College Clash Road campus Creative Arts programmes. This collaborative event showcases the extraordinary talent of the Art, Craft, and Design, Animation, Computer Games Design, Digital Design with Visual Communications, Music Performance, and Sound and Production learners.

The magnificent video testimonial, produced for the Creative Arts programmes at Kerry College, is a real full-circle moment for Shane and a testament to the power of Further Education and Training.

Reflecting on his studies, Shane feels the course offerings and facilities made the decision to go back and further his education easy.

"Kerry College gives you as much as some of these longer university courses and programs. You're going to have all the tools, it's a state-of-the-art facility, it's just specked out so you can really immerse, and at the end of it, you will know, one way or the other, you'll either want more education, you'll be ready to start a business, or it's not for you."

Kerry College has a range of courses spanning several sectors, from the creative arts to hospitality to telecommunications and more.

If you want to learn more about what Kerry College can do for you, click here.

Kerry College. Building Futures!

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