South West College (SWC) apprentice Eimear Greene, from Lurgan, who missed out on a university place after completing her A-levels is now preparing to study Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast after securing an unconditional offer, thanks in part to the valuable skills and hands-on experience gained through SWC’s Dental Nursing apprenticeship.
A former pupil of Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry, Eimear chose to take a gap year after not securing a place to study Dentistry following her A-levels. Determined to strengthen her university application and pursue her chosen career, she enrolled on the City & Guilds Level 3 Apprenticeship in Dental Nursing at SWC Dungannon Campus.
The apprenticeship combined classroom-based learning with practical workplace experience, enabling Eimear to gain valuable clinical experience while working as a Trainee Dental Nurse with Altmore Dental. Through the apprenticeship, she developed essential practical skills, industry knowledge and a first-hand understanding of the realities of working within a dental team, all of which played a key role in strengthening her successful application to study Dentistry.
Reflecting on how the one-year apprenticeship helped her achieve her ambition, Eimear said:
"Completing the dental nursing course has been key in my re-application to Dentistry. It has enabled me to work as a trainee dental nurse and experience first-hand the challenges faced by a dental team. This hands-on experience has strengthened my ambition and helped me develop many necessary skills."
Eimear also spoke positively about her time at South West College, highlighting the encouragement and support she received from both staff and fellow students throughout her apprenticeship.
Eimear said: "Attending South West College has been a very positive experience. I have felt supported by everyone involved in delivering the course. The apprenticeship allowed me to continue my education, gain a valuable qualification and build practical experience through employment. All the staff at South West College are incredibly friendly, helpful and accommodating. It's a great way of meeting new people and preparing for your future career."
Having secured an unconditional offer to study Dentistry at Queen's University Belfast, Eimear is looking forward to beginning the next stage of her journey this September. She believes the knowledge, skills and practical experience gained through her apprenticeship will help ease the transition to university study and provide a strong foundation for her future career in dentistry.
SWC offers a wide range of apprenticeship programmes that combine academic study with industry experience, enabling learners to gain recognised qualifications while developing valuable workplace skills. Apprenticeships provide opportunities to progress into employment, higher education and rewarding careers across a variety of sectors.
Apprenticeships