Jitters in the IT sector of the economy are not reflected in the interest shown in the University of Limerick's degree. Elaine Larkin reports

Despite the gloomy outlook for Ireland's IT sector, the 4-year bachelor of technology in IT and telecommunications in University of Limerick is still a popular one and is holding up well.

While only 100 or so places were offered on the course in the past, in recent years 120 to 140 students per year have been taken on. There was "a great surge in popularity because of the booming IT, the dotcom boom and the booming electronics and IT sector in Ireland, so it was very popular with students," says Dr Jacqueline Walker, course leader. Last year's points cut-off was 340.

Even if parents or students have concerns about job prospects after such a course, Walker thinks they should still go ahead and apply for the course. She assures that "the course is very broad and the area is very broad. It's not as directly effected as people might think because every company is still going to need IT departments and IT employees. It's not just in the one sector, it's across all of industry that they can expect to find employment."

Walker says more male student seem attracted to the course, with girls taking up only 20 per cent of places. When it comes to the type of student suited to the course, she finds that it helps for people to be open to the idea of working with computers. "They do have to realise that IT does mean computers and working with computers. It does mean, to a certain extent, we have to give them a mathematical, science and technology basis in order to give them their necessary skills."

Course entry requirements include a pass in one science or technology subject, as well as an ordinary-level B or higher in maths. Although a subject like physics would help, it's not necessary, says Walker, as this is taught in first year. Students do about 25 to 30 hours a week. "As it is a science and technology sort of course it is fairly heavy with laboratory work. It's quite a demanding course and there would be a lot of lab reports or projects as well as exams," she explains.

The course's first two years combine theory - maths, electronics - with practice - computer programming. Students also learn about telecommunications and networks. Some new labs are about to be opened in UL to cater further for this part of the course. There are also internet database courses and projects. These are quite practical, says Walker.

"It generally involves the students in designing websites and making and designing software." Like all other courses in UL, students spend a semester and the following summer in a working environment on "co-op".

"In this course they do semester six plus the summer and then they come back to fourth year after co-op." Students are assisted in applying for jobs by the co-op office and can go overseas if they can find a job there. The majority tend to stay in Ireland, she says.

Working in the real world really helps students when they come back to fourth year. "They love it. They usually absolutely bloom and do really, really well." Quite a few end up going back to the same companies after graduation.

"A common job would be in an IT department doing something like help-desk work; that would be the most common thing," says Walker. UL's own research into where graduates have gone found 80 per cent of them employed in Ireland; just one of the 45 ex-students surveyed was seeking employment.

"They might also be doing, again in an IT department, installations or networking or cabling, special projects designing websites and updating software. Sometimes they just end up in smaller companies doing all sorts of different jobs."