Castlebar has a long way to go to truly justify its status as ‘a university town’

The year is ending on somewhat of a high for Mayo education.

The news that ATU Mayo will deliver 12 blocks of electrical apprenticeships in its campus in Castlebar, with 192 places on offer to students, has gone a long way to proving wrong those who suspected the name change of the institution was little more than window dressing.

A sum of €1.345 million has been granted by the Department of Higher Education for the purpose of initially meeting growing demand for apprenticeships in the higher education sector.

In effect, it means that electrical apprentices from Mayo who wish to study in their home county can now do so, instead of having to travel to the Galway campus.

The details released by the department suggest students will take part in a programme of structured education and training which formally combines and alternates learning in the workplace with learning in an education or training centre.

It is a dual system, a blended combination of on-the-job employer-based training and off-the-job training which prepares the participant for a career as an electrician and leads to a qualification nationally recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications from Level 5 to Level 10.

It is all part of an overall plan to facilitate a strong pipeline in crucial skills areas.

There is no question that ATU Mayo needed this boost as student numbers have fallen to a degree over the past number of years, albeit remaining a vibrant centre of third-level education.

However, many local people remain unconvinced as regards the department's true commitment to the Castlebar facility, the lack of investment in the centre's running track and sports ground being a prominent case in point.

Furthermore, the climbing wall and ancillary facility built a number of years ago for the college at Lough Lannagh has been dormant ever since, a symbol that ATU Mayo is not on the priority list when it comes to the delivery of resources.

If the department is serious about the future development of the campus, then its infrastructure needs to be brought up to the standard of other third-level institutes. . .and swiftly.

In this regard, the lack of dedicated student apartments in the county town continues to be an issue that's stifling the college's growth.

The truth is Castlebar has a long way to go to truly justify its status as 'a university town'.

But it's important to remain optimistic that further investment will be forthcoming to address the void that exists.

It has not gone unnoticed that the Department of Higher Education, along with Solas, has a key role in deciding how a sum of €29 million allocated for a stand-alone Mayo College of Further Education will be spent over the coming years.

The plan to build it in the grounds of the former Military Barracks in the town centre would be widely welcomed as the site in question has lain derelict since being purchased by Mayo County Council some years ago.

There is some way to go before this proposal is successfully brought over the line, yet there's an expectation of good tidings in the early months of 2024.