Around about this time 14 years ago I became a part-time Lecturer at the National College of Ireland. In October 2002 I was made redundant by SmartForce, "the e-Learning Company" - it was an amicable split, I had applied for and got voluntary redundancy. A former colleague told me about NCI and that they were starting up a new Diploma in e-Learning, and I got to deliver my first module. I spent about 14 years with SmartForce, and am now 14 years in NCI. So pretty much my working life so far has been divided into just two companies. Now I am longer in NCI than I was in SmartForce.
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Of course, SmartForce no longer exists as it was taken over by SkillSoft in 2002 - the first thing they did after the takeover was fire loads of people. At one time there were over 500 people working for this company in Dublin, now I believe there are less than 50. It was certainly the correct and fortuitous decision for me to leave - I have enjoyed (almost!) every minute in NCI since November 2002, with a bit of luck I will finish out my working days there.
Many people change jobs frequently - good for them. When I was leaving school (1978) a job-for-life like the Civil Service or teaching was the thing many school leavers were aiming for. I recall my Grandmother Kathleen O'Loughlin urging me to apply for the bank - I'd be set up for life. She didn't really believe in all that College stuff (Seminaries excepted!). I would absolutely hate to think that I had just spent nearly 40 years working for a bank.
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