The Further Learning Group was established in 2004 with the aim of providing quality distance learning courses that would enable students to acquire the skills they needed to change their careers. Over the last decade Further Learning has grown to encompass a number of international academies offering a variety of fully accredited classroom-based and home study courses to students around the world.
The Further Learning Group has benefited from a number of important partnerships with industry specialists such as popular author, blogger and interior designer Orna Weber and well-respected garden designer James Kilkelly. The Further Learning Group is also very proud to have recently embarked upon an immensely beneficial partnership with global educational experts Pearson Education.
Our courses use a carefully considered pedagogical approach to deliver a positive student learning experience. An asynchronous system allows students to learn at their own pace, all with the support of their own personal tutor. Our classroom courses use a blended-learning technique so students benefit from the additional in-person support of the classroom environment. While a monitored student forum allow students to benefit from peer learning.
The Further Learning Group is fully accredited by a range of institutions including the International Approval and Registration Centre (IARC). HNC and HND courses are accredited by BTEC and administered by Pearson Education.
The Further Learning Group is made up of an energetic team of educational professionals who are proud to abide by the Pearson Education adage – Always Learning. If you are interested in joining our growing team please get in touch via the contact form below.
Mark has over 15 years' sales experience with extensive management and training expertise. Having worked primarily in the IT industry Mark is excited about entering the rewarding world of education and is focused on delivering the best possible customer experience.
Myles has a background in web development with extensive experience developing innovative online educational systems. He takes pride in ensuring every academy student receives the best learning experience possible. Myles, who is a firm believer in continuous education, has a Masters in Education from Trinity College Dublin.
Ciarda has been with the Further Learning Group since its foundation and oversees course development and tuition. Ciarda's background is in Interior Design and adult education. She has a keen interest in upholding the Quality and Assurance of all of our courses as well as ensuring that all tutors are experts in their fields, resulting in students receiving the best support possible.
Shaun has been working in the IT industry for over 20 years and in the Irish education sector for the last 6 years. He is a certified Agile Scrum Master and has been using Linux professionally for over 10 years. Shaun prefers Vi to Emacs, PHP to Perl and is undecided on systemd.
Brian has worked for over 20 years in various design roles and his work has reached international audiences. With a background in advertising, software development and in online learning, Brian strives to deliver an engaging customer experience across all our touch points.
Lyndsay has a background in IT but with a love for learning has worked in the educational field since graduation. Lyndsay is passionate about customer service and enjoys helping people find the right course for them and guiding them through their learning journey.
Antje graduated with a BA (Hons) in Interior Design and since 2003 has been running her own interior design company. Antje has designed sophisticated boutique hotels and bars as well as high-end residencies. Antje is a passionate interior designer, with extensive educational experience whose areas of specialisation include space planning and soft furnishings.
Ronan has a background in the education and hospitality sectors and has recently completed a Masters in Business (MBA). Ronan is committed to helping prospective students find a course that suits their needs, career development and future prospects.
Laura is a dedicated member of our team and excels at working with our perspective students to find the best course to achieve their goals. Laura comes from the customer service and retail sectors, she is passionate about assisting our students in their educational development.
Lucy has 15 years' experience working in various editing and communications roles. She is passionate about using a clear and consistent communication style across all forms of content to ensure information and messages are easily understood.
Emma has a BSc in Multimedia along with extensive experience designing digital products in the education and e-commerce sectors. She has a passion for creating simple, thoughtful and compelling experiences with a clean, beautiful and user-centred approach. She strongly believes in further education and is constantly striving to up-skill and keep up-to-date with industry trends.
Comfort has 10 years' experience in customer service with extensive knowledge of customer sales and satisfaction. She is currently studying for an MSc in Project Management and hopes to use the skills from this course to continuously improve the quality of customer service and care provided to all our students.
Simon has over 15 years' experience working in customer service and credit and account management. Having worked largely within the fast-moving consumer goods industry, Simon is committed to ensuring that students have a positive student experience with Further Learning Group.
Daniel has several years' experience in full stack software development with a background in customer service systems and online training providers. He is dedicated to the cause for programming simplicity and has long championed the removal of superfluous semicolons.
Sarika has worked in several different industries and has extensive leadership and management experience. She enjoys building a strong, positive team environment. Her aim is to increase productiveness and help improve performance for the benefit of our students and Further Learning Group.
Ian has a BA in Communication Studies and has worked in a number of multinationals as a content editor and internal communications specialist. He believes that communication plays a key role in every aspect of the business and strives to ensure that all students receive the best possible educational experience.
Mary-Louise has a degree in Arts and significant experience working in the retail and fashion industries. She is passionate about self-development and the positive role which education can have in life. She enjoys being able to interact daily with students and is committed to helping them receive the best possible learning experience.
Colette trained as an architectural technician and has worked on one-off residential buildings and large scale commercial projects for an architectural firm. Colette completed a year-long course in teacher training and an evening course in graphic design. Colette holds a first class honours degree in interior design.
The reputation of Further Learning Group academies continues to grow internationally. We now offer a variety of fully accredited home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students around the world.
The Interior Design Academy of Ireland is dedicated to providing practical interior design courses that will enable students across Ireland to pursue professional careers in interior design. Our reputation is growing and we offer our students a variety of fully accredited home study and part-time classroom-based courses.
www.idai.ie
The Garden Design Academy of Ireland was established with the aim of providing quality home study and part-time classroom-based courses in Garden Design. Our industry recognised courses teach students the practical skills needed to pursue a professional career as a garden designer.
www.gardendesignacademy.ie
The Photography Academy of Ireland was established with the intention of providing practical photography courses to students across Ireland. Our fully accredited home study and part-time classroom-based courses are designed to give students the practical skills to successfully pursue a career in photography.
www.photographyacademy.ie
The Fashion Design Academy of Ireland is dedicated to providing practical courses that enable students across Ireland to pursue careers in Fashion Design. The Academy is a leading provider of accredited, industry recognised, fashion design qualifications in Ireland and we offer our students a variety of home study and part-time classroom-based courses.
www.fashiondesignacademy.ie
The Digital Marketing Academy of Ireland offers a range of industry-focused digital marketing courses. Our courses are ideal for those seeking to gain practical skills in digital marketing, an overview of popular digital channels, and direction in building a successful digital marketing strategy.
www.dmai.ie
The British Academy of Interior Design was established with the aim of providing professional home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across the United Kingdom. Our courses have enabled thousands to pursue a career in design and our reputation continues to grow within the British marketplace.
www.baid.co.uk
The British Academy of Garden Design is proud to offer a range of fully accredited courses in garden design to students across the United Kingdom. The Academy's highly practical home study and part-time classroom-based courses have been developed to give students the range of skills they need to succeed as professional garden designers.
www.gardendesignacademy.co.uk
The British Academy of Photography is proud to offer a range of fully accredited home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across the United Kingdom. Our courses give students the skills they need to take their love of photography to the next level and enable them to pursue a career as a professional photographer.
www.baph.co.uk
The British Academy of Fashion Design was established with the aim of providing home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across the United Kingdom. We are proud to offer our students fully accredited courses in fashion design which will give them the skills they require to become professional fashion designers.
www.fashiondesignacademy.co.uk
The British Academy of Digital Marketing is dedicated to providing practical courses that enable students to pursue professional careers in digital marketing. Our courses offer practical skills in digital marketing, an overview of digital channels, and direction in building a successful digital marketing strategy.
www.britishdigitalmarketing.co.uk
The Australian Academy of Interior Design was established with the aim of providing professional home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across Australia. We are proud to offer our students fully accredited BTEC Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma Courses in Interior Design.
www.interiordesignacademy.com.au
The Australian Academy of Garden Design offers a range of fully accredited certificate, diploma and postgraduate diploma courses in garden design. Our industry recognised home study and part-time classroom-based courses have been developed to give students the practical skills they need to succeed as professional garden designers in Australia.
www.gardendesignacademy.com.au
The Australian Academy of Photography offers a range of industry-recognised home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across Australia. Our fully accredited courses have been developed to give students the skills they need to take their love of photography to the next level and pursue a career as a professional photographer.
www.aaph.com.au
The Australian Academy of Fashion Design was established with the aim of providing home study and part-time classroom-based courses to students across Australia. Our courses have been designed to give students the range of skills they need to succeed as professional fashion designers.
www.fashiondesignacademy.com.au
The Australian Academy of Digital Marketing was established with the aim of providing a range industry-focused digital marketing courses. Our courses are ideal for those students seeking to gain the key practical skills in digital marketing, an overview of digital channels, and direction in building a successful digital marketing strategy.
www.digitalmarketingacademy.com.auOur tutors are at the core of the Further Learning Group's success providing each student with the individual support, guidance and encouragement they need to succeed. If you are interested in becoming a tutor for one of our academies get in touch via the contact form below.
Rita holds a Masters in Interior Design and a Bachelors in Product Design. Working as an Interior designer since 2012 Rita has been involved in planning and designing interior design projects for hotels and cruise ships. She enjoys the variety of experiences a design career provides. Throughout her experience, she has gained a special interest in management and tutoring.
Ariana Dunne is a career multi-hyphenate. After a successful 18 year career in the media industry working for some of the largest publishing companies in the world including DMG, Bauer and the Telegraph Group Ariana embarked on a new path working for herself. Ariana is now a life coach, business coach and confidence coach, she works in freelance sales and does corporate consulting for various companies, she is an accomplished public speaker and lectures with the DMAI, Fitzwilliam Institute, Mindstream and the IECS teaching a range of courses. Ariana is also a trained celebrant www.celticcelebrant.ie, and has a monthly coaching column in Irish Country Magazine.
Jeremy brings 20 years of lecturing experience to the Further Learning Group, both face to face and online. He works and travels between Australia and the middle East on a regular basis. He lived in Jordan between 2005 and 2010 working with Y&R (as Wunderman GM) and Publicis (as Head of Digital and Innovation). Jeremy has spent 15 years with WPP agencies across the Middle East, North America, UK and Australia and with Publicis Groupe agencies across the Middle East and Asia. His roles have all involved leading creative and channel innovation and placing digital and social thinking at the centre of strategy. He works across both Consumer and Business to Business facing strategies.
Rob has over 12 years of agency experience and over 5 years of freelance experience helping clients achieve success with their digital marketing, with a particular passion for branding, web design and SEO. He enjoys the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and real-world experience to students who are are about to embark on their career in digital marketing.
After a very successful 25 year career in the entertainment industry managing large outdoor festivals as well as a number of medium scale theatres, Jon decided to follow his lifelong passion for gardens, plants and design and re-trained as a garden designer. Jon started his own design practice in north Essex in November 2018 and now works all over the county mainly designing domestic gardens of various scales. He has recently designed a brand-new garden park for a local parish council which received a government grant for its development. Jon’s business has also attracted interest from a number of independent landscapers for whom he does design work. Jon is a member of The Society of Garden Designers the only professional association for garden designers in the UK.
Marie McElheron has been working in the Irish Fashion Industry for 20 years. She graduated with a BSc in Fashion Design and Management. Since then she has worked with many Irish designers in both Bridal and Day Wear and in different areas of the industry. She also ran her own successful Bridal Design business for 8 years, creating bespoke bridal and evening wear. Marie now works for a ladies clothing brand, based in Dublin. Teaching allows her to pass on the knowledge and experience she has gained and Marie really hopes to inspire Ireland's young designers.
Christopher Chan is a professional photographer specialising in photojournalism and documentary photography. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Photography) degree majoring in Photojournalism from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Since graduating, Chris has spent the last 10 years working in local and international media organisations covering news and sports stories across Australia. Chris’ journey in photography began at an early age. His biggest passion is to capture decisive and intimate moments and his Photojournalism background means that his images tell the story of the scene in the most engaging and effective way possible.
Leonor graduated with a MA in architecture in 2009. She started working in architectural offices whilst studying and continued with this career post graduation. In the last few years she has focused her attention on interior design projects and furniture design. She has also been working on communication, digital content and graphic design for brands and websites.
With a masters degree in Landscape Architecture from Porto University, Renata has been developing projects for private and public institutions, as well as, coordinating teams in the field of maintenance and management of green spaces. She has earned a scholarship for the Magellan MBA of Porto Business School in 2018. Her community garden design won the EDP 2013 solidarity program, and she joined forces to develop the “Forbidden Garden” in 2018 which was the winner design of the “Allariz Festival” in Spain.
Magdalena is an interior architect and graphic designer with 10 years of professional design practice along with academic experience in teaching and research. She has previously held a tutoring role with the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. Magdalena holds a doctoral degree in Fine Arts with a specialization in Interior Architecture. While working in design studios and as a freelancer, she was involved in various design disciplines, from residential design, retail and cafes to medical offices and museum exhibition design. She looks on teaching as a way to share the passion of observing and analyzing the relation between the architectural environment and its users. Magdalena is a member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA).
Inês graduated with a Master of Science in Landscape Architecture in 2012. She is passionate about planting design, garden management, and biodiversity promotion. She has been involved with the design of public and private spaces and as a researcher at the University of Porto, contributed to the development of management plans responsible for the first Green Flag Award certified gardens in Porto.
Sinead is a trained pattern-cutter and fashion designer and has over 10 years professional experience in the fashion industry. Prior to establishing herself as a freelance pattern-cutter she worked for international designer John Rocha and design and manufacturing company Styletex.
After qualifying from Kildalton College in 1997 with a Diploma in Horticulture and a Royal Horticultural Society Certificate, Jarlath went on to work at Lees & Co, a wholesales nursery near Southampton, gaining valuable experience in plant identification, propagation and care. Upon returning to Ireland Jarlath worked for two years with Murray Landscaping in Co Wicklow, focusing primarily on construction sites, producing quality Landscaping for showhouses and commercial projects. In 2000, Jarlath established his own Landscaping business, managing all aspects of the business from the initial planning with the client through to consultation and planting. Maintenance and aftercare was also part of the business, while domestic and commercial projects included site works such as paving, lawn establishment, and tree and shrub planting. After 15 years of gaining Valuable Landscaping contracting experience, it was time to take the business to the next level. And so in 2015, Jarlath completed a postgraduate Diploma in Garden Design from The Garden Design Academy of Ireland and JW Garden Design was born where Jarlath now specialises only in Garden Design.
Ali is an interior designer with over 18 years experience working in award winning architecture and interior studios. Ali has a wealth of experience leading and managing teams to deliver projects across multiple sectors, including workplace, strategy, master-planning, retail, residential, exhibitions and galleries for internationally renowned companies and institutions. She is inspired by the desire to create distinct, immersive spaces that enhance the experience of the user, I work collaboratively with colleagues, clients and other design partners to deliver environments that feel uniquely expressive, tactile and engaging.
Naomi has more than 10 years' experience working as a stylist and visual merchandiser for a number of leading high-street retailers. She studied fashion in college and previously worked as a tutor in pattern drafting and garment construction. Naomi is passionate about adult education and is dedicated to helping students achieve their learning goals and realise their potential.
Darren is a Sydney-based freelance commercial photography and imaging specialist with over 30 years of experience working in the imaging industry, capturing and creating imagery. Darren's career has covered a diverse range of clients. He has worked for several news media organisations within the UK before moving to Sydney to work for one of Australia’s leading media news organisations. Darren produces diverse imagery for various multimedia advertising campaigns, corporate headshots, financial reports, property management companies, events, and magazine editorials. Darren has a vast wealth of knowledge and experience with a comprehensive skill set, from lighting and capturing post-production and image retouching to printing. He is highly skilled and has a considerable depth of knowledge on photography, photoshop/retouching/colour management, prepress, and training. He also draws upon his extensive imaging experience and knowledge to teach and mentor the next generation of image-makers.
Diana has a degree in fashion and more than 15 years’ experience in the fashion industry. An expert in pattern cutting and contextualised presentation, she has worked with many high-end designers to design, produce and market fashion collections. Diana has a postgraduate qualification in further education and is excited about combining her industry experience with her passion for education.
Ritika has several years’ experience working in digital marketing and advertising. She is passionate about branding and an expert in engaging audiences and developing brand propositions based on customer insights. She believes that her knowledge of industry best practices can help students to succeed in their learning journey.
Ember has extensive knowledge of digital strategy, social media marketing and consumer behaviour. She has developed and implemented digital marketing strategies for a wide range of businesses across various industries. Ember is also experienced in lecturing and is passionate about empowering students to navigate the world of online marketing and achieve their educational goals.
Daniel was awarded an MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the University of Westminster in 2013. He has worked at the BBC on the Picture Publicity desk and with the Metropolitan Police as a Crime Scene Photographer and trainer. Daniel also has a background in property photography, specialising in high-end interior and exterior imagery.
Sophie graduated in 2011 from Bath Spa University with a BA Hons in Fashion Design. She is currently a Womenswear Designer for a luxury British brand. Previously she has created bespoke outfits for clients and enjoys the whole process of garment creation from design, pattern cutting and making.
Swetha holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and has also recently completed a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture. Swetha has extensive industry experience and has led several architectural and interior projects from inception to completion. Swetha is passionate about teaching and education and has previously taught in BMS School of Architecture in Bangalore, India. Swetha is a member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA).
Rhys is a PhD candidate in the School of Design, RMIT, building upon his earlier studies at RMIT in Bachelor and Master of Landscape Architecture. A sessional academic at RMIT and University of Melbourne, he has his own private practice, Cousins Landscape Architecture in Victoria, working across research, design and landscape. Rhys seeks to facilitate meaningful engagement between people and their environment and is a critic of forces which seek to politicalise space and the built environment.
With an eye for detail, Louise has a lifetime's experience in horticulture, extensive plant knowledge and medal winner at both the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court. Her sensitivity to the environment, style and age of each property and attentive consideration of her clients' brief is evident in all her projects, both large and small.
Robert is a Commercial Photographer who specialises in PR, Advertising, Architecture, Events, Products, and Editorial photography. Rob also writes feature articles and has been tutoring for a number of years.
Manisha holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and has over eleven years of experience in this field. Throughout her career, she has held various design and academic roles. Working with architectural firms and companies since 2008, Manisha has led diverse projects from individual residences and developments, to commercial projects within the hospitality sector. She has also worked as design associate with a retail Multinational Corporation where she specialised in strategic spatial planning. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Architecture. Throughout her experience, she has been involved in peer mentoring and training and is deeply committed to the teaching and learning process. Manisha is a member of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA).
Yvette is a garden designer working with both private and commercial clients. She holds a BSc(Hons) in Environmental Design and Management and a FdSc in Horticulture, Garden Design with Distinction. Yvette has exhibited at RHS Hampton Court Palace and Tatton Park Flower Shows.
Zoran realized his passion for Fashion Design after winning his first award at age 17. He has a university degree in Textile Engineering and Fashion Design and has won several International awards for his work. He has worked in the fashion industry throughout Europe as a designer and pattern maker for many years. For the last twenty years he has been working in Australia for various high-end Australian brands.
Jonathan is a documentary, portrait and travel photographer, who works on a variety of commercial photographic assignments, with a focus on food and interiors. With a background in communication design, he is also the creative director for an independent arts journal that explores emerging creative talent and new approaches to visual story telling.
Alecsandra is an award-winning freelance photographer and photography teacher. She currently freelances for the Guardian, National Geographic Traveller UK, National Geographic Food, and BAFTA.
Joana Moreira holds a Master's degree in architecture and a Postgraduate qualification in rehabilitation and architectural heritage. From early on she knew interiors were her passion and throughout the years Joana has been specialising in interior architecture and interior design, both for new constructions and for rehabilitated historical buildings. Joana has worked in the industry for over 10 years and in recent years she worked for an interior architecture and design company that specialises in hospitality projects for hotels and cruise ships.
Gabriela is an experienced event, portrait and fashion photographer. She is passionate about combining illustration and photography, having studied drawing at the National Society of Fine Arts in Lisbon, completed her bachelor’s degree in Photography in 2009, before completing a master’s degree in visual arts education. Gabriela has also curated several photography exhibitions.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture and Design and a Diploma in Interior Design. Lisa has extensive experience in period property restoration with projects featured in interior design publications. More recently Lisa has taken a multi-disciplinary approach using digital packages to produce commercial designs for clients such as CIT Cork and Glaxosmithkline.
Pavlina started her career in kitchen design working closely with customers to understand their needs, specifications and budgets. Pavlina has been working at IKEA's flagship store for the past six years delivering complex interior design projects from concept through to design, planning and implementation. Pavlina has a BA in Interior Design & Applied Arts.
BTEC has been the most successful applied learning brand for over twenty five years. BTEC vocational courses are designed to meet the needs of employers and allow learners to take their first steps into employment, progress through their careers or enter university.
BTEC is administered by Edexcel and owned by Pearson Education, the world's largest education company. BTEC courses are offered exclusively by approved learning centres whose staff, tutors and courses have been thoroughly vetted, and are continually monitored. Learn more about BTEC.
The Further Learning Group has earned accreditation from the International Accreditation and Recognition Council (IARC). The IARC is a not-for-profit association. The council was founded in 1999 in response to increasing globalisation of world economies and societies, and is currently managed by an elected committee of six education practitioners and industry professionals.
The International Approval and Registration Centre (IARC) plays a role in ensuring the school's quality standards relating to course content, delivery, assessment and administration are maintained. IARC's role as an independent recognition association gives reassurance the school has undergone checks relevant to the post-secondary education industry in general terms.
