Hot Press Student Survival Guide: Creatively Speaking and Keeping The PC

Creatively Speaking

The traditional university route is not the only road to success. Indeed, artistic talents leaving secondary education – as well as those further along in life – have never had more options at their disposal. Whether you have a love of music, literary leanings, or a flair for design, we’ve picked out highly-rated courses that are educating people in practical, creative areas.

First, to an integral player on Ireland’s music scene. The Sound Training Centre in Dublin’s Temple Bar Music Centre has been setting standards in audio education for over 27 years. With full and part-time fully accredited courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, lighting and stage management, there really is something for everyone. The college incorporates a very impressive list of facilities, including Grouse Lodge Residential Recording, Apollo, Sun, and Elektra Studios, The Button Factory Venue and Temple Lane Rehearsal Studios. Studio clients include Morrissey, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, REM, Michael Jackson, Paolo Nutini, Muse, The Coronas and many more. Their dedicated approach to training and top class facilities provides excellent opportunities for students to succeed within the music industry. A fine example of this “hands on” ethos can be seen in how, each year, Advanced Sound Engineering students at the Sound Training Centre release an album in aid of a chosen charity. 2011’s Silver Lining, in particular, was a phenomenal success, raising over €60,000 was raised for the charity Headstrong (it’s still available on iTunes if you wish to add to that tally). It went on to win the Audio/Music production category in The Digital Hub’s Best in Show 2011 Awards.
The Sound Training Centre is also launching an online college, Soundtraining.com, providing affordable courses to people around the world. Initial courses electronic music production, sound engineering, mixing and DJing. Successful students will receive accreditation from City & Guilds, Avid Pro Tools and Ableton. Free tours of the studios, demonstrations and workshops are available at Open Tuesday Evenings, which take place on September 3, 10 and 17 from 6-8pm. Soundtraining.com has more.
Musicians, writers, dancers, choreographers, filmmakers, actors and artists of every ilk would do well to check out the Profitable Artists’ Business Practice Bootcamp at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, between October 10-13. Conducted by the Centre For Creative Practices and The New York Foundation For The Arts, the four-day course aims to provide creative types with the tools they need to become self-sufficient. The programme addresses the core aspects of artistic entrepreneurship and business skills, with topics including: Strategic Planning for Artists, Marketing and use of Social Media to promote one’s career, Fundraising Strategies, International Artist Legal Issues and other discipline-specific classes and consultations. The discount price of €200 is available to artists and the application deadline is September 13. Go to cfcp2.org/pab for more.
If you’ve an eye for design – regardless of your age, income, educational background or previous work experience – you’ll find yourself right at home at the Dublin Institute Of Design. The Institute has a proud 22-year history of teaching people how to design for life. They offer full and part-time courses in everything from fashion and graphics to interiors, web and app design. The Dublin Institute Of Design is currently enrolling for September and October, with their next open day taking place on Thursday September 5. Offering installment payment plans on most courses, it’s the perfect place if you want to pursue a hobby more seriously or fancy a career change. They also offer a fantastic – and unique – portfolio review service that provides expert feedback on your work. Go to DublinDesign.ie for all the details.

Keeping The PC
Study sessions, assignment plans and project schedules may vary from course to course. But the one thing that every undergraduate needs is reliable, responsive technology to help them navigate their workload.
Curry’s and PC World stock every type of laptop device imaginable, from Ultrabooks and Convertibles to Chromebooks and touchscreens. As the college season gets back into full swing, they have a great range of value laptop options, starting at €279 for a basic model, right up to €519 for a HP Pavilion Touchscreen Sleekbook with 8 gig memory and 1 Terabyte of hard drive.
“The experts in Curry’s and PC World are on hand to offer advice on distinguishing features such as storage capacity, connectivity, processing and battery life,” says marketing manager Ruth Brett. “They’ll simplify the process and help you avoid expensive mistakes.” The Curry’s And PC World staff will also help you choose the necessary extras, like a laptop case, Microsoft office and Internet security, all of which are available in value bundles, all of which will save you money in the long run! To find a branch near you, visit currys.ie or pcworld.ie.

The day your trusty laptop bites the dust (taking your 3,000 word assignment with it!) is the day every student dreads. With the right PC, you could save yourself the heartbreak... not to mention a pretty penny!