Marino College of Further Education

What Marino College of Further Education does

Marino College of Further Education is an Irish state-funded Further Education and Training (FET) college headquartered at Connolly House, 171 North Strand Road, Dublin 1, operating under the governance of City of Dublin ETB (CDETB). The college delivers full-time Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses at QQI Levels 4 through 6 across eight academic departments (Beauty, Business, Childcare, Computing, Creative Arts, Health Science, Science, and Tourism), supplemented by part-time Back to Education programmes for social welfare recipients and the Skills To Advance upskilling initiative for employed adults in vulnerable sectors. The college also offers a newly launched Marlborough Street Campus for Banking and Financial Services and Business with Project Management courses, and as of 2023 operates under the merged Cathal Brugha FET umbrella alongside Killester Further Education College.

The underlying technology stack is operationally conventional: a Squarespace-hosted public website (marinocfe.ie), a Moodle LMS (marino.etbonline.ie) for blended learning delivery, integrated online application and CDETB payment processing (ams.enrol.ie), Google Analytics for website analytics, and curriculum-specific software including GDS Amadeus (travel training), Hotelier Hub (hospitality simulation), and standard productivity suites. There is no proprietary platform; IT and educational technology are sourced primarily as off-the-shelf SaaS.

The business model is dominated by direct state funding through CDETB, with student-paid fees representing only a marginal revenue contribution. Domestic EU students pay a non-refundable €50 registration charge to accept a course place; Back to Education courses carry no charge for social welfare recipients; non-EU international students whose visas do not confer access to publicly funded education pay €3,654 per course; and the Arts Administration course carries a separate €400 course charge. The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer, recruiting domestic school-leavers, mature returning learners, international applicants, and enterprise/SME workforce trainees through open evenings, the website, social media (predominantly Twitter), earned media (RTE Nationwide), and community engagement (Five Lamps Arts Festival, Pieta House fundraising). Customer segments are diverse and individually small, with no concentration risk on individual employers; rather, employer relationships (Mater Hospital, Temple Street Hospital, St. James's Hospital, Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Swissport, Dental Hospital, Vivo Clinic) function as work-experience placement partners rather than revenue-paying customers.

Name

Marino College of Further Education

Legal name

Marino College of Further Education

Website

https://marinocfe.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marino College of Further Education is a publicly funded Further Education and Training college in Dublin operating under City of Dublin ETB, delivering QQI-accredited PLC courses across eight departments to school-leavers, mature learners, international students, and SME workforces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diploma-to-Degree / Articulation & Credit-Transfer Pathways (EDAIAJAG), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Further education
• Vocational training
• PLC courses
• QQI accredited programs
• Post-leaving certificate

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. PLC Course Registration Fees: Domestic EU students pay a non-refundable registration charge of €50 to accept a course offer. No other charges are applied for PLC courses. This is the primary revenue stream from domestic students.
2. Non-EU International Student Fees: Non-EU learners whose visas do not confer access to publicly funded education are required to pay a course fee of €3,654 if eligible. This applies to international applicants who are not in the protection system.
3. Arts Administration Course Charge: Arts Administration course carries a course charge of €400, separate from the standard €50 registration fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Marino College of Further Education delivers full-time Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses at QQI Levels 4, 5, and 6 across eight academic departments: Beauty, Business, Childcare, Computing, Creative Arts, Health Science, Science, and Tourism. Courses combine classroom-based instruction with work experience placements, blended learning through Moodle LMS, and industry-recognized certifications (ITEC, IAOT, ILM). The college also runs part-time Back to Education programs for social welfare recipients and the Skills To Advance national upskilling initiative for employed learners in vulnerable sectors.

Product overview

Marino College of Further Education is a further education institution offering PLC (Post-Leaving Certificate) courses across eight academic departments: Beauty, Business, Childcare, Computing, Creative, Health Science, Science, and Tourism. Programs range from QQI Level 4 to Level 6, combining classroom-based learning with work experience and blended delivery. The college also provides Back to Education (part-time) programs for social welfare recipients and the Skills To Advance upskilling initiative for employed individuals. Courses are designed for school leavers, mature students, and career changers, leading to employment or higher education progression through QQI link routes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cathal Brugha FET: The merged entity of Killester and Marino Further Education Colleges now operating as Cathal Brugha FET.

Products and services

• Beauty Therapy Courses Beauty therapy vocational programs at QQI Levels 2-6, including ITEC-certified qualifications in Beauty Specialist (Level 2), Nail Technology (Level 3), Holistic Massage, Facial Electrical Treatments, lash extensions, microdermabrasion, and laser/IPL therapy. Targeted at school leavers and mature learners seeking careers in the beauty industry.
• Business Department Courses Business and administration programs covering legal administration, medical administration, executive PA, business studies, project management, digital marketing, tourism, banking and financial services, and logistics at QQI Levels 5-6. Includes the Business with Digital Marketing course with Trinity College Dublin progression link.
• Childcare Department Courses Early childhood care and education programs at QQI Levels 5-6, including Certificate and Advanced Certificate in Early Learning and Care, and Classroom Assistant/SNA training. Designed for learners pursuing careers in childcare, early years education, and special needs assisting.
• Computing Department Courses Computer network technician and cybersecurity program at the North Strand Campus. Targeted at learners seeking entry into IT support, network administration, or cybersecurity roles.
• Creative Department Courses Creative arts programs including photography, graphic design and illustration, creative media, IT skills with computer graphics, fashion styling and visual merchandising, and arts administration at QQI Levels 4-6. Includes the Arts Administration course (€400 course charge) with placement linkage to Five Lamps Arts Festival.
• Health Science Department Courses Healthcare programs including nursing studies, dental nursing traineeship (leading to Higher Certificate in Dental Nursing at QQI Level 6), health service skills, pharmacy assistant, and pre-emergency service studies at QQI Levels 5-6. Combines academic study with on-the-job training at partner healthcare providers.
• Science Department Courses Science pre-university and animal science programs at QQI Levels 5-6, offered at North Strand and Cathal Brugha Campuses. Designed for learners progressing to science-based higher education programmes.
• Tourism Department Courses Tourism and hospitality programs including Travel with Cabin Crew Training (with IAOT Diploma in International Travel Industry Studies and GDS Amadeus certification), Cultural Heritage Studies, Business with Tourism, Hotel Front Office (with Hotelier Hub simulation), and Hotel Guest Relations and Customer Service at QQI Levels 4-5.
• Back to Education / Returning to Education Programs Part-time courses for adults in receipt of social welfare, including customer service and office skills, health service skills, IT skills, hotel front office, and retail sales skills at QQI Level 4, with no course charges and retained social welfare benefits.
• Skills To Advance National upskilling and reskilling initiative for employed individuals, providing heavily subsidised courses in digital marketing, retail sales, supervisory management, and ILM Leadership and Management Certificate and Diploma. Delivered through SME employer partnerships in vulnerable sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trinity College Dublin new progression links announced for Business With Digital Marketing QQI Level 5 and Marketing with Event Management QQI Level 6
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Trinity College DublinflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2019Trinity College Dublin has announced new progression links for business courses from Marino College's Business With Digital Marketing QQI Level 5 and Marketing with Event Management QQI Level 6. This provides Marino College graduates with direct entry routes to TCD programmes.
• Five Lamps Arts FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2019Annual arts festival co-organised with Marino College. The festival provides work experience placements for students across multiple departments. The college's Arts Administration course is specifically tied to the festival, with students undertaking placements within it. Festival Director Roisin Lonnergan actively collaborates with the college and has stated the partnership fits industry needs in arts management.
• International Academy of Travel (IAOT)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe Travel with Cabin Crew Training course is delivered in partnership with IAOT. Students receive an internationally recognised Diploma in International Travel Industry Studies from IAOT alongside their QQI Level 5 award. IAOT provides certified training in Cabin Crew and Check-in Training as well as GDS Amadeus Booking and Reservation System.
• SwissportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissport, a ground handling agent at Dublin Airport, provides work experience and employment opportunities for Travel with Cabin Crew Training graduates. Multiple graduates have been employed by Swissport as Passenger Services Agents and have progressed to supervisory roles.
• City of Dublin ETB (CDETB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarino College of Further Education is operated under the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB). CDETB provides governance, data protection policy, online payment processing, and institutional accreditation. CDETB's SCC (Sports and Cultural Council) collaborates with Marino College on events including the Zombie Fun Run.
• Poeta HouseminorOthersAnnual Zombie Fun Run fundraising event organised by Marino College and CDETB SCC in aid of Pieta House mental health charity. The 2019 event raised an initial fund of €640.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pearse College of Further Education: Dublin-based CDETB FET college offering PLC courses across business, science, creative, and humanities — same funding parent, similar QQI Level 4-6 portfolio, and direct competitor for the same Dublin school-leaver pool.
• Ballsbridge College of Further Education: Dublin FET college (CDETB) offering PLC and VTOS courses with similar QQI portfolio and central Dublin catchment — closest geographic peer and direct competitor for school leavers.
• Rathmines College of Further Education: Major Dublin FET college (also CDETB-affiliated) offering PLC programmes across similar departments with QQI accreditation — directly competes for the same Dublin PLC applicants and employer placement pipelines.
• Colaiste Ide College of Further Education: Dublin FET college operating under CDETB offering PLC courses at QQI Levels 4-6 with similar direct-to-consumer enrollment model and progression routes to higher education.
• Blackrock Further Education Institute: South Dublin FET college offering PLC courses across business, media, and community care with similar QQI structure — comparable scale and target student demographic.

Regional players

• Cabinteely Community School (Adult Education): South Dublin FET provider offering PLC and Back to Education courses — overlaps with Marino's portfolio but serves a different geographic catchment within the broader Dublin region.

Broad incumbents

• SOLAS: Ireland's national Further Education and Training authority — sets strategy, funds, and oversees the 16 ETBs (including CDETB) under which Marino operates; comparable as the sector-level incumbent governing FET standards and funding.
• City of Dublin ETB (CDETB): The parent ETB governing Marino, Rathmines, Ballsbridge, Colaiste Ide, and other Dublin FET colleges — sets policy, allocates funding, and operates shared services across the network of colleges that includes Marino.

Emerging players

• Dorset College Dublin: Private Dublin college offering FE/HE programmes in business, computing, and law — competes for the same career-focused adult learner segment but operates on a fee-based model rather than CDETB funding.

Others

• QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland): National qualifications authority responsible for the QQI Level 4-6 awards that Marino and every Irish FET college issues — comparable as the accrediting body whose framework determines program validity and progression routes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marinocfemedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marino-college-of-further-education

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marino College of Further Education