Mayo College of Further Education and Training

What Mayo College of Further Education and Training does

Mayo College of Further Education and Training is a statutory further education institution operated by the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB) under the Irish Department of Education, headquartered in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. Founded in 2009, the college delivers over 60 QQI Level 5 and Level 6 accredited courses across seven physical campuses in County Mayo (Ballina, Castlebar, Ballinrobe, Swinford, Belmullet, Claremorris, and Westport), covering Applied Science & Technology, Business & IT, Creative Arts, Healthcare, Early Learning & Care, Beauty & Hairdressing, Horticulture, Motor Technology, Sports, and Tourism. Additional offerings include apprenticeship programmes (Accounting Technician, Digital Marketing, National Sales), VTOS for unemployed adults, part-time and hobby evening courses, the Green Cert in Agriculture, and a Skills to Advance corporate training stream. The college holds accreditations from QQI, ITEC, CIDESCO, and the Department of Education, and runs an Erasmus+ mobility programme with partners across 15+ EU countries plus Canada and New Zealand.

The college's technology stack comprises standard educational infrastructure: the SOLAS-supplied Course Finder, FETCH for online course delivery, VSware for student information management, Google Analytics for web tracking, and Microsoft Office tools. There is no proprietary AI, ML, or platform technology. Revenue is derived primarily from MSLETB public funding co-provided by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, with no fees charged for full-time PLC courses or VTOS programmes (confirmed for September 2026). The only fee-bearing stream is part-time hobby and evening classes, priced between €110 and €160 per course. The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer via the college website and Apply Now portal, with strong regional distribution across County Mayo and a co-marketing relationship with Fáilte Ireland for Tour Guiding graduates.

The institution serves four primary customer segments: post-Leaving Certificate students seeking vocational qualifications or higher-education progression, adult learners (VTOS) returning to education, hobby/community learners, and apprenticeship participants combining work-based learning with formal credentials. No private equity, venture capital, or external ownership is present; the entity is a public body, and the 2026 "Best Further Education Provider" award from the Education Awards is the most significant recent external validation.

Name

Mayo College of Further Education and Training

Legal name

Mayo College of Further Education and Training

Website

https://mayocollege.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mayo College of Further Education and Training is a publicly funded Irish further education institution operated by MSLETB, delivering over 60 QQI Level 5 and Level 6 courses across seven campuses in County Mayo to school leavers, adult learners, hobby students, and apprentices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Further Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sales, Marketing & Digital Marketing Certifications (EDAAANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quality, Process Improvement & Lean/Six Sigma Certifications (EDAAANAC), Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• Further education courses
• QQI accredited programmes
• Apprenticeship training
• Adult learning courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Castlebar

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Education: Core PLC courses are government funded through MSLETB with no fees charged for September 2026 (covering exam fees, student consumables, and student journals). VTOS programs have no fees. Programs are co-funded by Government of Ireland and European Union.
2. Hobby and Evening Course Fees: Night school and hobby courses charge fees per course (e.g., Arc Welding €160, Life Drawing €140, Photography €110, Flower Arranging €110).
3. Apprenticeship Programs: Apprenticeship programs in Accounting, Digital Marketing, and National Sales with employer partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mayo College of Further Education and Training delivers over 60 QQI Level 5 and Level 6 post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses across seven campuses in County Mayo. Programmes span business, IT, healthcare, beauty, hairdressing, early learning and care, sports, applied science, creative arts, tourism, agriculture and motor technology. The college also runs national apprenticeships, VTOS adult education, hobby night classes, and an Erasmus+ international mobility programme.

Product overview

Mayo College of Further Education and Training is a Further Education college operated by MSLETB (Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board) offering over 60 Level 5 and Level 6 QQI-accredited courses across seven locations in County Mayo (Ballina, Castlebar, Ballinrobe, Swinford, Belmullet, Claremorris, and Westport). The institution operates a multi-product educational portfolio comprising full-time PLC courses (Applied Science & Technology, Business & IT, Creative Arts, Healthcare, Early Learning & Care, Beauty & Hairdressing, Horticulture, Motor Technology, Sports, and Tourism), apprenticeship programmes (Accounting Technician, Digital Marketing, National Sales), VTOS programmes for unemployed adults, part-time evening and hobby classes, and the Green Cert in Agriculture. The college also runs an extensive Erasmus+ international mobility programme with partners across the EU and beyond. No fees are charged for September 2026 intake, covering exam fees, student consumables, and journals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• QQI Level 5 Certificate Courses One-year Level 5 QQI-accredited courses providing foundation knowledge and skills for employment or progression to higher education across Applied Science, Business, IT, Creative Arts, Healthcare, and Hospitality for school leavers and adult learners.
• QQI Level 6 Certificate Courses One-year Level 6 QQI advanced courses building on Level 5 qualifications, offering specialised knowledge for career advancement or direct progression to third-level education.
• Apprenticeship Programmes National apprenticeship programmes including Accounting Technician Apprenticeship, Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, and National Sales Apprenticeship, combining work-based learning with formal college instruction at the Swinford campus.
• VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme) Tuition-free full-time educational opportunities for unemployed and returning-to-work adults aged 23+, offering courses in Coastal Guiding, National Tour Guiding, Accounting, Creative Media, and General Studies at the Achill and Ballina campuses.
• Hobby and Night Classes Evening and weekend hobby courses including Regenerative Agriculture, Flower Arranging, French, Spanish, Photography, Life Drawing, and Arc Welding for adult personal development and leisure learners.
• Green Cert in Agriculture Part-time agricultural qualification recognised for eligibility for various Irish agricultural schemes, delivered through night school at multiple locations.
• Erasmus+ International Mobility Programme International mobility programme offering students work placement opportunities abroad with partners in over 15 EU countries plus Canada and New Zealand, with travel, accommodation and living expenses covered.
• Skills to Advance Business Support Training Employer and employee upskilling programme including the Lowland Leader Award (accredited by Mountaineering Ireland) and Certificate in Quality Assurance Essentials for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, addressing regional workforce skill gaps and regulatory compliance needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded Best Further Education Provider 2026

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MSLETB (Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSLETB is the parent education and training board governing Mayo College. The college is co-funded by MSLETB and operates under its Data Protection Policies. MSLETB provides institutional oversight and government funding.
• QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQQI is the national awards body that validates Mayo College's Level 5 and Level 6 certificates. All PLC courses result in QQI-accredited awards.
• ITEC (International Therapy Examination Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITEC accredits beauty therapy courses at Mayo College. The college offers ITEC Level 3 and Level 4 diplomas in Body Treatments, Facial Electrics, and Laser & Intense Pulsed Light Treatments.
• CIDESCO (Comité International d'Esthétique et de Cosmétologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIDESCO is an international beauty therapy accreditation body. Mayo College holds CIDESCO training college status and offers the prestigious CIDESCO Diploma in Beauty Therapy.
• Accounting Technicians IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccounting Technicians Ireland sets the syllabus for VTOS Accounting courses at Mayo College. The college delivers Year 1 Certificate and Year 2 Diploma programmes aligned with ATI requirements.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mobility programme with partners in over 15 EU countries plus Canada and New Zealand. Erasmus placements available across many courses including Hairdressing, Tour Guiding, and various vocational programmes. Travel, accommodation and living expenses covered.
• Mountaineering IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredits the Lowland Leader Award available to students on Tour Guiding courses at Achill.
• Fáilte IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTour Guiding graduates are included in the Fáilte Ireland Industry Qualified Tour Guide Directory upon successful completion of Coastal or National Tour Guiding courses.
• ATU (Atlantic Technological University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ATU St. Angela's Sligo for progression from Mayo College ELC Level 6 to second year of Level 7/8 Early Childhood Education and Care degree.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cavan Institute: Cavan Institute is a multi-campus PLC college under the Cavan and Monaghan ETB, offering QQI Level 5/6 courses, apprenticeships, and Erasmus+ programmes across the Irish midlands — directly comparable to Mayo College's structure, funding model, and course breadth.
• Waterford College of Further Education: Waterford CFE is an ETB-run PLC college offering QQI Level 5/6 awards across business, IT, healthcare, and creative disciplines — a directly comparable further-education institution under the same national accreditation framework.
• Cork College of Commerce: Cork College of Commerce is one of Ireland's largest ETB PLC colleges, offering a similar breadth of QQI Level 5/6 vocational programmes and apprenticeships — directly comparable in product portfolio, funding model, and target student segments.
• Moate Business College: Moate Business College is an ETB PLC college delivering QQI-accredited business, IT, and vocational courses in the Irish midlands — comparable in scale, accreditation approach, and further-education positioning.
• Coláiste Íde College of Further Education: Coláiste Íde is a Dublin-based ETB PLC college offering QQI Level 5/6 awards, VTOS programmes, and adult education — directly comparable in further-education mission, accreditation model, and target student segments.
• Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute (DFEi): DFEi is a Dublin-based ETB PLC college delivering QQI Level 5/6 awards, apprenticeships, and international programmes under a similar MSLETB-style governance model, making it a direct public-sector peer for course mix and accreditation strategy.
• Mallow College of Further Education: Mallow College is a Cork ETB PLC college delivering QQI Level 5/6 vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and adult learning — a close structural peer with overlapping course categories and ETB governance.
• Galway Technical Institute (GTI): GTI is a Galway-based ETB PLC college on Ireland's west coast, offering comparable QQI-validated vocational courses, apprenticeships, and progression pathways — a clear regional peer with overlapping catchment in the west of Ireland.
• Bray College of Further Education: Bray College of Further Education is a Wicklow ETB PLC college providing QQI-accredited Level 5/6 programmes across vocational disciplines — a direct peer in course structure, funding model, and learner segments.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Technological University (ATU): ATU is a multi-campus technological university in the west and northwest of Ireland with which Mayo College has formal progression partnerships (e.g., Early Learning & Care Level 6 → ATU St. Angela's Sligo Level 7/8 degree) — a broader higher-education incumbent that absorbs Mayo College graduates into degree programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WestportCFE/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mayocollegefet

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Mayo College of Further Education and Training