Further education and training (FET), while not receiving the same recognition as the CAO, present an array of career-oriented alternatives for those finishing school. Ignoring them would certainly be unwise. Drawing from numerous interactions with students over recent years, apprenticeships, post-secondary certification (PLC) programmes and traineeships have proven to be prosperous pathways. A proportion of these students were successful but didn’t garner the necessary credits for their desired degree programme. A year at a local further education college gave them the access to their preferred CAO course. On the other hand, some looked for practical, employment-ready certifications, and found these in apprenticeships, getting paid while gaining knowledge. One student, notwithstanding the excellent Leaving Cert results, chose to spend a year at a PLC which served as a transition from school to college.
As stated by Maria Walshe, who heads branding, communications and the implantation of FET strategy at Solas, about 423,000 adults in Ireland – equating to one in ten – took part in FET programmes and apprenticeships last year.
Walshe believes that FET is increasingly being chosen by school-leavers. For instance, enrolments for QQI level five and six courses, commonly known as PLCs, increased by 11% compared to the previous year. Not only does FET make a sensible choice in its own right, but it also opens up countless possibilities for personal career aims and offers progression paths towards higher education.
A notable example is Paige Tomlin, a 19-year-old school-leaver, currently enrolled on a PLC course in computer science at Blackrock College of Further Education. Aided by the availability of computer science at her school during Leaving Cert, Paige found the subject highly enjoyable.
Although her Leaving Cert results did not meet her expectations for studying in coding, the Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) seemed like a suitable stepping stone into the computer science industry at TU Dublin or DCU, which aligned with her aspirations. The programme offers class sessions five days a week, with the intensity mitigated by relative breaks between lectures. A provision for work experience and even the possibility of attending an eight-day course in Portugal further enhances the appeal of the course.
The curriculum is diverse, encompassing coding, maths, web development, databases, spreadsheets, and communications, with opportunities for students to enhance their CVs. While the goal may be to pursue further education, the course does present the alternative of directly diving into the professional sphere.
A benefit of PLC over higher education is the low fee structure with just a €50 registration fee for Tomlin this year. However, it’s worth noting that some PLCs, such as those focused on art and design, may necessitate the purchase of equipment or supplies, and can therefore have a higher overall cost.
Tomlin speaks positively about her experience, highlighting the mix of group projects and independent work, and the friendships cultivated during the course.
In line with Walshe’s comments, Further Education and Training (FET) presents a wide array of career paths, ranging from games production and cyber security to animal care and applied science. Drawing students into a myriad of exhilarating professions, offering availability nationwide through 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs), and not necessitating significant travel away from home, the flexibility and inclusivity of FET make it a fitting choice for everyone.
In their local communities, learners will come across a myriad of options for FET courses, along with routes transitioning from FET to tertiary education. Schedules show consistent open days conducted by FET colleges, and they are undoubtedly worth attending. To delve into more details about these FET courses, learners can get in touch with their nearby ETBs or explore offered courses via cao.ie/options. The application process for these FET courses is done digitally through fetchcourses.ie.
Moreover, the National Tertiary Office (NTO) has integrated with both further education and higher education partners to launch a new series of over 40 combined degree courses. These programmes kick off at an FET college where the students spend a duration of one to two years. Upon successful completion of examinations, students smoothly transition into a higher education institute to wrap up their degree programme. Further details can be obtained at nto.hea.ie.