I narrowly missed out on my first-choice CAO course. Is there another route to university?
There are still options to secure the course of your dreams – even if you didn’t get a CAO offer
Smart Choices
CAO 2024: Here’s how to respond to an offer
Over 80,000 applicants have registered their aspiration for a place on one of more than a thousand courses on offer at Ireland’s third-level institutions.
Should I consider a traineeship?
This option can offer numerous benefits which can significantly affect your career development
How to budget for further education
Effective financial planning is essential for students to develop a realistic budget
Should I consider an apprenticeship?
This option can provide an opportunity to earn a wage while gaining valuable skills and qualifications
Kick-starting your career on completing further education
Taking advantage of ‘work-integrated learning opportunities’ allow you to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings
Should I consider a Post Leaving Certificate course?
Full-time programmes for those who have finished second level and adults returning to education
‘Each student has the ability to tailor their degree to their own interests’
Pádraig Corrigan (21) from Newry enrolled in the Leiden University College in the Hague.
Evolving career routes boost options for school-leavers
For a programme of study to be successful, it must be a good fit for the student’s strengths and aptitudes
Alternative pathways to education
An increasing number of opportunities are available for people to further their education outside of the CAO points race
Should I consider a Post Leaving Cert course?
Post-Leaving Cert courses provide job-specific training that allows students to progress into the workforce, or provide a stepping stone to higher education
EU citizens are entitled to study at any EU university under the same conditions as nationals
Entry requirements in many European universities are generally lower compared to Irish universities
Nursing: one of the most rewarding professions
Nursing offers a career where you can directly impact people’s lives and make a tangible difference
From Kiltimagh to Uzbekistan: One Mayo man’s journey to a degree in agricultural science
Unsure about what path to take after the Leaving Cert Sean McGreal sat down with Westport College of Further Education
‘I chose Warsaw based on its large Irish student population’
Studying overseas: Gregory Hendricken Phelan (23) from the Carlow-Wicklow border is in his final year at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences
Many apprentices are now on higher salaries than college graduates. Is snobbery around ‘earn and learn’ options fading?
Record numbers chose apprenticeships last year, with starting salaries for many now exceeding college graduates
‘Early on, I knew that college was not for me’: The different routes to your career
‘I do get asked: do you feel that you missed out on the college experience? The answer: absolutely not,’ says one apprentice
Stem courses: Demand pushes up CAO points requirements but alternative access routes are available
Undertaking a related QQI or PLC course is an excellent option for students wishing to pursue Stem courses
Further education: Everything you need to know about traineeships
Q&A: How does a traineeship work and am I eligible to apply?
Engineering apprenticeship: ‘I went from nearly failing maths in school to getting top marks in college’
How I did it: Shannon Kearney did an apprenticeship in engineering and now works as a metrology engineer
Q&A: How do I know if a further education and training course is the right choice for me?
Attitudes to further education have changed in recent years, and today’s students have more options than ever before
Erasmus: ‘It helped me find and become the person I am and want to be’
How studying abroad for a semester can benefit Irish students: ‘I made friends with international students from all over the world’
‘Gamechanger’ programme allows students to attain third-level degree outside CAO points race
Focus shifting from CAO points race and the pressure it puts on students to alternative routes to third-level education
Further education resources: a glossary
New opportunities in a range of industries, supports for students with disadvantaged backgrounds and back to education allowances
Is a post-Leaving Cert course for me?
PLCs are popular among school-leavers and those seeking to return to education, reskill or retrain
Further education: ‘If you weren’t sure about the path you were on, you knew by the end of the year’
Smart Choices: Heidi Higgins decided the best way into fashion would be via an art course at the Abbeyleix FET Centre
Advice for students on how to find accommodation
There are steps students can take to show landlords they can be excellent tenants
Thinking about studying abroad? Here’s what you should consider
Conduct thorough research to familiarise yourself with universities, courses and preferred locations
‘We need more engineers’: How to start a career in engineering and technology if you didn’t get a college place
Apprenticeships, traineeships and PLCs mean Leaving Cert results are not the be-all and end-all
Smart Choices: A rapidly changing landscape boosts options for all learners
Never before have scientific and technological advances changed the nature of work so rapidly
RTÉ’s Sharon Tobin on her career journey: ‘I could not see myself in UCD. It just didn’t feel right for me’
The journalist on attending Ballyfermot College of Further Education and a typical day in the RTÉ newsroom
Leaving Cert: How irishtimes.com will cover the CAO Round One offers
Guidance Counsellors at the Irish Times Results Helpdesk will answer questions at irishtimes.com/education
Another route to further and higher education
Many courses have progression links to higher education programmes
PLCs, apprenticeships and traineeships go mainstream
Much has changed for post-secondary students over the past decade, with plenty of choices now available
Stem opportunities via another route
Science and engineering proving popular among those undertaking PLCs
Other opportunities beckon beyond the CAO - here’s some alternatives
There are alternatives to the traditional route to further your education
‘I got a place in Coláiste Dhúlaigh and did the course in pre-university science’
Bobby Cudden, who studied in DCU after his PLC course, says his view on the pre-college course changed: ‘It went from snobbery to realising it was a saving grace’
‘Further education gives you more time to prepare for college life’
Sean Keane completed a Level 5 course in animal care after narrowly missing out on his college choice. He is now a third-year student at UCD
Further education and PLCs: Popular areas of study
Apprenticeships comprise recognised schemes, offering solid training and accreditation
What is a traineeship and is it for me?
There are more than 75 programmes available across the country, which are all free of charge
‘I’m changing career at the age of 33’
How I did it: Niamh McTiernan did two PLC courses in pre-nursing before university
A journey through community education
An Cosán focuses on the needs of learners through its online courses
What to study? Take your pick
From science to music, diverse range of courses offers options for all interests
Evolving career routes boost options for school leavers
Further education programmes, apprenticeships and traineeships offer career progression and skills enhancement outside the traditional CAO system
Is an apprenticeship for me?
We asked the director of apprenticeships with Solas what apprenticeships have to offer
Exploring alternative options after the Leaving Cert
There are other avenues available to those who don’t want to go straight to third-level
Strong earning potential in technology sector
ICT industry employs over 37,000 people and generates €35bn in exports annually
‘You can’t learn to be a baker by reading a book’
Traineeships offer opportunities across a broad range of areas
‘My background could not have been further from IT’
How I did it: Robert Wallace (32), Fastrack to Information Technology (FIT) apprentice
‘I didn’t even think of a third level at the time’
How I did it: Marlene Douglas is in her final year of studying Law and Social Justice in UCD
‘The best part is you earn while you learn’
How I did it: Evelyn Loftus completed the Peter Mark hairdressing apprenticeship
Considering enrolling in an IT-related course? Here are your options
Programmes available across a range of areas in Information and Technology sector
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