Skills-based FET courses versus traditional university education: Which are the real routes to opportunity?
What are the outcomes for respective graduates, particularly on durability of skills and earning potential, in the age of AI?
Smart Choices
What is an apprenticeship and would it work for me?
Being paid while you study is a key factor, and there are more than 80 programmes available across all sectors of the economy
Apprenticeships: ‘It’s hard, working and studying at the same time’
A social media post planted the idea of an accounting technician’s apprenticeship in Lauren Hickey’s head
If you love working with animals, you don’t have to be a vet
Smart Choices: The many careers you can build with animals
Huge range of options now available to school leavers to secure their desired course choices
Further Education sector growing in popularity with school leavers
‘Even the canteen lady knew my name at the PLC college. Everybody is so close-knit’
Lana Dowling was ‘lost’ for a long time in secondary school, but PLC courses proved a huge help in building her future
Further education and training should be considered a winning choice, not a consolation prize
FET options are simply different tools for different goals, and choosing such paths is a decision made on its own merits
‘Imagine if my two kids ended up in TUS as well and they’re looking at their old man walking around’
Having begun a tertiary degree at 45, David Faulkner is proud of being able to say: ‘I am able; I am capable’
It’s not too late to apply for one of the many tertiary degrees on offer in Ireland
Entry to these programmes is not based on Leaving Cert points but instead looks at student drive, suitability, skills and ability
‘They called me and I went for the interview ... They just needed my Leaving Cert results’
The tertiary degree route is one student Saira Mughal highly recommends to others
Ireland’s maths gender gap: why boys are getting twice as many top grades
Single-sex school and a lack of confidence are key issues - but new training methods and awareness of systemic barriers suggest change is coming
Study abroad in the Netherlands and Italy: ‘It all started with a leap of faith’
Even if the international experiences don’t tempt you, the cheaper tuition fees and sunshine just might
It’s not too late to apply for one of the many tertiary degrees on offer in Ireland
A pathway for applicants of all ages and backgrounds to achieve the degree of their dreams
Education abroad: ‘Moving from Limerick to Dublin as it used to be is now like moving from Ireland to the Netherlands’
Most universities on the Continent pay little heed to points a student has accrued in the Leaving Cert
How can new students get the best from their college experience?
Societies are a great source of community which is important when coping with the big changes of being away from home
Why are so many students and parents oblivious to the opportunities in the Further Education system?
There’s a big rise in school leavers choosing Further Education and Training courses and apprenticeships as a first destination after the Leaving Cert
Should you be considering further education and training as an attractive pathway?
‘The message to learners is that it’s never too late to learn ... we should all rethink what success looks like’
A to Z: what you need to know about further education and training
From apprenticeships to national tertiary degrees and work experience, here’s a quick guide to the many available routes outside CAO
‘I took a non-traditional route through further education that helped me decide what I wanted’
Starting fast and traditionally is not for everyone; Lee O’Connor is one such late developer
‘I fell 11 points short of the course I wanted and went down the PLC route’
Amy Moore on going down the route of a PLC course
What is an apprenticeship - and what are the benefits?
A student is not contracted to an employer and is not paid, whereas an apprentice is, but a student has more time to socialise and join clubs
‘You have to like people’ – why should you study physiotherapy?
To qualify as a physiotherapist in Ireland, 1,000 hours of clinical placements need to be completed
‘A great option’: The rise of FET courses – and whether they’re right for you
More students are choosing alternative routes such as PLCs, apprenticeships and new tertiary degree programmes
Advice on life in college: ‘Always start writing that report earlier than you think you need to’
Recent TCD and UL graduates offer advice for incoming first years, as well as some professional tips and regrets
My daughter struggles with school but loves fixing things. Would an apprenticeship suit her?
CAO points are not a requirement for the thriving engineering sector which provides excellent career opportunities
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
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
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
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
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
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
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices