Beyond the CAO: Plenty of Options Still Available for Leaving Cert Students
With the Leaving Cert over, the summer is in full swing for the Class of 2026. The final deadline for the Change of Mind facility closed on July 1st but there are still a wide range of opportunities open for application during the summer months, leading to further and higher education, and employment. A key feature of all other options outside of CAO is that entry is not based on points.
Further Education and Training (FET) colleges continue to accept applications for many Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, offering practical qualifications in areas such as healthcare, childcare, engineering, business, computing, hospitality, social studies, law, art, media, animal care and much more. Courses are available in Education and Training Board (ETB) colleges nationwide and include work placements that give students valuable industry experience.
PLC courses can provide a direct pathway into employment or allow students to progress to higher education through QQI qualifications, with many graduates moving on to degree programmes in universities and technological universities. More information can be found and applications can be made on www.fetchcourses.ie and on FET college websites.
Joint Tertiary Degrees have greatly broadened access to higher education since 2023. To gain entry to these degrees, students apply to the relevant FET college or local Education & Training Board (ETB) where they start their degree. After successfully completing one or two years locally they then transfer to a partner Higher Education Institution (university) to complete the degree. Currently there are 41 courses on offer nationwide. For further details on courses, entry requirements and to apply see - https://nto.hea.ie
Apprenticeships are also proving increasingly popular with 87 on offer currently. While traditional trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work remain in strong demand, there are now apprenticeships in sectors including accounting, software development, laboratory science, finance, logistics and hospitality. Apprentices earn a wage while completing nationally recognised qualifications, making this an attractive option for students who prefer learning in the workplace. To explore the range of apprenticeships available and to search vacancies for apprentices see www.apprenticeship.ie
Traineeships are another pathway worth considering. These programmes combine classroom learning with substantial work experience and are developed in partnership with employers to address skills shortages in growing industries. Many traineeships continue to recruit throughout the summer months. Check out www.solas.ie
The National Learning Network (NLN) offers specialist training, courses and support services for students and adults who need extra support to progress in their education or into the workplace. This includes young people students who may not want to, or be equipped to, access traditional post-school pathways. A key aspect of the NLN is a welcoming and supportive environment, small class sizes and the flexibility for students to learn a pace which suits their needs. More information can be found on www.nln.ie
There are also over 200 direct entry courses to various college across Ireland in a variety of areas of study and duration. These can be researched by using the Course Finder facility on www.careersportal.ie and www.qualifax.ie .
Finally there are still opportunities to apply for colleges in the UK and Europe. The UCAS Clearing system is open until October 19th which allows students to apply for vacant college places in the UK. See www.ucas.com for details. Applications are still open for some colleges and universities in Europe, where entry requirements are often lower than similar options here in Ireland. See www.eunicas.ie and www.medicalpoland.ie for more details.
There is growing recognition that there is no single route to success after school. There have never been so many different pathways to take in order to progress into your chosen sector or specific career and with a significant number of them still open for application there is still time to apply!