Career Paths

After school you have a lot of different options. Generally in your last year in secondary, a career guidance counselor or teacher will inform you of the options available to you.  Some people go onto third-level education or to do a training course – others decide to go into full time employment or even to take a year out to travel or work abroad when they finish school.  EU citizens have the right to live, work, and study within the EU/EEA (European Economic Area) zone.  It might help to talk through your options with someone you trust or with a school career/guidance counselor.  The choices you made once you leave school can seem really important while they are happening and it can be really tough to know what decisions you want to make.

It can help to think it through yourself, to make a list of all the options available to you and try to rate them from the best option to the worst option. Everyone’s list will be different, and while you may not always be able to achieve your best option, you might be able to work towards a goal.  Talking to someone about what you’d like to happen can be an important step.  It can help to remember that no matter what choices you make now you always have the freedom to re-evaluate and change you option later.

If you decide you want to go onto third-level education, you have to take your Leaving Cert and fill out a Central Applications Office (CAO) form to get a place on a course.  Most courses are decided by Leaving Cert Results but some institutions offer outreach programmes. 

The Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course is and option for school-leavers who want to develop vocational and technological skills.  PLC courses take place in schools, colleges and community education centres around the country.  They are full time and last one or two years offering a mix of practical work, academic work and work experience.  The qualification you receive at the end of the training depends on the type of course you have chosen.

If you want to look for a job after you leave school, you might want to think about what types of jobs you are interested in, your employment rights, minimum rates of pay, contracts of employment, holidays and leave entitlements.  You can find out more about these areas at

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions

Some people prefer to get some training in a specific area of interest.  FAS training courses and apprenticeships cover a wide range of areas.  A lot of different kinds of people decide to do FAS training or apprenticeships and the courses offered vary from centre to centre and they also vary in length.  Training courses are free and some will pay a training allowance or accommodation allowance depending on your age and other factors.

Failte Ireland offer full-time courses in areas in catering or tourism.  To be eligible for most of the Failte Ireland courses you must be at least 17 years of age.

Other state agencies like Coillte, Teagasc, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Crafts Council of Ireland run training courses in specific areas.

Youthreach also run paid training courses for school-leavers.