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
Record numbers chose apprenticeships last year, with starting salaries for many now exceeding college graduates
‘I do get asked: do you feel that you missed out on the college experience? The answer: absolutely not,’ says one apprentice
Undertaking a related QQI or PLC course is an excellent option for students wishing to pursue Stem courses
Q&A: How does a traineeship work and am I eligible to apply?
How I did it: Shannon Kearney did an apprenticeship in engineering and now works as a metrology engineer
Attitudes to further education have changed in recent years, and today’s students have more options than ever before
There are steps students can take to show landlords they can be excellent tenants
Smart Choices: Heidi Higgins decided the best way into fashion would be via an art course at the Abbeyleix FET Centre
New opportunities in a range of industries, supports for students with disadvantaged backgrounds and back to education allowances
PLCs are popular among school-leavers and those seeking to return to education, reskill or retrain
How studying abroad for a semester can benefit Irish students: ‘I made friends with international students from all over the world’
Focus shifting from CAO points race and the pressure it puts on students to alternative routes to third-level education
Conduct thorough research to familiarise yourself with universities, courses and preferred locations
Apprenticeships, traineeships and PLCs mean Leaving Cert results are not the be-all and end-all
Never before have scientific and technological advances changed the nature of work so rapidly
The journalist on attending Ballyfermot College of Further Education and a typical day in the RTÉ newsroom
Guidance Counsellors at the Irish Times Results Helpdesk will answer questions at irishtimes.com/education
There are alternatives to the traditional route to further your education
Many courses have progression links to higher education programmes
Much has changed for post-secondary students over the past decade, with plenty of choices now available
Science and engineering proving popular among those undertaking PLCs
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’
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
Apprenticeships comprise recognised schemes, offering solid training and accreditation
There are more than 75 programmes available across the country, which are all free of charge
An Cosán focuses on the needs of learners through its online courses
How I did it: Niamh McTiernan did two PLC courses in pre-nursing before university
From science to music, diverse range of courses offers options for all interests
Further education programmes, apprenticeships and traineeships offer career progression and skills enhancement outside the traditional CAO system
We asked the director of apprenticeships with Solas what apprenticeships have to offer
There are other avenues available to those who don’t want to go straight to third-level
ICT industry employs over 37,000 people and generates €35bn in exports annually
Traineeships offer opportunities across a broad range of areas
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
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