THE FACT that we now have three different Leaving Cert programmes - the traditional Leaving Cert, the Leaving Cert Applied and the Leaving Cert Vocational - is a cause of much confusion among both students and their parents. We all know about the traditional Leaving Cert - but what about the other two? Are they any use? Will they enable students to embark on other educational courses or indeed get jobs?

The two programmes were introduced because it was widely accepted that the traditional Leaving Cert was failing to cater for the needs and abilities of all students. But to view them as being in some way inferior to the traditional Leaving Cert is a mistake.

Many educators argue that the traditional Leaving Cert is largely a memory test. Students, they say, are spoon fed information which they regurgitate in the exams. Youngsters with good memories and good essay writing skills are the ones who do well. Those with important vocational and practical abilities lose out, gaining no credit for their very significant abilities.

Of the two new programmes, the Leaving Cert Applied is the most innovative and this year is being offered in 120 schools. Courses are offered in three main areas: vocational preparation, which includes work experience, guidance, enterprise education, organisational structure and behaviour; general education, which includes the arts, civics, Irish language and culture, social and health education; and vocational education, which includes languages and communications, maths, science, business and technology.

Each course is divided into a number of modules and students must complete a total of 40 modules. Much of the course is project based.

The Leaving Certificate Applied offers no direct entry into third level, but students may progress to PLC courses (NCVA Level 2 Award) and from there to the RTCs. However, there may be a small number of PLC courses for which LCA holders are ineligible. Ballyfermot Senior College, Dublin, for example offers up to 50 PLC courses, but it is only the course in preliminary engineering which has a high maths and science content that does not admit LCA students.

"The majority of our courses are suitable for LCA students," confirms Jerome Morrissey, Ballyfermot's principal. "Take our most prestigious programmes which are in computer animation - we would be quite happy for a person with an LCA and a good art portfolio to embark on these courses.

Students who do well on PLC courses are those who are committed and motivated, he says. "The PLCs are tailor made as a follow through to Leaving Cert Applied courses."

Doubts have also been expressed about the worth of the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme which is being offered in 275 schools this year. The LCVP is similar to the traditional Leaving Cert students take up to seven traditional Leaving Cert subjects and three link modules in enterprise education, preparation for work and work experience.

The link modules are awarded a composite mark and are equivalent to one Leaving Cert subject. The LCVP has recently been accepted by the RTCs as an entry qualification, but the universities and the DIT are still debating the issue.

Conservative educators argue that accepting the LCVP as an entry qualification for third level devalues the traditional Leaving Cert programme. The progressives say that this is nonsense.

They argue that the link modules, which are designed to encourage a range of abilities including enterprise, team work and self confidence in the work place, enhances the Leaving Cert. In fact, they say, there's a very good argument for all Leaving Cert students to take similar link modules - if the aim of education is to produce well rounded individuals.

"We are in the business of the formation of young people," says school principal Pat O'Connor of St Enda's Community School in Limerick. "Is the present Leaving Cert the ultimate in that? The traditional Leaving Cert is about a system catering for supply and demand. When the numbers entering third level begin to drop the universities will be glad to admit young people with more applied qualifications including the LCVP."

The traditional, highly academic Leaving Cert is largely based on a colonial mind set which trained people to become bureaucrats and administrators, he says. The LCVP programme is highly successful at St Enda's, but O'Connor would like to see a greater variety of technical subjects on offer.

"Degree fever has developed in this country in recent years," motes Jerome Morrissey. "It's the same mindset that's knocking the new courses. Many people, when considering careers, are unable to see beyond a degree, he says, but the reality is that many entry level positions are remaining unfilled because of the skills shortage among young people.

EMPLOYERS are concerned at the lack of vocational skills among young people.

"The Irish education system - which has been very good - is now not realising that there is a skills requirement in the information technology industry," says an employer. "The universities are educating people but they aren't training them. Small businesses in Ireland can't afford to train people and they go outs of business because they can't keep up with the new technologies.

This employer says that you don't need strings of degrees - or even the Leaving Cert - to work and progress in many areas of the computer business.