The Further Education (FE) sector has lots of courses still available. Janet Stafford reports

This time last year you may remember being hassled by your guidance counsellor to go to the Higher Options conference. The event is a great help in deciding how to fill out applications for the CAO, UCAS and diploma courses. If you're looking back now having failed to secure the third-level place you wanted, you're probably wondering where did it all go wrong? Don't.

Vivian Cassells, an experienced guidance counsellor, said at last year's Higher Options conference: "Ignore the PLC sector at your peril." It is sound advice. The Further Education (FE) sector (formerly the PLC or Post Leaving Certificate sector) offers many opportunities for study, training and enhanced prospects. And there are still places available on FE courses.

Periods of study for FE certificates and diplomas last from one to three years and are validated by FETAC and relevant professional bodies. Some FE colleges operate helplines at present. Nearly all have staff on hand to meet or interview you to see if the FE route is right for you. In addition to a course which mixes academic and practical training, there is often a period of work experience incorporated into these courses. This greatly enhances employability, as well as helping to determine whether this is the career path for you.

After each year of study you gain qualification, so you may do a one-year cert, go on to do a two-year diploma and then progress to third-level through the Higher Education Links Scheme in conjunction with the institutes of technology. You may also decide after a year of study to go into employment. FE courses give you these choices.

"If you're worried about not having received an offer you should contact the City of Dublin VEC helpline or an individual college which you think may have something to interest you. There are plenty of admissions staff and tutors ready to help out with choices and to offer sound advice," says Jacqui Sullivan, admissions officer at Crumlin College of FE, Dublin.

From now until September 13th, Crumlin College has a special information service at the college from 10 a.m. till 3.30 p.m. each week day. Sullivan continues: "The information service we offer is like many others in FE colleges. We're trying to ease the difficulties students are going through, to find out what is best for them and not just to push our own courses. In some courses students may have four passes and have missed something like Irish or maths; they can repeat a subject or subjects alongside studying for a FE qualification. You may not even have thought about this area before but staff are very approachable. We will be accepting students to our courses up until mid-September for courses starting at the end of the month."

The main advice is don't panic. If you realise that an academic third-level course is not for you, then consider your FE options. There are options in sport and leisure management, business and secretarial courses, web design and engineering-based courses.

Carol Hanny, principal of the Co Wicklow VEC further education centre, Bray Senior College, says: "If you haven't managed to get the course you wanted now that the second round offers have appeared, you should consider repeating or consider the wide range of avenues open to you in the FE sector." Bray Senior College offers subjects such as interior, fashion or garden design alongside computer aided design, data communications and visual basic programming. "Due to the practical elements of the courses, students are enabled to go out after a year or two, qualified to build a successful career in an area that really interests them," says Hanny.

A popular course the college offers is court reporting or stenography and captioning. These skills have led to exciting careers for former students. There are also opportunities in child care, holistic health practices and animal care.

Call into Crumlin College of FE, Crumlin Road, Dublin 12 from Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. till September 13th, phone 01-4540662 (ext: 111) or e-mail enrol@ccfe.cdvec.ie. Phone Bray Senior College for information or an interview on 01-2829668. City of Dublin VEC's helpline is at 1800-204080.