SCIENCE courses form a large section of the courses in the CAO/CAS system with some 5,000 science places available in all, roughly half in degree courses and half in cert/diploma courses. So, a science course in one form or another should be a serious consideration for many Leaving Cert students.
The problem for a lot of CAO/CAS applicants is that they find it hard to envisage what they would end up doing with a science degree or diploma. What kind of jobs would be open to them? Traditionally, people thought of science graduates as going into teaching or medical services. In fact, only about 3 per cent go into teaching and far more scientists work in industry than do in medical or health services.
Indeed, if you are interested in laboratory based work, by far your best chances are in industry in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in the food processing and drinks industry, in textiles, plastics, even in electronics/computer companies. Right across industry there are opportunities for people with science qualifications.
. Biology. What one college lecturer referred to as the birds and butterflies syndrome applies here. Far more Leaving Cert students, study biology than the other science subjects, and the same trend continues through to third level. There are large numbers doing biology based courses and study areas such as biotechnology and biochemistry than there are doing what are sometimes referred to as the hard science of chemistry and physics.
A broad spectrum of universities and RTCs consulted last week gave us the same story the demand for people with biological science qualifications is much lower than that for chemistry and physics based courses. Indeed, some colleges feared that biotechnology, for example had been over hyped and, that the anticipated jobs boom in this area had not taken place. We also got reports of a much hi g her demand for chemistry than for bio chemists and there were suggest ions that there may be a reduction availability of jobs for biologically based graduates.
. Chemistry The jobs scene appears very good for chemistry based graduates, which is probably not surprising given the large number of big multi national chemical and pharmaceutical industries based in Ireland.
Athlone RTC reports a particularly good demand for analytical chemists while Sligo RTC reports all its analytical chemistry graduates were placed last year. In UL, too, the reports are that industrial chemists are doing well. Even in the area off, environmental science jobs a growth area the demand is more for people with a chemical background, according to Sligo RTC.
. Physics Even less students take physics based courses than chemistry based ones, yet Cork RTC reports a booming demand for graduates of both its degree (it's a follow on) and cert/diploma in applied physics and instrumentation. They claim a recent survey shows 93 per cent of graduates in full time employment.
Applied physics courses such, at UL and DCU provide a stepping stone for a range of, jobs, even into engineering, electronics or computing. Materials science at UL is also in the physics area. UCG has an interesting option in applied physics/electronics.
. Earth sciences UCC and UCG offer earth sciences, which is mainly geology based as a separate option. In UCC, it includes geography, whereas UCG has oceanography and hydrology options. Employment opportunities would seem to lie in the direction of mining or sea based exploration but it is not, clear if there are many jobs in these areas.
. Environmental science With the increased, emphasis on protecting the environment and pollution control, this is a promising area for jobs, but, again, the word is that the demand is more for chemistry based graduates. In addition to courses labelled environmental science such as that at Sligo RTC or UL general science courses, can also led to jobs in the environmental science area.
. Food science The food industry is one of the biggest industries in Ireland and has provided and continues to prove sizable numbers of jobs for science graduates, both at degree and diploma level. But there seems to be some induction that this demand has levelled off. Graduates of a, college such as UCC which is highly specialised in all aspects of food science and food technology are still doing well in the jobs market, but overall the demand appears subdued.
Food science incidentally, is a science based discipline leading to jobs in quality control, research and management in the food industry. Food technology is a more engineering based course, geared towards the production technology and production management side of the industry.
Aquaculture is a related area, where there has been a lot of hype about jobs in the past but where the employment prospects seem less exciting now.
Interestingly, RTC Galway has dropped its specialist certificate in aquaculture and howl offers it as a specialist subject in year two of its applied science certificate.
. Maths Not that many school, leavers think of doing a degree, in maths or taking maths with something else. But for anyone who is good at maths and likes it, a maths degree can be a fantastic springboard to series different careers in insurance, electronics, computing, industry, business. UL has an combination of applied maths, computing/statistics. All of the universities have maths available with different combinations of science or arts subjects.
. Diplomas Science is an area where students with diplomas," from the DIT or RTCs can often do better in the jobs market than people with more academic, degrees from traditional universities.
In fact, the most recent report from the Higher Education Authority shows the job placement irate for those graduating with, science, diplomas as 51 per cent as against 43 per cent for those graduating with degrees.
The more practical, applied nature of the DIT/RTC courses and also of UL and DCU tend to be very attractive, to employers. Most RTC diplomas in science now offer the possibility of advancement to degree level.
Reports, from RTCs during the week indicate that the demand for people with certificate qualifications is not that high and increasingly employers want people with the diploma.
. Postgrad A high proportion of those who take a science degree end up taking a postgraduate course even in DCU, with a series of very practical science degrees, from 45-50 per cent go, on to further study. Nationally, 50 per cent of all science degree level graduates take further study courses. Partly, this is a reflection of the job market partly it is a reflection of the fact that many degrees are of general nature and graduates need a specific, practical postgrad qualification.
. Denominated entry Trinity and UCD simply feature "science" on the CAO form and take students in to a common first year science course. This provides a chance for students to clarify their thinking on which science discipline suits them best. It can be a attractive option but beware of the fact that places in second year options are awarded on first year exams and you might find yourself disappointed for your particular choice. But it is important to realise that most of the exotica you see presented as separate courses in the other colleges is also available under the common label of science at UCD and Trinity. UCG offers a general science entry a Trinity/ UCD and also separate denominated course entry.
The DIT's very good applied science degree also provides a number of different streams after year one.
. Med Lab science. Points tend to be very high and the numbers of places on the courses very small. The theory is, that the places match the jobs situation, but Countdown, understands that the buoyant job market which med lab, scientists used to enjoy has declined affected by cuts in health spending, and that, while the majority get jobs, things have slowed down.