The Leaving Cert may have stood the test of time, but employers would like students to see the link between their subjects and their futures, writes Brendan Butler.
Following some 10 years of formal education, within the next days and weeks a large number of students will face into their most important set of examinations. The Leaving Certificate has many critics and is far from perfect. Yet it is the system that is in place and one that has stood the test of time. Irrespective of the flaws in the Leaving Certificate, what is undoubtedly true is that young people deserve to have available to them the skills and knowledge needed to exploit the opportunities presented to them in life.
Key to achieving this is a high quality education system that provides students with a broad range of experience and knowledge, relevant to the world of work and of course to life in general. This will allow them to make an informed judgment as to what path they would like to pursue in later life.
It will come as no surprise that employers are keen to ensure that Ireland's reputation as a high-skilled place to do business is maintained. Some people are put off when they hear business speaking about the need to promote specific skills in schools and colleges. These concerns are misplaced. Business has no interest in coercing students into studying certain subjects. Employers need enthusiastic, ambitious individuals who bring to the organisation fresh ideas and new ways of looking at problems. They certainly are not looking for an education system which churns out mindless drones.
What employers do want, however, is for students to be fully aware of the opportunities on offer - opportunities that may not be easily identifiable to a student preparing for a difficult exam or sitting in a classroom grappling with a mathematical equation. It is essential that students be provided with the opportunity to study courses that will facilitate them in achieving the skills required to open doors upon leaving school or college.
Recent Fás/ESRI research suggests that by the year 2015, the demand for science and engineering graduates will increase by 84 per cent and the demand for associated qualifications, such as technicians, will increase by 75 per cent.
A Dublin City University study also revealed that there are currently more than 8,000 job vacancies in Ireland for people with computer skills. While at first glance these figures look encouraging, worrying trends are developing in schools, which may mean that many will miss the opportunities coming their way.
There is a growing concern among employers of an imminent skills shortage in key areas. The number of students taking science-related subjects in the Leaving Certificate has fallen dramatically, and universities and colleges are having difficulty filling available places with capable students. The number of students taking physics, for example, fell by almost 8 per cent last year - down to 8,153 from 8,806 in 2003. Similarly, there is an alarmingly high failure rate in mathematics, which rules out a large range of career opportunities for many people.
The attractiveness of Ireland as a place to live, work and do business, which has led to so many wider economic and social benefits, is now in danger of being eroded. The worry for employers is that many students are not making the connection between studying certain subjects in school, and the career opportunities that this may open up in the years to come.
A good way of giving students a better understanding is to allow them see first hand the sort of work that graduates actually do. Closer links must therefore be forged between employers and the education sector. Not so that schools and colleges can become recruitment agencies, as some fear, but so that students can see first hand what lies ahead in the world of work, and base their personal decisions on this knowledge.
Business has already recognised that it has a role to play. The Irish high-tech sector represented by ICT Ireland is running a programme through which young "champions" working in industry will visit schools in the coming months to give students their individual, first-hand perspective of working in the sector.
They will talk to school pupils about the reality of life in the hi-tech industry, and try to dispel some of the myths about technology-based courses at third level.
Similarly, the Irish Medical Devices Association has come up with a novel way of bringing real life into the classroom and has devised a programme for primary schools called "Our Universe".
This programme seeks to educate and inspire children to value and understand the scientific world that surrounds them. The pharmaceutical sector is also promoting science by giving students an insight into new areas of the subject, such as cosmetic science and forensic science, as part of one of their initiatives.
Much more is of course needed, and Government has a major role to play. The science syllabus needs to be more relevant and in tune with the needs and aptitudes of students. There also needs to be sustained investment to provide schools with adequate laboratory facilities and greater emphasis on practical work and continuous assessment. Students also need an introduction to science subjects at an earlier stage in the education system. Only with such an ongoing commitment can we hope to give students the opportunity to make the best choices for themselves.
Brendan Butler is director of enterprise with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation