Which future for you?
Heart of the Matter
Claire Egan FEVER, cold sweats, sleepless nights and pounding headaches. Symptoms of an unforgiving bout of ‘flu for many, brought on by a hectic Christmas schedule, but for 63,000 people across the country such discomforts are attributable to something else: CAO form stress.
The race to squeeze out as many much-prized points as possible is on and in the midst of the study maelstrom the important CAO form can slip to the bottom of the ‘to do’ list. But with the February 1 closing date for receipt of applications looming – there is a further ‘change of mind’ deadline date of July 1– it is time for students to focus on the future. Careful consideration needs to be given to the choices that are made, while filling out the form itself is also an arduous task.
Some students know from their earliest days of childhood the career path they wish to follow, and others make their choice on the basis of a positive bout of work experience, but there are many more who are left marooned on an island of doubt and indecision.
For some students, the freedom and independence that college offers is the most important thing; making an informed CAO choice is but a secondary consideration. As a result – and for various other reasons – bad course choices are frequently made. For the vast majority of students, however, the question of what to do when they leave school weighs heavily on their minds, and most want to make the best decision they can.
This is where career guidance teachers step into the breach, to provide a framework in which students can explore the myriad options available to them.
“Really there are two major points that apply to students when it comes to deciding what they want to do after they leave school. The first is an interest or liking for a particular career and the second is an interest in or aptitude for that particular career. The main advice I would give to students is to go for something you have an interest in and, of course, that you have the capabilities for,” says Richard Berkeley, Career Guidance Counsellor at Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh.
An inability to make a decision can often lead students and parents to participate in a plethora of aptitude tests. It is a practice which Mr Berkeley believes is not as beneficial as the advice given or options presented in career guidance class or the feedback from a pupil’s teacher.
“I would say that the ‘career inventory’ option provided in career guidance is the better alternative. It’s basically 170 questions and at the end it points out the particular area a student may be interested in. For example, a student may be interested in the area of social care and from there they can decide what types of social care they may wish to pursue,” Mr Berkeley explains.
Applying caution and exploring your options in a calculated and mature manner is the best approach, while filling the form out online is also recommended as opposed to the paper version.
“Definitely I would advise all students to research what they want to do and to think long-term. Make decisions based on what you like and what you can do. Try not to make decisions based on where your friends are going or based on the mistaken idea of the glamour of a certain profession,” warns Richard.
Such sentiments are echoed by Ms Caroline Brennan, a veteran of the CAO system and now a physiotherapist in Mayo General Hospital. Although the points requirement is high, physiotherapy is one of the most sought-after courses on the CAO list – but there is more to it than the popular perception.
“In terms of my own career, I already had a fair idea what I wanted to do. The subject choices suited what I wanted to do and I also had a good interest in physiotherapy. Once I started college the workload was huge and over the four years we had to do over 35 weeks of work experience in different hospitals. You get experience of every hospital department. Enthusiasm and a willingness to work hard and be open-minded are key attributes,” says Caroline.
And then there are the many who will never fill in the CAO form, choosing instead to pursue a different path. For students so inclined, there are many options available, as the new CEO of Mayo VEC, Dr Katie Sweeney, points out.
“Post Leaving Certificate courses provide wonderful education opportunities and are a great alternative to the CAO entry route. I would encourage all students to give consideration to doing a PLC course. In many cases they can be the stepping stone to third level education as over 36 third level colleges reserve places for PLC graduates,” she advises.
The growing popularity of the PLC route proves that there is life outside the CAO form. Over 5,000 students, nationally, applied for a place on a PLC course in 2006 and the same figure is expected in the coming year.
“One of the great things about a PLC is that it offers a student time to consider what they may want to do before committing to a specific third level course, ” says Dr Sweeney.
According to recent research by the the psychology department of the University of London, a choice based on your gut instinct is better than one based on reasoned thought. However, when it comes to the CAO form, time and careful consideration are the most important elements for a successful application.
