Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

84 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?The responses from LCA graduates were broadly similar to those ofsixth year students. They emphasised the importance of LCA for twoaspects in particular – the development of the social skills necessary forworking life, and preparation for adult life.5.8.1 SOCIAL SKILLS AND PREPARATION FOR THEWORKPLACERespondents felt that the increased confidence and ability to communicateeffectively acquired during LCA had helped them make the transition tothe labour market. Mary and Alice understood the importance of theseskills for meeting new people and impressing prospective employers at theinterview stage:What skills do you feel you got from the LCA?I definitely got people skills anyway, time keeping for going to school, that you gotinto a routine, a lot of others …Ok and have you found these skills useful since you’ve leftschool?Yeah, … you kind of stand up in front of your class and you’re talking, so you’vethat bit of confidence to be able to get up and talk in front of other people andthey give you direction, like keeping eye contact when you’re talking to someoneand handshakes now and all that stuff now like, which is interesting. Because alot of us wouldn’t have known that going into an interview and maybe dressingsmartly because a lot of us were into wearing our tracksuits now and they weresaying like when you are going to an interview you can’t just go in like that like,you have to present yourself. (Mary, 22, completed LCA, home duties)We learned loads about interviews, it was all interviews, interviews, interviews, Iused to never be nervous going for interviews, you know what to wear and youknow what to say I suppose. (Alice, 22, completed LCA, home duties)Some respondents were reflective about how LCA taught them to takethe initiative in finding a job and be more independent. Ronan felt he hadan advantage over his friends who did not take LCA and were not preparedfor gaining access to the workplace:Just even to look for work, you know, you’re not going to get anything waiting forsomebody to call you, you have to look for it … and even not to be afraid to eventry to talk to someone. Just like when I done LCA, we done all sorts of stuff likeprojects and how to work with different people, team-building exercises, you know,it kind of prepared us for work. And you know, from listening to some of myfriends that didn’t do LCA, like they’re still finding it hard to actually findwork, you know, because a lot of them are failing interviews and stuff like that,they have the knowledge but ... (Ronan, 25, completed LCA, apprentice)Niamh described how she learned how to be independent which gaveher the confidence to try different jobs and decide on a career direction:I found doing the LCA as well like, it really helps you become like veryindependent like you know, very independent like.In what way?