Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

102 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?Well I always wanted to do a beautician course since the work experience like,but I never got the chance. Now I’d like to work in a nursing home. If I could geta job, like my sister was saying that she could get me into the place where she’sworking [nursing home], but its very hard for me getting down like and gettingthe two kids minded and all, you know like, so I’d have to wait until they’re abit older, it is good like. (Rebecca, 21, dropped out of LCA, homeduties)Most of the students we spoke to opted for work experience placementsthat tended to be ‘class specific’ (as well as gender specific). In this light,Niamh’s experience was very interesting. Niamh, who was from a skilledmanual background had thought about becoming a solicitor and obtained awork placement in a solicitor’s office through her own initiative. Sheoutlined that she really enjoyed the work experience, but was ‘put off’ bythe years of studying:When I was in school I was thinking about wanting to become a solicitor so that’swhen I decided to go to a solicitor’s office, I was talking to some of the solicitorsand I actually got brought to the law library and everything. Yeah, it was reallygood. But like, a lot of years of studying and you know, I don’t know, prettystressful job and, so, I don’t know.Later, Niamh was prompted on making the transition to a Degreecourse given that she had completed a Diploma:And what about third level education, had you wanted to goonto university or, to get a degree?Well you see, I don’t know, things have changed like, I done my work experienceand that’s when they offered me a job. I would have been thinking about going toget a degree, but I just didn’t know what to do or, you know, and then I heard somany stories about people dropping out of college and you know this and thatand, you know. (Niamh, 21, completed LCA, employed)In the end Niamh opted to pursue an occupation like the rest of herfamily, despite her participation in many varied work experienceplacements.6.8CareerGuidanceThe interviewees were generally negative about the career guidance theyhad received. Overall the interviews highlight variations in the nature andcontent of guidance services across schools. In particular, some of therespondents were critical of the information they received about their postschooloptions (see McCoy et al., 2006). Mary felt that compared to otherteachers who were motivating factors in learning, the career guidance shereceived at school was not particularly satisfactory:While you were taking the LCA did you get any advice aboutwhat you would do after school?Not a whole lot, to be honest I would have preferred a bit more from the school,now our teachers were good, but as in the guidance counsellor, there wasn’t awhole lot from her, a lot of our teachers were our motivation, our own teachers inthe LCA were our motivation, the guidance counsellor kind of wasn’t that good.(Mary, 22, completed LCA, home duties)