Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED 105enough, they told me that I could go on and sit the Leaving again but I just didn’twant to do that. (Linda, 21, completed LCA, student)Many of the respondents left school in 2004 during a boom in the Irisheconomy and began working in construction or construction relatedoccupations. As economic circumstances have since changed, somerespondents believe that LCA guidance counselling and the focus of theLCA curriculum, should reflect economic and, in particular, labour markettrends. Jack argues that in the current economic climate, students shouldnot be encouraged to go into construction or apprenticeships. He feels thatfurther education would be a better option for current LCA students:They should know a lot more about what’s going on maybe about the constructionend of side, because obviously now you’ve got kids coming out of school and they’reseeing the collapse of the trade and they’re probably going to go into it and two orthree years down the line they’re not going to have a job, they’re going to be out ofwork for a year, because you just can’t get any work, so you should be eitheradvising them not to go into construction and say don’t touch it, that’d be myadvice anyway, to anyone that’s leaving, don’t go near it, stuff like that, youknow, just know a bit more about what’s going on at the construction end of itand tell kids, don’t be going into trades. (Jack, 23, dropped out of LCA,employed)He believes that in the current economic climate that LCA studentsshould instead be encouraged to enter higher education:Advise them to go to college or go on PLC course and do whatever they want,open up their minds a bit more maybe. (Jack, 23, dropped out of LCA,employed)6.9ConclusionsThis chapter has focused on the work experience component of the LCAprogramme, drawing on our respondents’ reflections. On the whole, thevast majority of students feel that the work experience component is anincentive to partake in the programme, and this was true of those who haddropped out of LCA, those who had been considering dropping out ofLCA and those who completed LCA. All of these groups expressed theview that work experience was a positive element of the LCA curriculum.It was interesting to note that many of the males we interviewed consideredthemselves better prepared and in a better position to make the transitionfrom school to work after completing LCA and LCA work experiencerelative to the friends who opted for the LCE.Given the favourable economic climate when these young people werein school, many males opted for a work placement in the constructionindustry while many females opted for placements in the service industry,particularly childcare, heath and beauty. These occupations were thenpursued when they entered the labour market. These patterns areconsistent with the pathways that many young school leavers pursue (seeByrne, McCoy and Watson, 2009). It is of concern that the workplacements of LCA students are so gendered. More attempts should bemade to provide a wider spectrum of work placements for males andfemales. Furthermore, the current recession and the slow down of theconstruction industry highlights how the LCA programme has been over-