Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES 1097.2LCA SchoolLeavers OneYear AfterLeavingSchoolThis section considers the position of school leavers one year afterleaving school. Perhaps most noteworthy when we consider the economicstatus of school leavers is the large proportion of LCA leavers who aresituated in the labour market one year after leaving school (Figure 7.1). Allother school leaver groups have higher levels of participation instudent/training activities, even the early leaver groups (which to someextent reflects their participation in second-chance educationalopportunities; see Chapter 8 for detailed discussion). Overall among thefour cohorts of school leavers over three-quarters of LCA completers arein the labour market one year after leaving school, compared to just twothirdsof those performing poorly or moderately in the Leaving Certificate.Over five-in-six school leavers achieving high grades in the LeavingCertificate exam are pursuing post-school education or training one yearafter leaving school.Focusing attention on the most recent school leaver cohort and theirstatus in May 2006 (Figure 7.2), the dominance of labour market entryamong LCA leavers is perhaps more pronounced. Early leaver groups have,in line with policy efforts to target educational opportunities at the mostvulnerable groups, increased their levels of participation in post-schooleducation and training. LCA leavers continue to have high levels ofparticipation in the labour market, with this group continuing to be thegroup least likely to record education or training as their principal statusone year after leaving school. As developing labour market skills are a keyobjective of the LCA programme, the high levels of entry into the labourmarket among those completing the LCA programme are perhaps notsurprising. However, the key policy question is how well these youngpeople fare when they enter the labour market and whether the LCAprogramme confers valuable labour market skills that enhance theirchances of securing employment and improve the quality of thatemployment.Figure 7.1: Status of School Leavers One Year After Leaving School(2001-2005 Leavers)100%80%60%Inactivity40%Labour MarketStudent/Training20%0%Low Medium-Low Medium-High HighNo Quals Junior Cert LCA LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVPSource: School Leavers’ Survey 2002-2007.