Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES 115If I can’t get any work I probably would go into studying, college or something inEngland.Is there any particular area that you’d like to go back and doagain?Well there’s a course, there’s an apprenticeship going on where there the collegewhere my girlfriend is, she’s doing business and administration and then there’s amanagement one as well, management apprenticeship. (Tim, 21, completedLCA, unemployed)Using School Leavers’ Survey data, the next section considers the mainindustrial and occupational sectors in which school leavers are employed.7.2.4 LCA SCHOOL LEAVERS’ INDUSTRIAL ANDOCCUPATIONAL SECTORSSchool leavers in employment one year after leaving school aredifferentiated according to the Industrial Sector in which they are employed(based on the Census Classification of Industries 1986) in Figure 7.6, with malesand females presented separately in Figures 7.7 and 7.8. Industrial sectorsare classified as follows:• Distribution (Wholesale and Retail, Food, Drinks, Pubs, ClothesShops, Petrol Stations);• Industry (Construction, Engineering, Utilities, Food, Textiles);• Personal Services;• Other (Agriculture and Fisheries, Banking, Transport andCommunications, Public Administration, Professional Services).Overall, LCA completers are somewhat less likely to enter employmentin Industry than the early leavers. The LCA group display patterns whichare not dissimilar to the Leaving Certificate completers.Figure 7.6: Industrial Sector of School Leavers in Employment One YearAfter Leaving School (2001-2005 Leavers)100%80%60%40%OtherPersonal ServicesIndustryDistribution20%0%Low Medium-Low Medium-High HighNo Quals Junior Cert LCA LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVP LCE/LCVPSource: School Leavers' Surveys 2002-2007.