Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

9. DISCUSSION ANDPOLICY IMPLICATIONSThe practice of tracking (placing young people in different tracks orprogrammes), within the school system has been the subject of muchresearch and policy debate internationally. Commentators in favour oftracking and curriculum differentiation have drawn on human capitaltheory to highlight the way in which programmes that offer access tovocational learning provide a safety-net for less academic young people byenhancing their skills and employability (Becker, 1975; Blossfeld, 1992;Shavit and Muller, 2000). In contrast, other commentators view tracking asa mechanism that leads to social reproduction; in other words, trackingincreases the degree of educational inequality since working-class youngpeople are diverted into programmes which more often than not lead toless skilled jobs (Gamoran and Mare, 1989; Iannelli, 1997; Iannelli andRaffe, 2007).Our research looks at how one form of tracking, the distinction betweenthe LCA and other Leaving Certificate programmes, shapes studentexperiences and outcomes. The findings indicate that the LCA programmeserves as a ‘safety-net’ for many young people while at the same timefacilitating social differentiation in student pathways. From a human capitalperspective, this research has shown how the LCA programme appears toenhance students’ chances of entering the labour market when they leaveschool. In addition, it appears to act as a ‘safety-net’ for some students atrisk of dropping out by prolonging their time in school after junior cycleand preventing them from leaving school early. The programme alsoappears to re-engage many students in schoolwork through its small classsizes and student-centred teaching methods.Theories of social reproduction can also be explored in looking at theLCA. By examining the social profile of LCA entrants, it is evident that theprogramme disproportionately attracts students from working-classbackgrounds. There is evidence that some students are not challenged bythe LCA curriculum, are restricted in terms of curriculum choice, and theirqualification limits them in accessing third-level education. In terms of theirlabour market outcomes, LCA leavers tend to enter more vulnerableoccupational sectors and are at greater risk of unemployment in theimmediate post-school period compared with other Leaving Certificategroups. Thus, taking part in LCA may serve to limit the post-schooleducation and employment opportunities of working-class students inparticular. With these issues in mind, this chapter aims to address the roleof the LCA as a ‘diversion’ or ‘safety net’ for young people and theimplications of the findings of this research for policy.144