Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

154 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?highlights varied pathways and reasons for entering the programme. Thismay suggest that the LCA is catering for students for whom it was notoriginally intended (those at risk of early school leaving or underachieving).The importance of guidance counselling and adequate informationabout the LCA programme for junior cycle students was evident from thisstudy. Students felt there was a lack of transparency in the informationprovided about the structure of the programme in terms of curriculum,assessment, work experience and in particular accreditation. This issuecould easily be resolved at school level where students could be madesufficiently aware of the differences between LCA and LCE/LCVP, andthe potential limitations of the LCA qualification for access to furthereducation and employment.9.3.8 WHAT ASPECTS OF LCA LEARNING CONTENT DO NOTFOSTER STUDENT POTENTIAL?It was clear from our findings that some aspects of LCA do not fosterstudent potential to a sufficient degree. Some young people reported beinginsufficiently challenged by the coursework in LCA, specifically in Mathsand English, which they described as ‘babyish’ or like ‘Junior Certificatesubjects’. There appears to be an excessive gap in standards between LCAand the other Leaving Certificate programmes, which has implications notonly for school-based experiences but also for transitions to post-schooleducation or training programmes.Further debate is also needed on the gendered nature of the LCAcurriculum and its continued inclusion of traditionally ‘female’ vocationalsubjects (such as Childcare, Hair and Beauty) and ‘male’ oriented modules(such as Construction and Engineering). The study shows that LCAstudents’ subject choices tend to influence the sectors in which studentscarry out their work experience; thus, females tend to get placements in thewholesale/retail and personal service industries and males often enter theconstruction industry. This is particularly relevant now in light of currenteconomic trends where sectors, such as construction, are the mostvulnerable. These issues raise important questions about the content of theLCA curriculum and its ability to motivate and engage this group of youngpeople with gender neutral subjects which would provide them with awider set of workplace and life skills. This approach should be underpinnedby supporting students to participate in a wider range of work placementsacross industrial sectors.9.3.9 HOW CAN THE PROFILE, AWARENESS ANDRECOGNITION OF LCA BE IMPROVED?Issues around public perception and profile of the LCA, its awarenessamongst employers, and its recognition in second- and third-leveleducation have emerged from this study. Many young people expressedfrustration at the stigma associated with the LCA and felt it was the resultof a lack of awareness and interaction with other Leaving Certificategroups. This raises the important question of how potential stigma,segregation and negative perceptions of the programme can be reduced atschool and system level. In addition, some young people felt thatemployers were not sufficiently aware of the LCA or did not recognise thequalification or grade they had attained. As mentioned above, in some