Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

42 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?aspirations before entry to the programme than other students (Figure 4.7);almost 20 per cent of those who intended to leave after the JuniorCertificate (but stayed in school) went on to take LCA, compared with 5per cent who intended to take the LCE and 3 per cent who aspired tothird-level qualifications. When asked about their immediate plans after theJunior Certificate, intending to leave to find a job was predictive of LCAentry (with 24 per cent of this group doing so) as was intending to leave totake a course (19 per cent).Figure 4.7: LCA Take-up by Educational Aspirations2015%1050Junior Certificate Leaving Certificate Third levelSource: Post-Primary Longitudinal Study (PPLS) database.When questioned about their educational aspirations, many respondentsstated they saw the LCA as a programme which would enable them tofinish school and avoid the LCE:I think the reason I went into it was because I didn’t see the point of doing theLeaving Cert because I had no intentions of going to college. (David, 21,completed LCA, employed)Tim intended doing the LCE until, approximately two months beforehis Junior Certificate exams, he heard about the LCA and, in particular, thework experience component of the course. He never intended to go on tofurther education and was attracted to the LCA as he saw it as a way ofimproving his job prospects:I wanted to go straight into work after school, so…that’s why I basically did theLeaving Cert Applied, because I knew it was going to get me more experienceplus the work experience that we did in school, I could ask the employers that Idid the experience with to take me on. (Tim, 21, completed LCA,unemployed)The interviews highlighted the role of LCA in acting as a ‘safety net’,particularly for young males, who were at risk of dropping out and wishingto enter the construction sector after junior cycle. Graham wanted to leaveschool after his Junior Certificate as he did not see the point in doing the