There's lots of life outside the CAO system

There are lots of options for students outside the traditional third-level sector. Students may like to consider practical alternatives, such as apprenticeships with FAS, training for the tourism industry with CERT, or horticulture and agriculture training with Teagasc. The Gardai, the defence forces and nursing have their own training and education systems outside the CAO courses.

CERT

Graduates from CERT courses are virtually guaranteed jobs, according to CERT. "By the year 2000, the tourism industry is expected to be the largest in the State and already there are 188,000 people working in the industry," says Anna Carroll, CERT's head of education, placement and research. "Tourism is booming and, if a student completes a CERT course, they are virtually guaranteed a job afterwards, something which few industries can offer."

The numbers in training in full-time craft courses in November 1996 were 2,114. Of these, 1,226 were training as chefs, 135 were on restaurant service courses, 162 were training as bartenders, 392 were training in hospitality, 50 in reception, 15 in accommodation and 134 in tourism. At the same time, 785 students were in day-release and part-time courses in colleges training as chefs, in restaurant service, advanced cookery and tourism.

CERT's annual report acknowledges that recruitment continues to be a problem for the industry which has been forced to take stock of the nature of employment it offers. In the report, chairman, James Nugent, welcomes the steps which have been taken in 1996 to improve the quality of jobs available, in particular the Quality Employer charter launched by the Irish Hotels Federation. There are also firm indications that pay scales are improving in the industry, he adds.

CERT trainees in full-time courses are offered a scholarship which covers a weekly training grant, tuition, uniform, some textbooks, lunch in college, a transport grant, and capitation and examination fees. All courses are certified by the National Tourism Certification Board and are EU recognised.

Visit CERT at stand number 153. The Irish Hotels Federation is its immediate neighbour at stand number 152.

Nursing

The new college-associated training for nurses brings a more academic education together with practical on-the-job training. At present, there are 17 schools of general nursing, each of which is associated with a college. Nursing continues to be an extremely popular option with school-leavers, particularly girls. This year, more than 5,000 candidates competed for almost 900 places.

The training takes three years and successful graduates will be awarded a diploma from the associated college. They are also eligible to register with An Bord Altranais. Trainee nurses are not rostered as part of the nursing staff and they hold full status. So, no salary, but they are paid an annual non-means-tested maintenance grant of £2,500 per annum. Main textbooks and uniforms are supplied to students free of charge and free meals are available in designated health board or hospital restaurants.

There is a further optional one-year add-on degree programme open to diploma graduates.

The general nursing schools and associated colleges are:

Adelaide Hospital, Dublin TCD

Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, DCU

Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, UCC

Cork Voluntary Hospitals, Mercy Hospital, Cork, UCC

James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin, DCU

Letterkenny General Hospital, Co Donegal, Letterkenny RTC

Regional Hospital, Limerick, UL

Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, UCD

Meath Hospital, Dublin, TCD

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Dundalk RTC

Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, UCG

St James's Hospital, Dublin, TCD

St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, UCD

Sligo General Hospital, UCG through St Angela's College of Education, Sligo

University College Hospital, Cork, UCC

University College Hospital, Galway, UCG

Waterford Regional Hospital, WIT

There are also six psychiatric schools of nursing and two schools of mental handicap nursing which are offering college associated courses.

Application for all of the above courses is through the Nursing Applications Centre not the CAO. A review of the selection process and the entry requirements is underway so there may be some changes on the way.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships have always been a valued training option and, with the building boom, demand for tradespeople has increased enormously. This year, FAS has places for about 4,000 apprentices. These apprentices will follow the new modular standards-based training and, on successful completion of the course, they will receive the national crafts certificate, an internationally recognised qualification.

Would-be apprentices must first find an employer. Employers then register them with FAS. The minimum educational requirements are grade D in five subjects in the Junior Cert or equivalent. The minimum age is 16 years. In practice, many employers look for higher entry requirements and most apprentices now have completed their Leaving Cert. Apprenticeship consists of seven phases of training; both on-the-job with an employer and off-the-job in a FAS training centre, or in a third-level college. Looking at apprentice numbers for 1996, the largest trades were electrician at 1,039; carpenter/joiner at 803; plumber at 377; and motor mechanic at 327. The remaining trades include agricultural mechanics, aircraft mechanics, bookbinders, bricklayers, cabinet makers, carton makers, heavy and light vehicle mechanics, painter/decorators, plasterers, printers and sheet-metal workers.

Very few girls consider apprenticeships as a career option. It is FAS policy to promote the entry of women and FAS gives a bursary to employers who recruit women apprentices. Preparatory training is also provided for women, if required. Apprentices receive a training allowance appropriate to the year of apprenticeship. Most apprenticeships last for four years.

Go to stand 47, National Resource Centres for Guidance in Ireland, for further information.

Garda Siochana

Last May, the Minister for Justice announced the recruitment of 1,000 gardai between 1998 and the year 2000. The good news is that the two new Leaving Cert programmes - the Leaving Cert Applied and the Leaving Cert Vocational - will be accepted for entry. Foundation level-English and maths will also be accepted for the first time.

There are minimum height requirements. Men must be at least five feet nine inches and women must be at least five feet five inches tall. Applicants should be between 18 and 26 years old with extensions for certain categories of applicant.

There are usually 10 applicants for every place available and the gardai recruit from Leaving Cert holders, graduates and post-graduates. This year, a new selection process was introduced. It includes a written test and an interview.

Trainee gardai in Templemore are paid a personal allowance of £83.35 per week plus an allowance of £42.80 towards food and accommodation. The food and accommodation allowance is increased slightly when trainees go on work experience. The pay scale for fully qualified gardai begins at £12,040 per annum.

The number of women in the force is increasing. At present, 899 of the 10,817 gardai are women. Call to stand number 167 for more information on what the State's police force offers as a career.

Defence Forces

The Defence Forces take on cadets, apprentices and recruits. Cadetships are scarce and much sought after. This year, there were 46 cadetship places on offer - 24 in the army, two in equitation, 10 in the air corps and 10 in the navy.

Applicants need a minimum of grade C in three Leaving Cert higher-level papers and grade D in three ordinary-level papers. Further assessment procedures include aptitude tests, interviews and medicals. Call to stand 166 for more details.

Teagasc

If the great outdoors appeals to you, then Teagasc may have a training course to suit. Teagasc has places for more than 1,000 students. At present, there are 160 students in the four horticulture centres - the Botanic Gardens, Dublin, An Grianan, Co Louth, Warrenstown, Co Meath and Kildalton, Co Kilkenny.

The diploma in commercial horticulture offered by the latter three colleges concentrates on commercial production, management and marketing of crops, vegetables, top and soft fruit, mushrooms, nursery stock and protected crops. The operation and management of garden centres is also covered.

The diploma in amenity horticulture offered by the National Botanic Gardens is aimed at those who intend to concentrate on landscape design, construction and maintenance, as well as the maintenance of sport and leisure parks, and the production and ornamental use of trees, shrubs and flowers.

Agriculture courses are offered in 11 centres throughout the country and a total of 975 students are registered at present. Teagasc also offers a range of other courses in the rural enterprise, agri-business, agricultural science and horticulture areas. Training grants are paid to students attending full-time college courses. For complete details of courses and grants visit the Teagasc stand, number 154.