With over two hundred Colleges of Further Education & Training (FET) around the country providing approximately 70,000 places on their courses, school leavers and adults who wish to return to education are spoilt for choice. As well as providing courses for employment and apprenticeships, FET colleges also provide Courses for Progression which are commonly known as Post Leaving Cert courses or PLCs.

These courses result in QQI FET/FETAC Awards are generally one or two years in duration and are accredited at Level 5 and 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications. It is possible to use this standalone qualification to access employment directly after completing the course but there is an ever-increasing number of students progressing on to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) annually by applying to CAO as a QQI FET/FETAC applicant once they have completed a Level 5 or 6 course in a FET college. A quota of college places each year are reserved for QQI applicants in universities and ITs (HEIs) which students can apply for on a competitive basis.

Why should you choose a PLC?

There are lots of reasons why an increased number of students each year are opting for this route. If you are a school leaver and unsure about what you want to do or feel that you are not ready for the move on to university or an Institute of Technology, a PLC offers the opportunity to try an area of interest out and gain work experience before jumping into a three or four year degree. It also prepares you very well for progressing onto studying that subject area in more detail giving you a great foundation for further study. If you would like another year of living at home you will find lots of options within easy travelling distance of home. Every year points are a barrier to students getting a place on CAO courses. If you don’t manage to get the Leaving Cert points required to gain entry to your preferred CAO course all is not lost. Entry to PLC courses is not based on points and once you complete your Level 5 or 6 QQI FET/FETAC course you can use the results to progress onto multiple CAO courses on a competitive basis. For adults, choosing this route means that you can gain a very valuable qualification for employment without committing to three or four years of study and if you are interested in progressing you can use the qualification as a stepping stone onto higher education. Some CAO courses require particular QQI FET/FETAC courses and modules such as nursing, whereas others will accept any QQI Award. For the latest information on the QQI FET/FETAC links to higher education courses and entry requirements check out the relevant section of www.cao.ie

How do you apply?

Applications for autumn 2021 are to be made directly to the FET colleges while plans recently announced by Minister Simon Harris suggest that from 2022 applications for further education and CAO courses will be processed through a central application portal. Applications are now open in most FE colleges and although applicants can apply up to the start dates in early September it is advisable to apply as early as possible as popular courses fill quickly, some as early as Easter.

To explore the full list of options nationwide check out www.fetchcourses.ie and closer to home see www.kerrycollege.ie and www.killarneycc.ie.