School Leavers can avail of an objective and professional service when considering the vast array of career options that are open to them - Minister Hanafin
Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D., today launched the National Parents' Council Exam Helpline 2006 at the NPC offices in Glasnevin, Dublin. This helpline will provide advice and guidance to students and parents when the Leaving Certificate results issue later this month. Speaking at the launch today Minister Hanafin said "Leaving Cert results is a time of celebration, but is also an anxious time for students and their parents who are looking for immediate information and guidance. Through the provision of a helpline, young people can get information which can allay some of their fears and anxieties when the results come out."
The helpline is sponsored by the Department of Education and Science, the Irish Independent and Eircom and will operate from 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 16th August. The helpline number is 1800 265 165.
The helpline, which will be operated by experienced members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, will answer queries from students and parents on results, CAO offers, rechecks of examination results, course requirements and grants. "Students should be aware that there is a vast array of courses available and on offer to them as their results arrive. In the region of 38,000 CAO places are available for higher education courses, over 20,000 places available on PLC courses and 7,000 apprenticeship places. There is indeed something for everyone who wants to upskill and get a qualification" said Minister Hanafin.
"Some students and parents still tend to think along traditional lines about course choice and college choice, but they have great assistance from the professional guidance counsellors working on this helpline, to see the many new courses and industries open to school leavers now. Education is more than the course you do, it is about broadening horizons. If students look on the CAO website today, they will see that there are still courses where there are vacancies ranging from computer science, accounting and finance, tourism, marketing through to Chinese and International Business".
Highlighting the career options on offer in the science and technology sectors, Minister Hanafin said "the Government has committed, through the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation, to attract more people into science and technology areas, as developing this sector is vital to Ireland's longer term economic aims".
Minister Hanafin thanked the Sponsors and Organisers for providing the helpline each year and said it is extremely important that students starting out in post-primary school also avail of guidance services. "Students need to be advised to make the right subject choices at the earliest possible stage to ensure that they do not close off any career path that they might want to consider in the future."
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