Finishing my LC

Wanton

Hi Folks,

Prepare for semi-long story.

Looking for some advice. I did my leaving cert in 1999, iirc I got 3 passes, and 3 fails. So I have not "completed" my leaving cert.

I have managed to work my way through various jobs and I am currently earning a pretty decent wage in the IT industry, but find myself now stuck at a dead end in a job I hate. It has no prospects for any future development etc.

I am very concerned though about trying to get back into the employment market as so many places now are back to looking beyond your skills and experience and are looking for leaving cert results and more.

To add to this I am now eligible for voluntary severance. This opens up the opportunity for me to continue my education.

So in the past I would have just had to complete 3 subjects to be classified as "passing my leaving cert", would this still be the case?

I have just started looking at different options, even considering homeschool.ie as an option?

I am as much wondering has anyone got any recent personal experience from a similar situation?

I'd say you are a good candidate for some guidance and support.

It might not be necessary or required to go back and do the LC - with experience you could do an alternative like an access to college course or go straight into a mature students program.

Have you any idea what you would like to do?
Stay in IT or change area, stay where you are living or move somewhere else?

Wanton

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd say you are a good candidate for some guidance and support.

It might not be necessary or required to go back and do the LC - with experience you could do an alternative like an access to college course or go straight into a mature students program.

Have you any idea what you would like to do?
Stay in IT or change area, stay where you are living or move somewhere else?

Thanks!

Ok, so I am based in Carlow and currently commute to D4 everyday! (HELL)

I want to move into app development. I have taken some time before and done a few very simple iOS apps, MPG calculator etc. Its an area I am interested in, has scope for development and as you become more established has scope for working from home etc.

I have a good friend in the industry already who keeps saying "go do a few months doing online courses and make a portfolio, they wont care what qualifications you have if you have code". But its easy for him to say that his position.

My original though was possible to dual train, complete my LC and train in a new area. I am really all up in the air about my options if I am honest.

Its not something I was giving much thought to as I wouldn't be in a situation to consider this normally. I have never had the time for part time learning due to my commute. But this possibility for VS came out of no where. (probably 50/50 chance I will get it due to my "skill set"). But if I was successful I would have funding for probably at least 12 months full time education.

Wanton

I just have an underlying fear of not having my LC behind me.

I know a gentleman in his 50s, significant experience in many different area's, including being fully qualified in clean room work etc. He is being turned down for work because of his lack of LC..... 30 or more years ago...

Bazinga_N

Wanton wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Prepare for semi-long story.

Looking for some advice. I did my leaving cert in 1999, iirc I got 3 passes, and 3 fails. So I have not "completed" my leaving cert.

I have managed to work my way through various jobs and I am currently earning a pretty decent wage in the IT industry, but find myself now stuck at a dead end in a job I hate. It has no prospects for any future development etc.

I am very concerned though about trying to get back into the employment market as so many places now are back to looking beyond your skills and experience and are looking for leaving cert results and more.

To add to this I am now eligible for voluntary severance. This opens up the opportunity for me to continue my education.

So in the past I would have just had to complete 3 subjects to be classified as "passing my leaving cert", would this still be the case?

I have just started looking at different options, even considering homeschool.ie as an option?

I am as much wondering has anyone got any recent personal experience from a similar situation?

If you're over 23 you can apply to a University/IT as a mature student without a leaving cert. Similarly, a PLC course will accept mature students without a leaving cert too and you can then use this to progress on. Once you have a PLC or a college degree, no one will care whether or not you have a leaving cert.

randylonghorn

Mature Students admissions IT Carlow

Have a look at their Computing options ... I see a Higher Cert (2 years) ---> BSc (+ 1 year) ---> BSc (Hons) (+ 1 year) route that seems relevant to you.

Or talk to Carlow Kilkenny ETB about PLC options if you feel third level is a big jump, but tbh if you already have experience in the iT industry, I'd at least be phoning IT Carlow and arranging to call in and meet someone to talk over your options.

What do you have to lose?

everesteduc

Wanton wrote: »

So in the past I would have just had to complete 3 subjects to be classified as "passing my leaving cert", would this still be the case?

In the past you could add leaving certs from different years together for the purpose of calculating CAO points. You cannot do that anymore for points calculation. You can do it for minimum entry requirements (except for medicine).

I think the options outlined by the other posters would be more beneficial but you could come across a job opportunity that is picky about leaving cert results. So if you wanted to put your mind at ease for your future employment prospects, you could always do the leaving cert as an external student. The simplest way to do this is to do subjects that do not have a project element. So you could pick English, Maths, Applied Maths, Business, Economics (project element in pipeline I think), Accounting, Classical Studies, languages.

You could probably pick Physics, Chemistry, Biology as well if you can access somewhere to do the practical experiments (some colleges do them in January).

Entry is via examinations.ie . Closing date is around January. So you could have your leaving cert results in your pocket in 11 months

MathsManiac

Randylonghorn's advice is sound. You should at least talk to them in IT Carlow to get a good idea of the possible pathways to a well-respected 3rd level qualification before you commit to doing extra LC subjects.

(And by the way, there is no such thing as "failing the leaving cert" any more. You simply get certified for the grades you got in the subjects you took. End of story. The practice of not awarding a cert to people unless they got at least five D grades went out in the late seventies. You HAVE completed the Leaving Cert, even if you haven't achieved the grades you would want. I'm not saying it's a bad idea to do some more subjects, but you should check out other options that might be a better way to get to where you want to be.)