Apply on time and online, CAO applicants are advised

MOST people who are unhappy in their jobs work in a career unrelated to their third-level education, a study has found.

Thousands of young people are being urged to keep their career options open when they submit their list of college course choices this week.

The deadline for applications to the Central Applications Office (CAO) is just five days away, with students being advised to apply online and on time.

A survey of 350 people using recruitment website Irishjobs.ie found that 52% of people looking to change jobs were not working in a sector relevant to their third-level qualification.

The Leaving Certificate was cited as the main influence of people’s choice of course, more important than job prospects or other factors.

More than two-thirds said they would consider going back to college to pursue a new career path and almost three quarters would pick an entirely different course if they had the chance to return to college.

Institute of Guidance Counsellors president Brian Mooney said CAO applicants should choose courses that will keep their career options as wide as possible.

“Business, arts, social science and other flexible qualifications can leave your choices open, particularly when there are so many postgraduate courses available,” he said.

“The main thing for people is to go with their gut instinct for now and leave it until after the exams to worry about changing their minds,” said Mr Mooney.

Students can submit an amended degree or diploma list to the CAO up to July 1 this year, giving them an opportunity to change their minds after completing the Leaving Certificate exam in June.

With the closing date for applications falling next Sunday, students are being told the best way to be assured of getting in on time is by using the CAO website, www.cao.ie.

The online application system has been used by most students over the last two years, and rules out the possibility for mistakes that can be made on paper applications.

The Irishjobs.ie survey found that women are more likely to consider a career change than men.

Also, 52% of people wishing to change career are between 26 and 35 years and almost a third are aged between 18 and 25.

Of those surveyed, IT workers are the most likely to switch careers, with 22% of IT employees looking to change their line of work.

Those working in the areas of sales (11%), marketing (10%) and accountancy and finance (9%) also indicated a desire to embark on an alternative career.