The bulk of business and commerce graduates find work very quickly after they leave college. The latest survey shows 69 per cent of 1998 graduates in employment in April 1999. A further 19 per cent remained in academia, researching or studying, while 1.2 per cent went on to teacher training. Only 1.5 per cent were seeking work.
Of the primary degree graduates who found work in Ireland, 41 per cent entered the insurance, financial, business and commercial computer services sector. Fifteen per cent went into manufacturing and non-service industries and 6 per cent went into the public service. The remainder were in private services.
Most of the business and commerce graduates (71 per cent) employed in Ireland were working in the east, while Britain was the most popular destination for those going abroad.
The emigration rate for respondents fell from 13.4 per cent in 1997 to 11.8 per cent in 1998. Forty-six per cent of commerce and business graduates employed in Ireland were earning between £11,000 and £17,000.
Certificates and diplomas
If you graduated with a certificate in business in 1998, you were probably back in college in April 1999. The HEA survey shows 60 per cent of CERT graduates continued with their studies, while 36 per cent went into employment. Only 1.5 per cent were seeking work.
A similar pattern was obvious with diploma holders - 59 per cent returned to the classroom after graduation, with 37 per cent finding work and 2.1 per cent seeking employment.
The route from certificate to add-on diploma to add-on degree is well trodden. These statistics do not take into account students who leave college, work for a while, and return to education, or those who study part-time.
Choosing a course
If you read through the CAO handbook you will find courses in accountancy, marketing, finance, actuarial studies, economics, or more general programmes in business or commerce. You can also combine your business studies with computing or law or a language, and some colleges offer international and European programmes.
If you are unsure about the option for you, a broad programme will give you time to make up your mind. For instance, UCC, UCD and NUI Galway all offer broad-based commerce degrees.
Prof Seamus Collins of NUI Galway explains that students take two common years and then specialise in third year in areas such as accounting, economics, human resources, MIS, marketing, and operations logistics. There are 280 first-year BComm places in the college.
In the international commerce degree courses, students can take French, German, Spanish or Italian. The course constitutes two-thirds of the commerce programme with one-third languages.
NUI Galway first offered international commerce programmes in 1995. Half of the first cohort of graduates went into full-time employment, with 40 per cent going into further study or training and 6 per cent doing teacher training.
Having identified the various courses in the CAO handbook - and almost every college has a range of business options - go to the college prospectus and find out about subjects and specialisations.
Some new options are outlined below.
New options
The college's ab-initio degree course in computing and enterprise studies began last September. It was not offered through the CAO as it was approved late.
Mr Seamus O'Shea, head of computing, says there was a cut-off of 350 points last year and the course is offered through the CAO this year (TL320). There are 45 first-year places.
The programme consists of 25 per cent enterprise studies and 75 per cent computing. Research shows that 15 to 20 per cent of students will start their own business within five years of graduating, says Mr O'Shea. The course is also suited to students who do not want to set up a business, as there is sufficient computing, he adds.
Politics at UCC
This new four-year degree course (CK210, Government and public policy) started last October with 45 first-year students. The BSc is offered by the commerce faculty, "reflecting the new emphasis in politics on the introduction of business practices". Subjects include management, law, accounting and economics as well as history, government and public policy, social policy and business information systems. The course includes a work placement in year three.
DCU: BA European Business
DCU's business school offers an innovative four-year course in European business, whereby graduates end up with two degrees. A transatlantic option is available this year for the first time (DC116).
The programme now has four partner schools: in Reims, France, Reutlingen, Germany, Madrid, Spain, and Boston in the US. Dr Ciaran O hOgartaigh of DCU explains that students spend two years in DCU and two years in the partner college.
He says the key to the programme is the "international learning environment. In first year, we have nine nationalities this year."
Students also do work-placement at home and abroad. If you want to take the French or German option, you must have a minimum of a higher-level C3 in the relevant language; if you take the Spanish or American options you must have a higher-level C3 in a continental language. Spanish is offered ab-initio.
Dr O hOgartaigh says the first 30 graduates from the programme - 15 Irish and 15 French - received a BA in European Business from DCU and the DESEM from Reims Management School in France. All of these graduates are employed, with one student doing a postgraduate qualification in finance. One-third remained in the country where they graduated.
This year, several of the third-year students have been offered financial support in their final year, and employment by the companies in which they are gaining work experience.
There are 15 first-year places in both the French and German options, with 10 places in each of the Spanish and transatlantic options. Fees for the four years are paid to DCU.
NCAD closing date
This Friday is the closing date for application to the first-year core programme of the National College of Art and Design. You must return the completed form and your portfolio by this date.
First-year core, which is offered outside the CAO, is the first year of the college's four-year degree courses in craft design, fashion design, textile design, visual communication and fine art, and their joint options. The minimum educational requirements at Leaving Cert are two higher-level C3s and four D3s at ordinary or higher level. Subjects must include English, Irish and a third language or art.
The final closing date for application to restricted-application courses (which include most art and design courses) through the CAO is February 1st. Late applications are accepted for all other courses until May 1st.
If you are thinking about art and design, then a series of dates are looming as portfolios must be submitted, interviews attended and drawing tests/projects completed.
Milltown Institute
The institute offers three degrees in theology and/or philosophy, including philosophy as a single-subject degree. The college is included in the free fees initiative and welcomes mature applicants.
Registrar Dr Sally Ui Chiardha says: "All our graduates who have applied for H.Dip. courses have been accepted by one of the universities in their first or second year after graduating.
"Others have gone on to join the Garda i as graduate recruits, another has been recruited by Dublin Fire Brigade. As with other arts graduates, many have gone on to further study . . . students graduating with the BA in philosophy may pursue specialist graduate courses in order to teach at primary level."
National College of Ireland
The NCI is extending its area-based partnership initiative to all area-based partnerships (ABPs) through out Ireland. The initiative offers access to higher education to students from disadvantaged back grounds.
Initially offered to 12 ABP areas, 35 students have availed of it to date. Of these, 78 per cent have qualified from certificate or degree programmes. The initiative reserves 10 per cent of full-time places for ABP students.
If you who wish to avail of this initiative you must meet the minimum NCEA requirements, live in an ABP area, and the family must be in receipt of social welfare payments. The initiative applies to the following courses: BA in accounting and human resource management (NC011); BA in European business and languages (NC012); BSc in software systems (NC013); national cert in business studies (NC201) and national cert in computing (NC202).
Help-line
Students, parents and teachers with queries about colleges, courses and application procedures are invited to call the College Choice help-line between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today. Tel: (01) 679 1915/6791919