When I finished school, I did two Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses – a Level 5 and a Level 6 – and then I went to DCU. To be honest, I hated secondary school. In secondary school, you have so much going on. You’re dealing with friends, puberty, and every other thing. For me, I lost my mam when I was in second year so during secondary school, everything was happening, but I wasn’t even thinking of education until I actually left school.
So when I decided to do a PLC, it was really just so I had something to say to my dad. It was a stop gap. I found something I was interested in, I had no clue what I was going to get out of it, but literally after the first week of my Level 5 course, I realised I was really enjoying it. It kind of snowballed from there.
The Level 5 course was an introduction to psychology and counselling in Plunkett College. I loved it. I was offered a place in Maynooth to continue my study in that field, but I didn't know if I was ready.
I was still very nervous about going to college, so I decided to do the Level 6 in early childhood care and education in Whitehall College. And now, I'm doing education and training in DCU.
I’m really glad I decided to do the second PLC course because it gave me a qualification that I could use to work, if I needed that back-up. I thought that in case I got into university and decided it wasn’t for me, then I was able to go into childcare and work in that field. It was another option for me.
My education and training degree is more geared towards adult education, so I’m hoping to go work in a further education college.
In secondary school, there were no talks on further education really. I remember one talk when they mentioned it and people in my class rolled their eyes and thought it was a waste of time. It was kind of as if it was a bit shameful, which is totally ridiculous. Everyone else in school was so stressed, they didn’t know what they wanted to do and it was such a nice beginner course. The tools that I learned in my Level 5 and Level 6 courses prepared me for first year in university and I’m still using those tools now.
I’m doing my placement year this year in Whitehall College, and then I have my final year, and then hopefully after that, I’m going to be working in a further education college. I’d like to maybe specialise in an area, maybe do a Master’s, I haven’t decided yet. Everything is still open-ended!
I’m completely glad I took this path. I don’t know what I would be doing if I hadn’t, I don’t know where I’d be working; it gave me such confidence and it was really a second chance. Well, to be honest, it was actually more like the first opportunity I was given for education.
I think it’s amazing money wise, if you’re not sure what you want to do, if you need a year to mature a bit, and not spend three grand on it. I think lots of people will opt to do it more when they realise what it is.
There were definitely snide remarks made about it. In secondary school, it was almost like a secret that me and my friend were thinking about doing it. It was a bit embarrassing, and I feel sad saying that because it is the least embarrassing thing. Even talking to people, when I said I was doing a Level 5 course, and they sometimes confuse it with other things that people have negative views on.
