Much has been written in recent months about the downturn in applications for courses in the area of computing and IT. Suffice it to say that there are tremendous opportunities in these industries going forward over the coming years. Brian Mooney says students should not be put off computer-related courses.

It is also true that, given the entry of 10 new countries to the EU in 2004, the entire economy is dependent on there being suitably qualified graduates available across the entire spectrum of economic need. Without this, Ireland becomes just another high cost economy and will begin to experience the loss of growth, currently evident in Germany and other major European states.

Every person - either in employment or seeking it through education - must be aware that viability must be maintained constantly. Where it disappears so does the job. This is the basic law of economic life.

Therefore, to maintain the security of each individual job - as well as that of the overall economy - all of us need to be mindful of the fact that our level of educational qualification is the key ingredient in maintaining the viability of our employment.

As a member of the Expert Skills Group on Future Skills Needs, I am only too well aware of the opportunities that are there for students entering college in September 2003. Anyone with aptitudes in the computing and IT area who is considering abandoning aspirations to undertake a programme of study in these fields - because of a perceived lack of opportunities - is making a major mistake.

All industries experience cyclical downturns, as have these industries in the last two years. This downturn results, in my view, from a number of factors - the huge investment in equipment caused by millennium fears, saturation point in the sale of PCs, and the loss of confidence resulting from the downturn in the global stock markets. All these factors are time-specific and will work themselves out of the system over a number of years.

What is not in doubt is that the world economy in general - and the Irish economy in particular - is being driven by computing and technological advance which will only accelerate over coming years. We must continue to educate through our colleges all workers to ensure that we remain at the cutting-edge of skill in all areas of economic life.

The arguments presented above are crucial for our economic well-being as a nation, but meaningless in the decision-making process of an individual student. Nobody makes career decisions on the basis of economic need - neither should they do so.

All such decisions should be based on the interests and aptitudes of the individual students and should be fully informed by research of both the course content of each course listed for consideration and the profile of career paths taken by recent graduates of the course.

With up to 40 per cent of students deserting some courses in our institutes of technologies and smaller - but significant - numbers doing so from our universities, it is imperative that students properly consider all the choices they are contemplating over the coming months.

Every school in the State has a copy of Qualifax on its computer system. It is also available on the Internet www.qualifax.ie

This programme contains each line of text, of every course available in the 32 counties at university, institute of technology, and Further Education colleges. It also contains an interest inventory to help students clarify their interests.

NO student should list a course in their CAO application without first ascertaining what subjects they will be studying and at what level over what duration. As a guidance counsellor, I have dealt with students who selected courses on the basis of their friend selecting the course, or their parents' aspirations for them.

Students must realise that it is not your friend or your parents who will have to master these courses and follow the career path of the course - it is they themselves. During the coming weeks and months ask yourself the following questions. What do I like doing? What are my aptitudes and abilities? What opportunities exist for me to further my career aspirations through academic studies? Having researched your options thoroughly, have the courage to pursue them without being influenced by short-term movements in the career prospects in any specific field.