I have a diploma in Montessori teaching and would like to work in a primary school. Are my qualifications acceptable? What opportunities are available?

- Monaghan teacher

The Montessori method of teaching is not recognised as a qualification for teaching in ordinary national schools. However, if you have completed the three-year full-time course at the Montessori College, Mount St Mary's, Dundrum Road, Milltown, Dublin, you are eligible for recognition by the Department of Education and Science to teach in areas of special education such as special national schools for mentally handicapped, emotionally disturbed and hearing impaired children.

As of July 1998, those who have graduated with an NCEA degree from the St Nicholas Montessori College, 16 Adelaide St, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, are recognised as ordinary teachers in these special schools.

However, job opportunities are good for substitute work at the moment because of the shortage of qualified national teachers and the graduates of both of these colleges are recognised to work as qualified substitutes in all national schools - as indeed are those holding a recognised primary degree together with a H Dip in Education.

Enquiries should be sent to: Primary Administration Section 1, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, Co Westmeath - phone (0902) 74621 or (01) 8734700 - ext 5154.

Could I get a job as a civil servant straight after Leaving Cert? What kind of work would it be and could I be sent out of Dublin anywhere? Is the pay good?

- 5th year Dublin student

Yes, you can get a job through the Civil Service Commission which recruits for all levels in the Civil Service. Certain positions are open to people with a good general education which does not specifically require a Leaving Cert.

Qualifying tests are held to assess abilities necessary for clerical work and extra credit is given for effective communication in both Irish and English.

This work may entail the use of computers and involve work such as letter drafting, seeking and giving information, calculations, analysis of reports, checking statistics/documents etc.

Salary levels at this grade vary for those under 19 years from about £170 weekly to about £190 for those over 20 years. They rise to a maximum of £330 per week.

There are more than 11,000 clerical staff in the civil service.

Another level at which you could enter is the executive officer level, effectively the entry level to junior management. To join straight after Leaving Cert you will need a pass in maths and Irish or English in Leaving Cert or equivalent with a minimum of grade C in higher-level papers in at least five subjects.

In recent years, an increasing number of people with third-level qualifications enter the civil service at this grade. You can then enter with a recognised degree or with a combination of a satisfactory standard in Leaving Cert in maths and Irish and/or English and any of these: a pass in year one of a degree course, an NCEA cert or equivalent, the professional exam 1 or equivalent of a recognised accountancy body.

Executive officers work on more complex situations such as researching and drafting proposals in policy issues or legislation or as junior managers in various Government Departments or dealing with the public.

If you do decide to go ahead on the third-level route, there are opportunities in specialist areas related to degree/cert/diploma subject qualifications such as law, economics, accountancy etc.

Again starting salaries are age-related - about £11,000 for those under 19 rising to £16,000 at 23 and older up to a maximum of about £23,000. There are more than 8,000 executive administrative staff.

Recruitment is ongoing and open competitions for all grades are advertised in the national newspapers. You can get further details from the Civil Service Commission, 1 Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2 - phone (01) 661 5611.

One of the great advantages of a job in the civil service is that you have the opportunity of working in so many different departments, although on your first appointment you will be placed in a specific department.

Another advantage is that continuing education is actively encouraged and fees may be refunded and study leave provided.

Because of the decentralisation of many departments, you could find yourself working in places all around the country such as Galway, Athlone, Waterford, Letterkenny, Cork, Castlebar, Cavan and Killarney.

Is it likely that the graduate intake into the colleges of education for national teaching will continue in the next few years? Which kind of graduates are more likely to get in? What's the situation for mature students?

- Kerry reader

This route into primary teaching will continue for the foreseeable future because of the shortage of primary teachers. All training colleges are reporting 100 per cent employment.

The kind of graduate on these courses can be from any discipline, not just arts as many people think. You could have a science, commerce, art and design or music degree or any other for that matter. Schools need people with all kinds of qualifications and it's great to have the diversity of degree backgrounds available.

For mature students, the age requirement is that you must be 23 years of age on January 1 of year of entry. You must have the minimum requirement for entry to the B Ed - six subjects in the Leaving Cert including three higher-level Cs and this must include higher-level C3 in Irish, a pass in English and in maths.

These are required for the Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin; Colaiste Mhuire, Marino, Dublin; St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin; and Froebel College of Education, Sion Hill, Dublin. For Mary Immaculate you must also have higher-level D or ordinary-level C in English. All require an interview and an oral Irish test.

Queries can be answered only through this column and not by phone or post. Write to Sile Sheehy, Education & Living, The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 - or by email to education@irish-times.ie