Mr. Andrew Brownlee:

A lot of it is related to the points race and the obsession with getting to university. Approximately two thirds of school-leavers go directly into university. It is about showing them there are other options available and also that it is not an either-or choice. Sometimes it will suit a person more to go into further education first and then progress to higher education. It is about getting those options on the table at the same stage. We have tried to do that by having a single CAO landing page where there are apprenticeship options, FE options and higher education options on the same page. Guidance plays a massive role. We work very closely with the guidance counsellors in schools to try to help them to understand those wider technical options. Guidance counsellors are teachers by trade, so they have all come through the same university pathway.

Trying to give them the understanding that there are other pathways that are much more suitable for many individuals is very important. Leaving certificate reform is also key.