Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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2573. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are pathways to third level education for individuals without a leaving certificate; to outline these pathways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20630/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Under the latest National FET Strategy (2020 – 2024), which identified ‘pathways’ as a strategic priority, more school leavers and others progressed to higher education through routes other than the leaving cert route than ever before.

A learner without a Leaving Certificate can enter FET at any point up to Level 4 and progress on to levels 5, 6 and then to higher education. Youthreach provides certification, typically at levels 3 and 4, for those who left school without formal qualifications. Youthreach learners can progress onto courses at levels 5, 6 and beyond, or on to other skills training such as apprenticeships. PLC courses at level 5 are a good option for those without a Leaving Certificate if they can demonstrate ability/experience in their chosen area.

Tertiary degree programmes allow learners to begin a degree in FET and to complete it in higher education. Entry to tertiary programmes is outside the CAO system, providing alternate pathways to degrees for those without a Leaving Certificate. There are currently 41 tertiary courses.

Apprenticeships offer work-based learning which combine on-the-job training and classroom learning. There are currently 77 apprenticeships programmes at levels ranging from 5 to 10.

Many higher education programmes, including Springboard+ and Micro-credential courses, allow for ‘recognition of prior learning’ (RPL) to be considered instead of formal qualifications such as the Leaving Certificate as part of their entry-requirements.

Further Education and Training (FET) courses are available at levels 1 to 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and include apprenticeships, traineeships, Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses, community, and adult education as well as literacy and numeracy courses.