More than 25,000 second-level students attended this year's Irish Times/ Institute of Guidance Counsellors Higher Options Conference, which ended at the RDS yesterday.
The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, said the conference allowed students to talk directly to the providers of third-level courses. He said this was important at a time when over 90 per cent of Leaving Cert students went on to further education.
He added that information received at the conference would help students and their parents make informed choices.
There were up to 200 exhibitors this year, with the main Irish colleges joined by institutions from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This year also saw colleges from as far away as the West Indies represented.
While the number of Irish students travelling to Britain has fallen in recent years because of the reintroduction of fees, in certain areas British colleges remain popular. This year the University of Oxford was among British colleges with a stand.
Students interested in specific careers were also catered for with CERT, Forfas, An Bord Altranais (the Nursing Board) and several accountancy bodies represented.
But many students had more active jobs on their minds, with the Defence Forces and Garda Siochana stands drawing large crowds.
Ms Paula O'Gorman, head of education services at The Irish Times, said the event continued to go from strength to strength. She said students were now very sophisticated in their choices and had specific questions for college staff.
Dr Woods said the event was more relevant than ever. "There has been a quantum leap in the last five years in the number of students going on to third level. The much wider range of courses now available and our strong economy has led to increased educational and career choices."
The Institute of Guidance Counsellors has been at the forefront of pressing for more resources at second level to deal with the complex number of courses. According to CAO figures there were 69 third-level courses in 1977, whereas last year there were 387 degrees and 374 diplomas and certificates.
To deal with this complexity Dr Woods said he was going to appoint 50 new permanent guidance counselling posts in second-level schools. He said the money for this would come from the National Development Plan.