The crunch CAO question: What kind of thinker do I want to be?
Making your CAO decision is just the starting point for a working life that will involve not only multiple jobs but multiple careers
Third Level
News and advice covering the third level education system.
The exponential growth of apprenticeships in Ireland
There are now 87 apprenticeship programmes available in Ireland across 17 sectors, with many more in development
Ireland’s most unusual and intriguing third-level courses
A selection of less conventional options for study after secondary school
There are many reasons for changing your CAO choices, but be careful of ‘the most dangerous one’
With a week to go, there is enough time to adopt an approach that keeps the ‘end of the world’ feeling at bay
CAO 2026 calendar: With the Leaving Cert over, here are the important dates you need to know
Now that the exams are past-tense, what next in the choreography of securing college places?
Decision time nears for final CAO course selection – here’s what you need to know
Understanding course requirements and content, and what you really want, should be key priorities before you finalise selections
Beyond the CAO: Exploring the other educational pathways now open to school leavers
Belief that academic success directly relates to career success in a high status job is under serious question
One week to nail your decision ... how to make the most of the time you have left
Key questions to ask before the CAO change of mind deadline
So your daughter wants to study science at university? First, take a reality check
It will be at least 13-18 years after the Leaving Certificate before there is any possibility of her getting a permanent academic position
What you need to know about the CAO change-of-mind deadline
You have until July 1st at 5pm to revise your CAO application. Here is what you need to consider
What happens if I choose the ‘wrong’ college course?
What you put on the CAO form is the first decision, not the last
Planned closure of Carlow College
Its closure would be a significant loss not just for Carlow but for the wider southeast
‘Even though it isn’t related to my degree, I have never felt like it was a waste of time’
Graduates are turning to volunteering and unpaid internships to gain experience, but some question whether the sacrifice is worth it
A graduate’s story: ‘Supporting a mentee takes enormous time, patience and generosity’
My mother’s work to improve access to neurorehabilitation services for patients has been a source of inspiration to me
How graduates can ‘clean up’ their social media and stand out to recruiters
‘In the world of AI, employers want to see the authentic student voice coming through’
Irish J1 students: ‘They did actually reject the visa until they could review all my social media’
Demand for visas has remained ‘strong’ despite students’ safety concerns
A graduate’s story: ‘I felt uncertain about whether to start working or continue studying’
I chose a master’s in sustainable finance because I felt it aligned with where the future is heading
The experts’ view: What does a graduate programme offer and how is AI changing the game?
Graduate programmes provide support and certainty but they don’t represent the entire graduate jobs market
What ‘soft skills’ are and why they’re more important than ever
Skills like critical thinking, creativity and problem solving allow a graduate to stand out from their peers
Graduate to professional: 10 organisations offering paid programmes in Ireland
EY, Boston Scientific and Irish Distillers are among businesses and agencies offering paid graduate programmes
What sort of workforce are graduates entering, and what do they need to know?
AI means the employment environment is changing, but there are indications of resilience in the graduate jobs market
Record student numbers in Irish colleges by 2034 to require extra €200m
Baby boom peak in 2008 will be reflected in 20 per cent increase in third-level enrolments over next decade
Piano tuning and Leaving Cert coverage
Don’t let a tricky maths question put you off piano tuning as a career
A graduate’s story: ‘I led the world’s biggest pilot of the four-day working week’
From Galway students’ union to Toronto, via New York – I’ve learned so much from working with some of the most innovative people and companies
Hairdresser to HR, biochemistry to accountant: Choose the career you want, not the one you think you should have
Afraid you have made the ‘wrong’ choice? Don’t worry – there are ways to change direction
Let’s not make the same mistake as the UK. ‘Sensible’ degrees are overrated
Coding and accountancy were once trumpeted as secure careers, but AI is showing otherwise
The future of fashion: Joyful student collections are striking in their diversity
LSAD and NCAD graduate shows feature polished collections, with notable use of digital technology in design process of many
‘There’s no way I’m going to the US now’: Irish students choose Europe over J1 for summer jobs
Many Leaving Cert and third-level students plan to seek work on the Continent, not the United States, this summer. What are their options?
Are there opportunities for students to explore entrepreneurship while studying?
Across Irish universities there is a growing focus on helping students test ideas, solve real-world problems and, in some cases, develop start-ups
‘You can’t force people to stay’: How to stop the exodus of Irish medical graduates?
Last year, 630 Irish doctors got visas to work in Australia, this year so far it’s 437. A senior medic says the numbers leaving are ‘off the charts’
The best exam essay I read this year was an angry – and refreshingly human – one
There’s a fatuous assumption that linking thinking and writing is some sort of inefficiency
Carlow College to close after almost 250 years
The almost 90 staff at the college, the second-oldest university-level institution in the country, will be made redundant
Did you hear? The Leaving Cert exams are just around the corner
This week in The Irish Times, Conversations with Parents brings you a special episode to help parents and students navigate the next few weeks
Hear and Dare: Your questions answered at this stage of CAO process
Hear and Dare connect students to supports including financial assistance, academic guidance and orientation
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices