Many Leaving Certificate students are approaching the upcoming exams unsure of what their next steps after school will be. When embraced, it can open a world of endless possibilities, as Daithi O'Toole’s story shows.

A passionate sports enthusiast, Daithi initially dreamed of turning his hobby into a career, but as he explored his options, he quickly changed his mind. After conversations with his family and research on different education routes, Daithi decided to start his third level education journey after school with Further Education and Training (FET) by doing a Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course in QQI level 5 in Business and Digital Marketing in St. Conleth's Community College.

“I am sports mad and have played sports all my life, it is something I live and breathe. I originally had many sports courses, like sports and business management and sports science on my CAO choices. As time kept creeping up, I believe around February 2019 I thought to myself, I love sport as a hobby and something I never want to grow tired of, I realised I didn’t want a career in that area, so I made the switch to business. I was stressed leaving school as I was taking a risk! So, I began researching alternative routes through education. As I knew I wanted to continue, no matter the area of study. I first completed a QQI level 5 in Business and Digital Marketing in St. Conleth's Community College.”

Daithi took a year out after completing his level 5 qualification however, the desire to expand his knowledge led him back to education. He completed a BTEC Higher National Certificate in Business and a QQI level 6 in Business and HR Management, following that, he realised he wanted to work in advertising and marketing.

“The summer after the QQI level 6, I felt unsatisfied as although I was enjoying studying business, I particularly liked areas which appealed to the more creative side to me, I found I particularly wanted to work in advertising and Marketing. During the year and that summer, I applied through the Advanced Entry on the CAO which allows students to gain entry into years 2,3 or 4 of degree programmes due to past experience. I also applied to the BA Media Production Management at Ballyfermot College of Further Education.”

For Daithi, the PLC route helped to prepare him for studying at degree level. “Doing a PLC course taught me how to write an assignment, write a report and critically analyse a paper.” Daithi explains. “The main piece that I continued to use in my academic journey is referencing, how do you reference an author, PLCs teach you that in a smaller scaled environment, so asking a question is not such a daunting experience.”

The PLC also prepared him for his degree in Media Production Management “I was more confident than compared to when I was when going into my first PLC because I believed in my abilities with technology and design, due to previous experience with editing software, social media and coding languages.”

Furthermore, Daithi commended the staff for their expertise and praised the supportive environment that FET provides.

“Going through my educational journey with FET has been nothing short of amazing. The staff are not only great educators and lecturers, but they are also experts in their field, sharing the knowledge that the learner is there to find out and discover. Support networks for me are massive, having people around you who support you and make you a better person every day. With the smaller sizes of classes, close knit relationships with both students and staff are formed, they become a part of your support network, motivating and pushing students towards their best, every day!”

In the summer of 2022, during Daithi’s Erasmus+ internship, run through Ballyfermot College of Further Education, he was encouraged to apply for the prestigious Washington Ireland Programme (WIP). A leadership development programme, WIP selects 30 emerging leaders from Ireland and Northern Ireland each year who have shown exceptional commitment and passion to their communities.

“Having a programme like WIP available for FET students highlights that success can be obtained by Further Education and Training. A major part and one which I am looking forward to the most is the speaker session with global leaders. These sessions may include politicians, businesspeople, university lecturers and more. The idea of these sessions is to learn the importance of leadership and to highlight that anything is possible in life, if you put your mind to it.”

As part of the WIP programme, Daithi had the incredible opportunity to spend this summer in Washington, where he interned in the Public Relations team with FedNet. This gave him firsthand experience on what it is like to work in a professional environment and allowed him to develop his skills further.

“Working with the team at FedNet has been an experience like no other. Learning on the job and being a part of a team that see’s history being made on a daily basis, was nothing short of incredible. With every day being an opportunity to experience a new environment, it made the experience relevant to my career aspirations.”

Daithi’s journey highlights the value of FET in providing a variety of endless opportunities at local level that can take you where you want to go after school. By embracing his love for continuous learning, Daithi discovered a pathway that not only prepared him academically but also gave him the time and environment to grow personally and professionally.

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