ENHANCEMENTS to the CAO website include further education and apprenticeship opportunities for school leavers in Limerick, Fine Gael TD for Limerick City, Kieran OโDonnell has said.
The CAO website went live on Friday, November 5, and for the first time the portal includes options across higher education, further education and training, and apprenticeships for school leavers and other applicants.
Deputy OโDonnell said: โThe changes to the CAO website from my colleague Minister Simon Harris will allow students to see the full range of third-level options in one place for the first time.
โStudents across Limerick will now have access to over 400 Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses and 62 apprenticeship programmes, as well as university options, on the enhanced CAO portal.
โAccess to education for all is a key priority for Fine Gael in Government and this is just one more step in breaking down the barriers to third level. As part of last monthโs Budget 2022, Minister Harris announced the abolition of the โฌ200 course levy, which will apply to all PLC courses in the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) from next September.”
Deputy O’Donnell said the inclusion of apprenticeships on the site “speaks to the societal shift that has occurred over the past few years”.
He added: “Students, teachers and parents recognise there is so much more than university to consider when thinking about life post Leaving Cert.
โThis is a significant step in making our third level sector a more inclusive environment which caters to the needs and skills of all school leavers in Limerick. It is a change which reflects that education, of some form or another, is for all โ but the โone size fits allโ model is now a thing of the past.
โI would encourage all school leavers to visitย www.cao.ieย to view these welcome new website enhancementsโ.