St. Mary's College, Arklow

Guidance Department

Guidance Counsellor:
Angela Flynn

Guidance refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, designed to assist students to make choices about their lives and to make transitions consequent on these choices. These choices may be categorised into three separate but interlinked areas:

• Personal and Social - this area empowers students to make decisions, solve problems, change behaviour and resolve issues in their lives, through (a) individual counselling (b) group counselling (c) supervised peer counselling (d) referral to a counsellor or other outside agency.
• Educational - recognising students different learning abilities and their inherent talents. Each student is encouraged to optimise their learning skills. This involves (a) helping students with choices as with subjects, courses and levels (b) aiding motivation and management learning (c) showing students how to use available resources, study skills and exam techniques (d) demonstrating how to use computer aided research.
• Career / Vocational - help students to identify career / vocational goals by developing their self-analysis skills and being able to obtain and manage career information. This involves (a) having an understanding of the pathways into higher education (b) make and carry out appropriate life choices and plans (c) practise interview techniques, CV writing and cover letters (d) identify their strengths and weakness from the results of various interest and aptitude tests (e) make students aware of employment opportunities.

The Guidance Calendar:

• Information, deadlines and events can be found in the schedule of Events
• Calendar Information on the Guide to Open Days can be found on the Open Days Calendar at:

www.qualifax.ie

Below you will find links to many useful web sites.

CAREERS

http://www.careerdirections.ie

Established by FAS, Excellent careers database, gives up to the minute information on all the main occupations.

http://www.careerportal.ie

This is one of the best sites for researching your interest, skill, values and aptitudes. The site continuously updates itself in the area of job projections, new courses, interviews with people in many occupations and links to other relevant sites.

http://www.skoool.ie

This web site also has and excellent careers database. Very useful if looking for tips on CV preparation and interview techniques. There are also sample aptitudes tests to take, information on CAO and newspaper articles about College life.
It is one of the most comprehensive web sites about . A real one stop shop for students.

www.careersworld.com

Take an online career Interest Assessment test to find out what career areas you are most suited to. It also has up to the minute information on the developments in different industries. Explore the education and employment options that lie ahead.

Going to College

www.qualifax.ie

This web site is a database of every third level course available in Ireland. An absolute gem for students looking to research college courses. Gives information on Points, subjects required and course content. One tip, the CD ROM version has more information.

http://www.cao.ie/

Comprehensive web site with information on all university and college courses, College open days, new courses coming on stream, change in course requirements.
Links into all colleges in the CAO. Excellent shortcut when researching.

www.ucas.ac.uk

For those students thinking of Applying to college in the UK and Northern Ireland. You can search for colleges and courses here. Provides direct links to all university web sites. Also information on how to apply.

www.skoool.ie/skoool/collegechoice.ie

Excellent collection of Irish Times Articles about going to college. Deals with topics such as possible Reintroduction of fees, to alternative courses to medicine to the current state of the IT industry. Very relevant and up to date.

www.cdvec.ie

This web site allows you to search though every Post Leaving Cert course in Ireland, they have courses ranging for Graphic Design to Radio Broadcasting. You can find out here which courses you can link into at an Institute of Technology to further your study.

Life After College ... What Next ... ?

www.gradireland.com

This site provides a database of all postgraduate courses in Ireland. Lots of advice on entry requirements and funding. Excellent Survey on Graduate destinations in Ireland over the past couple of years.

On The Job Training

www.fas.ie

If full time study after you leave school is not what you are looking for, Fas, Ireland's national training and employment authority offer several alternatives. For information on apprenticeships in several areas from Hairdressing to Motor Mechanic check out this web site. Also has listing of job opportunities and short term training courses.

www.failteireland.ie

Ever thought of managing a bar, working in a hotel or being a professional chef? Failte Ireland is Ireland's State Tourism Training agency, they provide professional training for a wide range of careers in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector.

www.military.ie

If you are interested in a career with the Army or the Navy and all the different opportunities that are on offer in the Irish Defence force this site provides up to the minute information.