Portlaoise College school leavers step out on different paths

PORTLAOISE College students are taking very different paths after leaving school this year, with destinations ranging from medicine and nursing to engineering, law, music production and the defence forces.

For the class of 2026, it marks the beginning of a new chapter, with students preparing for university, apprenticeships, further education and employment.

Among those beginning university is Jessica Witek, who has accepted a place to study Medicine at UCD. Jessica called into the school before heading to her induction, with an early start to her medical studies ahead.

Dea Ducusin is heading across the Irish Sea to John Moores University in Liverpool to study Biomedical Science. Having family in Liverpool will allow Dea to live there while studying, with the longer-term ambition of progressing to Medicine.

For Oran O’Brien, the next step will be somewhat different. Having been offered a place on a PLC course, Oran has decided to take a year out to work and save towards the cost of college. He is currently working in 4 Aces and plans to pursue his interests in PE and personal training.

Peter Ciarcowski will begin his army career on 14 September, after a visit to the school by defence forces personnel. He said: “It was what I wanted to do but when the defence forces came to the school it really opened my eyes to the opportunity. It’s a great way to get an apprenticeship through the army.” 

Music has been a major interest for Julia Musial, who will study Music Production and Technology at TUS Limerick. Julia has spent much of her spare time producing music at home and now hopes to turn that interest into a career. She also credits the school community with helping her take that step.

Jeremiah Phillips will study Children’s and General Nursing at Trinity College Dublin. Having always wanted to work in healthcare, Jeremiah hopes to progress his studies in the future and potentially become a GP.

Law will be the focus for Jessica Sescu, who has accepted a place in Law and German at Maynooth University. Jessica developed an interest in law after attending an open day, but chose the combined course because she wanted to keep her options open rather than study law alone.

Niamh Donaghy will study Japanese and Economics at the University of Limerick. Niamh was attracted to the course partly because of the opportunity to travel through Erasmus and will be living in Groody Student Accommodation.

Meanwhile, Engineering will be the next step for Oisín Grundy, who will study Mechatronic Engineering at Ulster University.

Orlagh Creery has accepted a place on Fashion and Textiles at ATU Galway. She could not be at the school to speak about her plans, as she was in Galway looking for accommodation.

Finding somewhere to live is becoming an increasingly important consideration for school leavers and their families. Availability and the cost of accommodation are creating additional challenges for students who want to attend colleges outside their home area. That is also the experience of Violet Omosigho, who is due to study Business at the University of Limerick.

Violet is currently trying to secure accommodation in UL, where both availability and cost are proving difficult. The issue was particularly visible to Portlaoise College students when they attended the UL Open Day last October, where students staged a demonstration involving tents to highlight the shortage of student accommodation.

For some students, the route into employment will begin through an apprenticeship or practical training. Jamie Clarke, Portlaoise College’s LCA Student of the Year, will begin a pre-apprenticeship motor mechanic course at Carlow Institute on 14 September. Jamie has always had an interest in motorbikes and hopes to develop that interest into a career. During the summer, he has been working in landscaping.

The variety of destinations and career choices among the Class of 2026 reflects the different routes available to students after second level education.

Sixth year head and guidance counsellor Darren Maher said students had worked hard to identify paths that suited their own interests and circumstances.

He observed: “What stands out about this year group is the variety of routes they are taking. We have students going into medicine, nursing, engineering, law and business but we also have students taking apprenticeships, further education and employment routes. There isn’t one definition of success and it is important that students choose a pathway that is right for them.” 

Principal Noel Daly said the school was proud to see students moving on to such a wide range of destinations, commenting: “The class of 2026 have shown that there are many different ways to build a successful future. Some students are heading directly to university, while others are choosing apprenticeships, further education or taking time to work and prepare for the next stage.

“We are very proud of what they have achieved and wish every student the very best as they begin this next chapter.”