Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has confirmed school leavers will now be able to access information on traineeships from the Central Applications Office portal.
Since last year, students who log onto cao.ie/options can view all of their options including apprenticeships and further education and training.
This year, the range of options will be expanded to include traineeships.
Traineeships are schemes that combine classroom education and hands-on work experience, and are run by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in conjunction with industry representative bodies and employers.
Speaking as the CAO opened for applications this week, Minister Harris said students begin to consider their options post-school, and it is important they are aware of all of the options available to them.
“Third level education is not confined to the walls of a university. Apprenticeships are third level. Post leaving cert courses are third level. Traineeships are third level,” he said.
“It is vital young people do not see one particular path as success. Success comes in different shapes and sizes.
“I want to thank the CAO, SOLAS and ETBI for continuing to work together to ensure our school leavers know all of the paths they can take to get to where they need to get to in life.”
Through www.cao.ie/options, 750 further education and training courses will be available with the offering expanding in range and type.
There are more than 75 traineeship programmes available on the portal.
