Careers Helpline opens for Leaving Certs and their parents
Parents and students are being urged to avail of the services of a free career guidance helpline, manned by career guidance counsellors, that is set to open this Friday.
The National Parent and Student Leaving Certificate Freephone Helpline is available on 1800-265-165. It is a free service provided to Leaving Certificate students and their parents or guardians during the period of time when exam results and CAO offers become available.
The phone lines are staffed by qualified and experienced guidance counsellors who will deliver one-to-one telephone support to parents and students. The counsellors are members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC).
Cunsellors can provide information and support on a whole range of issues, for example calculating CAO points, examination result rechecks, accepting an offer, failing a subject, repeating and viewing of scripts. Students and parents may also have questions relating to course information, preference order, no offer, further education and training options, apprenticeships, private colleges, UNICAS, UCAS, CAO, registration fees and gap years.
The helpline is supported by the National Parents’ Council, sponsored by the Department of Education and the Irish Independent and supported by Eir and the Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU).
Congratulating those involved in the helpline, Minister for Education Norma Foley TD said: “This welcome resource runs from the release of the results to the end of the CAO first round and affords students and their families the opportunity to speak to qualified and experienced guidance counsellors, who can provide relevant information, reassurance and of course support about their current and future options.”
Tadgh Crowley, president of The Institute of Guidance Counsellors congratulated students and their families on reaching this important milestone and reminded them there are many different paths into various careers.
“With more pathways and non-traditional entry routes, their future is bright. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate to provide this crucial service.”
Shari Irfan, Uachtarán of the ISSU, acknowledged that students receiving their results and awaiting offers may feel under “immense” stress.
“The National Parent and Student Leaving Cert Helpline is a valuable resource that can calm the nerves of both students and parents giving students that may be lost or confused somewhere to turn to where they can access support from trained professionals.”
Those seeking support, information or reassurance can contact the Helpline on 1800 265 165 and all queries will be dealt with in a professional and confidential manner. The opening hours of the helpline are 10am-6pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 10am-2pm on Sundays. It will close on Saturday, September 2.