Tipperary students delighted with Leaving Cert results after second chance at education

Summer Davis from Clonmel left school at the age of 16 without completing the Leaving Cert and in the years since then had three children which meant returning to education would become ever more daunting.

But  she was one of those opening an envelope containing the results of that fateful exam and is now going on to third-level, a prospect which seemed unlikely all those years ago when she quit school.

It’s thanks to the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) that she was able to return to education two years ago, resume classes and sit seven subjects in the Leaving last May.

“I would highly recommend it,” she told The Nationalist . “Michael Corbett [VTOS co-ordinator] is a trojan worker, I don’t think anyone could ever replace him.”

Her children are now aged four, two and one and she was able to put them in the creche when she took up her VTOS studies, every morning until she was finished classes that evening - “without that I wouldn’t have been able to do it” - which gave her peace of mind.

“It was tough, but I loved it,” she said of the course. “At the end of the day you have got homework to do while you have other responsibilities outside of school, and I also had one child in junior infants. 

Certain things happen, there are different obstacles along the way, but when I was there I paid attention and I did what I had to do.”

She was “very happy” with her results, which would have been one ‘A’ and the rest ‘B’s and ‘C’s under the previous marking scheme, and is now training in massage therapy and personal training at Level 5 on the national qualifications framework, with more options set to open up for her because of her Leaving Cert.

Also in this year’s VTOS group of seven was Tomás Roche from Carrick, who did six Leaving Cert subjects after completing the two-year course. 

“I actually went to do it about three times before, but just kind of left it. Being young, you don’t want to be going back to school. But it was good. Great crack. I knew no-one when I came in but got on with everyone. It’s ideal, you’re not treated like a kid and if you want to learn, you will learn and if you don’t, you won’t.”

Co-ordinator Michael Corbett said everyone involved was pleased with their results, with some planning to continue their education and others back at work. “We had people in their 20s, 30s, 40s. In September we have 11 coming into sixth year.”

The VTOS programme still has connections with the “old tech” on The Mall in Clonmel, but much of the activity takes place across the road in the former army barracks, which lends more space for classes and a canteen. Within a few weeks they will be getting ready for next June’s exams.

“It is a great achievement for an adult to complete a two-year full-time educational programme considering that they are normally leading busy lives and have other responsibilities such as  caring for children or other family members,” Michael Corbett said. 

“VTOS does offer help with childcare as VTOS participants can avail of childcare places under the CETS scheme.”

VTOS is administered by Tipperary ETB and the programmes in Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cahir and Tipperary town are now recruiting new students. Contact 052-6126269 for detail.