CAO Form - Primary Teaching.

My wife's niece is doing her Leaving Cert this year and is hoping to get enough points to do Primary Teaching. Her parents think it's not a good option for the future (poor job prospects etc.). Does anyone think she should follow her dream or should she go to college to study Economics, as her father would like her to?

Can't really advise which to go for. If your niece decides to go for primary teaching, she should also consider taking a postgraduate course after her degree, and specialising in an area - areas such as special education, irish, or educational disadvantage. Your niece might also look at the B.Ed with psychology, she can teach after this degree, or could continue her studies in areas such as clinical, health or educational psychology.

If she wants to be a primary teacher then that's what she should do. She must follow her own mind in this matter. As MAR123 pointed out there are a variety of postgraduate options available to her as well.

+1 (as per samhradh's reply)

These previous threads might be of interest.

Guiding daughter in choice of future career

Advice on best way to become a Primary School Teacher?

Thanks a lot to all who advised and to the good Doctor for the threads. They're excellent, very helpful and enlightening.

I agree-she should follow her dream. It's brilliant to see students knowing at an early age whar exactly they want to do in life. Yes prospects are gloomy right now but as other posters have suggested she can also enhance her initial degree with further studies. Plus we must keep thinking positive, in terms of recession etc, it looks like we are all in for a rough time over the next while but things will surely start to improve eventually.