Junior Cycle

Have you ever thought about what you would like to do when you leave school? The Junior Cycle is a good time to start thinking about different career options and considering what subjects you might choose for Leaving Cert. We have lots of useful tools to help you start exploring yourself and the thousands of exciting career paths that lie ahead.

Explore different Career Sectors - for example, business, medicine, or beauty to get a picture of the types of skills and jobs involved in working in that particular area. 

Search hundreds of occupations in our Career Explorer to find out what the job involves, the type of person it would suit, what you might earn and the qualifications you would need.

You can also watch lots of career videos or read career stories with people employed in a variety of jobs across the country to get an insight into different sectors and industries. 

Discover Careers
View All
Horse Racing Careers
Horse Racing Careers - Horse Racing Careers
Irish Defence Forces Cadet Recruits
Irish Defence Forces - Irish Defence Forces Cadet Recruits
Orla Gallagher
Spa Manager - Orla Gallagher
Aoife O'Malley
Garda Trainee - Aoife O'Malley
Insurance Institute Certificate in Climate Risk
Insurance Institute Certificate in Climate Risk - Insurance Institute Certificate in Climate Risk

Join our complete Guidance programme designed for Irish Junior Cycle students (purchase required).

Build you own unique Career Portfolio through exploring our fun Island of Discovery as the programme takes you through a series of explorations about yourself, your motivations, and your dreams and ambitions.

What Career Type are you?

Naturalist?

Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.

Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.

Explore Career Interests...
Career Chat...
View All
Dave McDonald
Dave McDonald, Astronomer

Science Ambassador Dave McDonald is a health and safety representative by day, and amateur astronomer by night. In 2008 he became only the second person to discover an asteroid from Ireland, 160 years after Andrew Graham in 1848. This was followed by a second discovery in March 2009.

In this interview – before he became famous – he talks about how he chose his career, the cool things in his work, and his tips on work experience and what to study.

Ask me a question!

Career Articles

Looking back on the Leaving Cert: How it affected my Career
Looking back on the Leaving Cert: How it affected my Career
Posted by CareersPortal
From 200 points to Occupational Therapy
From 200 points to Occupational Therapy
Posted by CareersPortal
How a PLC and an apprenticeship led to a career in Network Engineering
How a PLC and an apprenticeship led to a career in Network Engineering
Posted by CareersPortal
Brian Tobin - Research Scientist in Forestry
Brian Tobin - Research Scientist in Forestry
Posted by Forestry Careers Ireland
Lead Wireless Surveyor at 4site
Lead Wireless Surveyor at 4site
Posted by Research Ireland (Taighde Eireann)
Commandant Jane O'Neill of the Engineer Corps: "It's never really your standard nine to five"
Commandant Jane O'Neill of the Engineer Corps: "It's never really your standard nine to five"
Posted by Irish Defence Forces
Close