This article is intended to provide some insight on Transition Year (TY ), the usually optional “gap year” between 3rd and 5th year. I have asked multiple TY students, 5th year students, and teachers for their thoughts about TY in general, and if they believe doing TY is a good idea.
Hopefully, this article will help any 3rd year students to make their decision, or help to explain what TY entails.
The majority of students who were asked about skipping/attending TY seem to be content with their decision, though every student in TY has stated that they are happy to be there, while some 5th years wished they had done TY.
TY is great if you’re unsure of your plans for your future or want to develop more in terms of maturity. The only people who should really be skipping TY are those who are already extremely confident about what they want to do for a living, or simply wish to get out of school as soon as possible.
TY students gain valuable skills
Stephanie Duane, my TY coordinator, says that TY students “gain valuable transferable skills, improved confidence, build their CVs and achieve a more focused outlook when they are choosing their senior cycle options.”.
Another teacher believes that 'the world would be better if TY were mandatory in all schools'. This is mainly because those who do TY end up being more successful in school.
A study by the Central Statistics Office states that TY students do 10 per cent better in their Leaving Certificate on average than students who elected to skip TY.
TY students in 5th year are also perceived by teachers as having a much higher maturity level than 5th years who skipped the TY year.
In my opinion, TY is worth doing for the vast majority of people, as it helps you become a better and more effective person. In TY, you go on work experience, and many trips throughout the year, with the work in school being much less intense and more project-based.
Work experience is invaluable if you find the right places to go, you can gain insight about what job you may wish to do in the future, as well as what it is like in different work environments. You can acquire references for job hunting in the future. You can make money during your work experience and get a part-time or summer job in the same company.
If you’re doing TY, I would recommend you think of any industries you’re interested in, look up local companies for those industries and simply call or email them, or walk into the building and ask them if they provide work experience opportunities. It’s rare for them to say no. The experience of working in companies in specialised fields will hold more weight than any generic cafe or corner store.
Trips are usually seen as the most important part of TY and the main selling point. Outings will almost always create fun experiences as well as help you bond with your classmates.
My school has visited Delphi Adventure Centre, went surfing in Lahinch, went to the Aran Islands, went driving with Pallas Karting, went to the cinema, played laser tag in Elemental and multiple other trips.
We are also going to Petersburg Adventure Centre later in the year. Other schools have gone abroad to places like Spain and France.
Gaisce
Gaisce is another cornerstone of TY for most schools. Gaisce is a personal development programme designed by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. Those who complete it get a medal and a certificate for their achievement, which means a lot on your CV. It consists of a Personal Skill, Community Involvement work, Physical Recreation and an 'Adventure Journey'.
You have to complete an hour of work on the former three areas every week for 13 weeks to progress, with an additional 13 weeks for one chosen out of Physical Recreation and Personal Skill. My Personal Skill was coding, my Physical Recreation was going to the gym, and my Community Involvement was spending time with the people at St Joseph's.
My class's Adventure Journey was going to Delphi. All of these activities are being outlined because they contribute to your future, personality or maturity. Everybody who decides not to do TY ends up missing out on these opportunities and experiences.
Now, to be fair to some people, there are those who simply do not see any reason that going to TY will provide value to their future. Some yearn to be out of school as soon as they possibly can, and some are set on getting as much education as possible, not seeing the purpose in having a “light” academic year.
It is perfectly reasonable to skip TY in many contexts. Though I do believe those contexts rarely occur. TY is essentially a break year in terms of schoolwork. There will be little to no pressure placed on you academically. This is usually the main point that makes people decide to do TY, or not to.
This is to say that the personal value of TY is based on the effort you put in throughout the year, as very few commitments will be forced onto you. It can be one of the best periods of your life for developing in terms of fitness, finding your interests, refining your skills and figuring out what you want to do with your future.
It was quite simple for me to make my choice about TY. I am definitely happy that I am participating in itand I believe it has made my life a lot better than it would have been had I chosen to go straight into 5th year. I have made a lot of new friends, I have had more time to read, I have developed more in terms of fitness, I have started to enjoy learning, and now I have the privilege of writing this article.
I am now looking forward to the academic challenge of 5th year, whereas had I gone straight into it, I would have been dreading it. Hopefully, somebody found this article useful or enjoyed reading it. I am grateful to my parents for paying for me to enter TY and supporting me.
