Career Guidance Donegal Independent CAO course-matching
Career Guidance Donegal
The PLC Course Match Test

Errigal and Finn Valley aren't the only PLC options in Donegal — just the two most people default to.

A Holland Code interest profile matched against over 1,870 PLC courses nationwide — well beyond the Donegal ETB courses at Errigal College and Finn Valley College that most students check first.

Two students reviewing something together on a laptop
Tests are Powered by CourseCompass · an Irish company working directly with schools · used by students and parents across Donegal and nationwide
Why this, and not just a prospectus

PLC courses rarely get the same structured attention the CAO does

Donegal ETB runs QQI-accredited PLC courses through Errigal College and Finn Valley College, and both are genuine, well-used routes into specific careers or a stepping stone into a CAO degree. But narrowing to what's local shouldn't mean skipping the national list — plenty of PLC courses elsewhere fit a given interest profile better than what's in the nearest prospectus.

The PLC Course Match Test treats the further-education route with the same structure as everything else: a proper interest profile, scored against a genuinely national database, so the shortlist you get back reflects fit rather than whatever course happened to be in a leaflet.

How it works

Three steps to your PLC shortlist

1

Build your interest profile

A RIASEC assessment — the same Holland Code framework used across CourseCompass's tests — mapping what genuinely interests you rather than what sounds impressive on paper.

2

Get matched against 1,870+ courses

Your profile is scored against a nationwide database of over 1,870 PLC courses, well beyond the shortlist any one guidance counsellor could realistically hold in their head.

3

Receive your top 10

A ranked list of your top 10 PLC matches, each with a personalised explanation of the fit and a direct link to apply.

Who's behind this

A real Irish company, not an anonymous website

Career Guidance Donegal is powered by CourseCompass, an Irish company that works directly with schools and students on CAO decision-making — not a faceless test generator.

The CourseCompass team visiting the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick
Meeting with UL's Kemmy Business School to talk through how course-matching supports CAO decisions.
A CourseCompass team member at Live 95 radio studios in Limerick
On air with Live 95, Limerick's local radio station, talking through the CAO Course Match Test.
A real printed CourseCompass Career Assessment Report and course recommendations
A real printed Career Assessment Report and course recommendations, the same structure shown in the sample on this site.
What students and parents say

Real reviews, published with permission

These are genuine testimonials from CourseCompass users — see the full reviews page for more.

“I honestly wasn't sure what I wanted to do after the Leaving Cert, so I gave CourseCompass a go. The recommendations were actually a lot more specific than I expected and gave me a few courses I hadn't really considered before. It was useful having everything explained rather than just getting a list of courses.”

J
Jake
Student

“I had a rough idea of the areas I was interested in but had no idea which actual courses suited me. CourseCompass helped connect the different things I was interested in with real courses. I came away with a much clearer idea of what I should be looking into.”

S
Stephen
Student

“I liked that CourseCompass looked beyond just CAO points. The questions covered interests, preferences and other areas that helped build a more complete picture. It gave my daughter some options to research that we probably wouldn't have thought about ourselves.”

S
Stephanie
Parent
PLC Course Match Test

Get a further-education shortlist built from your own interests.

A Holland Code interest profile, matched against over 1,870 PLC courses nationwide.

€14.99 one-time, no subscription
  • Your top 10 PLC course matches from a database of 1,870+ courses
  • A Holland Code (RIASEC) interest profile
  • A personalised explanation for each match
  • A direct link to apply for every course in your shortlist
Secure checkout. You'll be redirected to complete payment, then get instant access.
Questions people actually ask

Before you take it

What exactly do I get for €14.99?
A Holland Code (RIASEC) interest profile, your top 10 PLC course matches from a nationwide database of over 1,870 courses, a personalised explanation for each match, and a direct link to apply.
What is a PLC course, and why would I choose one over a CAO course?
A Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) course is a further-education option, often run through your local ETB, that can lead straight into employment, into a specific trade or profession, or act as a QQI-linked route into a CAO Level 7 or 8 course further down the line. It suits students who want something more hands-on or more immediately career-focused than a straight CAO route.
Can I do this as well as the CAO Course Match Test?
Yes — a lot of students run both to see the two shortlists side by side before deciding which route, or combination of routes, fits them best.
Is my data kept private?
Your report is generated for the email address you provide and is not shared with third parties or used for anything beyond delivering your results and, where relevant, basic service communication.