This chapter investigates the nature of any education activity detected in the years after non-progression.
As per the Background Notes, the education sources considered here are based on enrolment records from the HEA, learner activity records from SOLAS’ Programme Learner Support System (PLSS), and awards data from QQI. Whilst an individual may appear in both further and higher education within a calendar year, this does not necessarily mean that these enrolments were at the same time, only that activity was detected in both when examining the entire year. Unless otherwise indicated, plots include those were re-enrolled in any of the education sources considered and include both those whose outcome was classified as ‘Education Only’ as well as those were in substantial employment at the same time as showing activity in an education data source.
Please note that in some cases categories referring to fewer than 50 total persons have not been included in the plots and commentary below, as this can result in volatile percentage shares. Any excluded categories are noted below the affected plot(s) and all counts can nevertheless be inspected in the relevant PxStat table.
Overall, for those non-progressors who showed activity in education one year on, there were fairly similar rates of engagement with the higher and further education sectors. The difference was greatest for those in the 2019 cohort, who exhibited a preference for higher education (49%) compared to further education (42%), the remainder showing activity in both (9%).
In the latest year analysed, non-progressors who had re-enrolled in education after one year were more likely to have enrolled in higher education (46%) as compared to further education (44%), the remainder showing activity in both higher and further education within the year (10%).
Of those originally enrolled on a Services course who showed enrolment activity one year on, 59% were active in further education and training within the year, rather than in higher education or both higher and further education. This was the field of study that showed the highest preference for engaging solely with a further education course, followed by Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (50%) and Business, Administration and Law (46%)
In contrast, non-progressors from Information and Communication Technologies who re-enrolled in education showed a preference for higher education (at 52%), as did non-progressors originally enrolled on Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics (52%) and Health and Welfare (51%) programmes.
Non-progressors from Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics courses were most likely to show engagement in both higher and further education sectors when returning to education after a year (15%).
Looking at the 2023 cohort, it can be explored whether those non-progressors who re-enrolled in education did so on courses within the same broad field of study.
This indeed appeared to be the case for some fields of study. In particular, non-progressors originally enrolled on courses relating to Health and Welfare or on Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction programmes were most likely to re-enrol in a programme in the same field of study, at 57% and 43% respectively.
In contrast, of those active in education one year on, only around 18% of non-progressors from Services courses had enrolled on a course in this same field. Similarly, those who did not progress with their original course in Social Sciences, Journalism and Information and Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics were likely to change course, with around 24% of these cohorts in each case, returning to study the same field.
As evident from the total counts of the 2018 cohort depicted in Figure 3.4 below, the number of non-progressors who showed any educational activity was greatest three years after non-progression, after which a decline in enrolment activity was observed.
Notably, engagement with the higher and further education sectors peaked at different time-points. The greatest number enrolled in higher education was seen three years after non-progression, whereas the peak number of those active in further education was one year on, suggesting an increasing preference for higher education as time went on.
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