A report into Post Leaving Cert courses finds that the sector is poorly connected to the requirements labour market.
The report by Solas and the ESRI also finds that young people from disadvantaged regions, who are at highest risk of unemployment, do not have better access to PLC programmes.
32,000 students were in full time PLC courses in 2016, and participants are 16% more likely to get work then those with a Leaving Cert.