Career Guidance Kildare Independent CAO course-matching
Career Guidance Kildare
Sample results

Here's exactly what your report looks like.

This is a full illustrative sample — the same report structure every CAO Course Match Test produces, generated here for a fictional example profile so you can see it before you buy — plus a lighter preview further down of what the Apprenticeship Match Test, PLC Course Match Test and Subject Choice Test each return. Your own results will be entirely your own.

A student smiling at her phone

Note: everything below — the profile scores, the course matches, the salary bands — belongs to a single fictional sample profile (generated for sample@coursecompass.ie), shown purely so you can see the structure and depth of a real report before paying for your own. It is not a real student and not a real result.

Part one

Your assessment profile

Top Interests (Holland Code)

Enterprising 18%
Investigative 14%
Conventional 12%
Social 11%
Realistic 8%

Top Aptitudes

Logical 100%
Technical 100%
Numerical 80%
Spatial 70%
Verbal 50%

Core Values

Achievement 95%
Financial Stability 90%
Leadership 85%
Independence 78%
Variety 65%

Personality Traits

Conscientiousness 88%
Emotional Stability 75%
Extraversion 72%
Openness 70%
Agreeableness 65%

Learning Style

Reading/Writing 75%
Kinesthetic 70%
Visual 65%

Emotional Intelligence

Motivation 90%
Social Skills 80%
Self-Awareness 78%
Part two — “Your Course Compass”

Five ranked course matches, explained

1. Business Studies

University of Limerick · CAO LM050 · Business · NFQ 8
95% match

“Your #1 match — Business Studies at UL is an exceptional fit for your enterprising personality, strong logical reasoning, and passion for business.”

  • Exceptional logical reasoning
  • Strong enterprising drive
  • High numerical aptitude
  • Leadership orientation
  • Technical problem-solving

Psychological profile fit

A dominant Enterprising trait (18) is the strongest predictor of success in business programmes, and perfect scores in Logical and Technical reasoning place this profile in the top tier for analytical modules like Financial Analysis and Business Analytics.

Values & motivation alignment

Achievement, Financial Stability and Leadership are all directly served here — UL's co-operative education programme, the largest in Ireland, gives 8 months of paid industry placement.

Career pathway & earnings

GraduateBusiness Analyst (€32–38k), Management Consultant (€35–45k), Financial Analyst (€34–40k)
Mid-careerSenior Manager (€55–75k), Strategy Consultant (€65–90k), Head of Operations (€70–95k)
SeniorDirector of Strategy (€90–130k), CFO (€120–180k), Managing Director (€100–160k)

Growth & development

UL Business graduates have a 94% employment rate within 9 months. The programme's breadth in Marketing and HR helps build verbal communication and interpersonal skills alongside the technical strengths already in place.

2. Business – International Business

University of Limerick · CAO LM056 · Business · NFQ 8
92% match

“A superb fit combining business acumen with an international dimension — ideal for global ambitions.”

  • Strong analytical capability
  • Enterprising personality
  • Global perspective interest
  • Numerical reasoning
  • Adaptability

Psychological profile fit

Enterprising and Social traits combine well for international business, where cross-cultural relationship management matters, while strong technical and logical scores support the quantitative rigour of international finance and trade analytics.

Values & motivation alignment

A mandatory semester abroad and language modules build the global perspective modern business demands, directly serving Achievement and Financial Stability values.

Career pathway & earnings

GraduateInternational Business Analyst (€34–40k), Export Executive (€30–36k), Global Operations Coordinator (€32–38k)
Mid-careerInternational Account Manager (€50–70k), Global Strategy Manager (€65–85k)
SeniorVP International Operations (€95–140k), Global Business Development Director (€100–150k)

Growth & development

Graduates with international experience typically command a salary premium over domestic-only business graduates, and the placement year builds cultural intelligence and a second working language.

3. Business Studies – Enterprise & Innovation

Technological University of the Shannon · CAO US852 · Business · NFQ 8
89% match

“Directly targets entrepreneurial ambition with hands-on venture creation and innovation modules.”

  • Entrepreneurial drive
  • Technical innovation aptitude
  • Logical problem-solving
  • Risk-taking confidence
  • Creative thinking

Psychological profile fit

Where a traditional business degree focuses on managing existing organisations, this one is built for creators and builders — a close match for a dominant Enterprising trait paired with perfect Technical aptitude.

Values & motivation alignment

Real venture-creation projects, pitch competitions and TUS's Hartnett Enterprise Acceleration Centre serve Achievement and Leadership values directly.

Career pathway & earnings

GraduateStartup Founder, Business Development Executive (€30–36k), Innovation Coordinator (€32–38k)
Mid-careerEntrepreneur/Business Owner, Innovation Manager (€50–65k), Product Development Lead (€55–70k)
SeniorEarning potential is less linear here — TUS enterprise graduates have gone on to launch businesses across technology, food and professional services.

Growth & development

Regular pitching exercises build verbal communication and presentation skills, and working in startup teams develops leadership through influence rather than authority.

4. Enterprise & Community Engagement

University of Limerick · No standalone CAO code — check the course page for entry route · Business · NFQ 8
88% match

“Combines entrepreneurial passion with community impact — a pathway for socially-conscious business leaders.”

  • Enterprising personality
  • Social awareness
  • Community orientation
  • Leadership potential
  • Strategic thinking

Psychological profile fit

Enterprising and Social traits together suit this programme, which bridges business creation with community development rather than treating them as separate tracks.

Values & motivation alignment

For values that extend past personal achievement toward using business as a force for positive change, this programme pairs business skills with a social framework.

Career pathway & earnings

GraduateSocial Enterprise Manager (€30–36k), Community Development Officer (€32–38k), Business Development Coordinator (€30–35k)
Mid-careerSocial Enterprise Director (€50–65k), Community Impact Manager (€45–60k)
SeniorCEO of Social Enterprise (€70–100k+), Community Development Director (€60–80k)

Growth & development

Ireland's social enterprise sector is growing quickly, with rising government and EU funding for community-focused ventures.

5. Education – Business Studies & Religious Studies

Mary Immaculate College · CAO MI017 · Business · NFQ 8
87% match

“A strategic alternative that combines business expertise with the security and impact of a teaching career.”

  • Business subject expertise
  • Analytical thinking
  • Communication potential
  • Leadership qualities
  • Structured approach

Psychological profile fit

Even where teaching isn't the first instinct, Social and Enterprising traits together make for a strong business-education profile — the best business teachers bring real enterprise thinking into the classroom.

Values & motivation alignment

Teaching offers the financial stability and job security that suit practical values, while a shortage of qualified Business Studies teachers in Ireland means strong graduate prospects.

Career pathway & earnings

GraduateSecondary School Business Teacher (€37–42k starting)
Mid-careerSenior Teacher (€55–65k), Year Head/Subject Coordinator (€60–70k)
SeniorDeputy Principal (€75–90k), Principal (€85–105k)

Growth & development

Standing in front of a class daily is one of the fastest ways to build verbal communication and presentation skills — often the biggest single growth area in a strongly technical profile.

Part three

What the other three tests come back with

Same illustrative fictional profile, same "not a real result" disclaimer as above — a lighter preview of what the Apprenticeship Match Test, PLC Course Match Test and Subject Choice Test each return.

Apprenticeship Match Test — top 3 of 20

Full results include your top 20 SOLAS-registered apprenticeship matches; the real report explains your top 5 in depth.

1. Electrical

SOLAS craft apprenticeship · 4 years · earn-while-you-learn
91% match

“A strong, versatile craft apprenticeship — one of the most established SOLAS routes, with demand across construction, industrial and facilities work nationwide.”

2. Software Development Associate Apprenticeship

Delivered via FIT · Level 6 Higher Certificate
84% match

“Matches a logical, technical profile well — an earn-while-you-learn route into tech that doesn't require a CAO computer science offer.”

3. International Financial Services Apprenticeship

Central Bank of Ireland · Level 6, with National College of Ireland
76% match

“A strong fit for a profile with financial and analytical strengths — a paid route into regulated financial services without a CAO application.”

PLC Course Match Test — top 3 of 10

Full results include your top 10 PLC course matches from a database of over 1,870 courses nationwide.

1. Early Childhood Care and Education

PLC · QQI Level 5/6 · widely available through local ETBs
89% match

“A strong fit for a profile with high Social and Conventional interest scores — a direct route into a hands-on, people-focused career.”

2. Healthcare Support

PLC · QQI Level 5 · a common route into nursing, care and allied health roles
82% match

“Matches a caring, practical profile well, and is commonly used as a stepping stone into a CAO nursing or healthcare course.”

3. Business Administration

PLC · QQI Level 5/6 · run by most ETBs nationwide
74% match

“A solid fit for an organised, Conventional-leaning profile, and a genuine route into office, admin and business-support roles.”

Subject Choice Test — top 3 subjects

Full results include a complete subject-by-subject breakdown with an AI-written summary and a certificate.

1. Design & Communication Graphics

Strong fit · spatial and technical interest
90% match

“High spatial and technical aptitude scores point clearly toward DCG — a strong fit for engineering, architecture or design-leaning CAO courses later.”

2. Biology

Strong fit · investigative interest
85% match

“A strong Investigative score and interest in living systems make this a natural fit, and it keeps healthcare and science CAO routes open.”

3. Applied Maths

Moderate fit · logical reasoning
71% match

“Solid logical reasoning supports this choice, though it's a moderate rather than standout fit — worth weighing against timetable and workload.”

Take the Apprenticeship Match Test — €14.99 · Take the PLC Course Match Test — €14.99 · Take the Subject Choice Test — €14.99 · Get all five in the Full Guidance Package — €49.99

One more voice

What people say after getting their own report

“As a parent, it can be difficult to know how much to get involved when your child is choosing their CAO courses. CourseCompass gave us something useful to discuss together and helped explain why certain courses might suit them. It was a good starting point for having that conversation.”

K
Ken
Parent
CAO Course Match Test

Ready to see your own matches instead of a sample?

Get your own personalised Career Assessment Report — the same structure shown above, built entirely from your own answers.

€34.99 one-time, no subscription
  • A personalised course-match report sent to your email
  • Coverage across CAO Level 6, 7 and 8 courses nationwide
  • Built for Irish Leaving Cert students, in plain language
Secure checkout. You'll be redirected to complete payment, then get instant access.
Questions people actually ask

Before you take it

Is this a real person's results?
No. This sample was generated for a fictional example profile (sample@coursecompass.ie) purely to show the structure and depth of a real report. Your own results will be built entirely from your own answers, and will very likely look nothing like this one.
Will my results look exactly like this?
The structure will be the same — an interests and aptitude breakdown, a values and personality snapshot, and a ranked list of course matches with CAO codes and reasoning — but the actual courses, percentages and career pathways will be entirely your own, based on how you answer.
Why does the sample show five business-related courses?
This particular sample profile scored very highly on Enterprising interests and Logical/Technical aptitude, which is why its top matches cluster around business, enterprise and related education courses. A different profile — say, someone whose strongest traits are Artistic and Social — would come back with a completely different shortlist, potentially spanning several categories.
Are the salary figures on this page accurate?
The salary bands shown are the same illustrative figures included in the sample report, intended to give a general sense of career progression rather than a guarantee. Actual salaries vary by employer, location and experience, and should be treated as a general guide rather than a promise.
How do I get my own report?
Take the CAO Course Match Test — it takes 15–20 minutes and your own report is sent to your email shortly after. Start the test.
Are the Apprenticeship, PLC and Subject Choice previews further down real results too?
No — like the CAO sample above, they're illustrative examples for the same fictional profile, built to show the structure and real course, apprenticeship and subject names each report draws from, not a real test-taker's results.