Construction, engineering and architecture courses have seen a rise in demand signalling a trend that is due to push up college entry points for this year’s school leavers.

Today’s Irish Times reports that the CAO first preferences points are set to rise across a range of courses linked to the building and construction sector, mirroring shifting confidence in the economy.

The number of candidates listing construction as their first choice has more than doubled from 195 to 460 for level 8 honours programmes, while demand for level 7 and 6 construction courses has jumped from 198 to 482. Source: The Irish Times.