On 28 November, 2010 the Irish government entered the European Troika’s bailout programme. The austerity measures that came with it had a demoralising effect on the hundreds of thousands left unemployed after the economic downturn. The consequences of this are that it is the most vulnerable in society who are hit hardest by austerity. So, this thesis uses critical theory as a theoretical framework to highlight how the hidden curriculum contributes to a negative experience in first chance education. Also, the hidden curriculum prepares us for the workplace and contributes to why we tend to succumb to and obey the authority figures we encounter in life. From a Marxist perspective, capitalism is not just about economic exploitation. The ideas of the ruling elite are crucial in supporting this ideology and they depend on consent to maintain their power, which is achieved by controlling influential institutions such as the police, armed forces and the media. In relation to this research, it is the Department of Social Protection and labour market activation that results in job seekers experiencing coercion and forced education. These changes to policy and a renegotiation of the social contract have meant that someone who is in receipt of social welfare payments ”must meet certain conditions or face payment reduction or sanctions if they do not attend meetings or participate in appropriate employment schemes, training or work experience” (Citizens Information, 2017). The methodology used is qualitative and three life history interviews were conducted. This thesis argues that labour market activation policy completely ignores the biographical context of the individual. Ultimately, when you take someone out of their context and then place them in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable environment, it can be a negative experience.