deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I had completed an internship in the summer of second year and I was lucky enough to be offered a job at the end of my internship! This can save you a lot of valuable time during your final year as you don’t have to fill out applications forms / attend interviews.

The recruitment and selection process gives you an opportunity to meet people from the various firms at career fairs, opening evenings etc. I found that this gave me a sense of what each firm is like and what a career in tax would entail. When I was lucky enough to get called for interviews and ultimately get job offers, I felt I was able to make a much more informed decision. Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager

It was a simple process, I applied through the graduate campaign, attended online information sessions, completed the interview process and received an offer soon after, it was very straight forward.

Fiona O'SullivanChild Protection and Welfare Social Worker I took over my fathers business in 2008, the worst possible time for those in the construction business. We originally had a staff of eight men which was cut back to two, we now have four men employed and we can see further prospects for employment in the near future. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator I started in Intel as a graduate process engineer. My manager asked me during my regular one-on-one meetings, where I envision myself in the group for the upcoming new technology. It was here that I was able to express my interest in the ‘tool install’ area.

It wasn’t until many months later, after I had completed an assignment in the US, that I was asked to move to the Install-Qual group. It was great to evidence the personal interest that my manager had in my career progression to encourage this opportunity and this seems to be a value that Intel actively encourages in management. Darryl DayIQ Engineer After some time off directly after college, I applied for an ICT Graduate placement. ICT Ireland provides graduates with the opportunity for placements with participating companies. I was successful in getting an 11 month placement in Intel, in the Unit Level Failure Analysis group.

After the 11 month placement I was offered a full time position within the same group. After working for approximately 1 year in that role I changed job role to work with the Yield Analysis group. Deborah CaffreyElectronic Engineer

While in Secondary School Intel came on a Road Show advertising their products, what they did and what kind of careers they had to offer. They also advertised the fact that they offered scholarships in the field of Engineering to Students entering into third level education. Hence I decided to investigate and applied for this programme and was successful in receiving Intel's Women in Technology Undergraduate Scholarship. With this scholarship came the opportunity to come work in Intel for 2 summers while I was in college, which I did.

On leaving college I then found there was an opening in Intel for a Manufacturing Engineer. I applied for the Job and after 3 interviews I got the Job. During my time as a Manufacturing Engineer I had the opportunity to live in Portland, Oregon for a year and have traveled to America on business on numerous occasions.

After three and a half years as a Manufacturing Engineer I decided to pursue a career in Process Engineering and I have been doing this now for three years within Intel. There is always the chance to learn, grow and develop within Intel and there are opportunities to move from department to department, as I have experienced.

Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process

I was contacted by a recruitment consultant who described the role and enquired if I was interested. I expressed an interest and an interview was arranged. I was interviewed by HR and my current boss. It was a general interview exploring pharmaceutical experience to date, general interests etc.

I was invited to attend for a second interview, again with HR and my current boss. This was a more specific interview based on the star interview model (situation, task, action taken, result). I was presented with a number of situations (20-30) to describe what was the action I had taken and the outcome. Th recruitment consultant then arranged a medical test and reference check.and I was informed in a number of days that I had been successful and the company would like to make an offer. The company contacted me directly and made an offer. I had some extra requests and these were met. I accepted the role. The entire process took about two months.

Michael BohaneQA Manager When I was in College, I spoke to a Musgrave representative at a careers fair. They spoke about the benefits of the programme and told me about the history of the business. From that conversation I decided to apply for the Graduate Programme. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme I did a Diploma in QA in NUI Galway which was fulltime until one got a Tuesday to Friday work placement. I got a placement in a chip manufacturing entity in Dublin. After this year long diploma, courtesy of my mother spotting a job advertisement, I got a permanent job in Iarnrod Eireann in the Technical Department in Inchicore Works, where locomotives, carriages, etc. are maintained.

I was involved in many interesting projects, mostly specifying and buying vehicles, e.g. the first Arrows, and this made me competent in contracts and legal issues relating to procurement. I was there from 1992 to 1997 and left primarily for a change and for more money!

I then worked for a number of years through agencies working for various pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, a year here, a year there, and the work, surprisingly, was like the previous railway work: specifiying and procuring; only this time it was things like high-speed Tube-filling machines, etc. Next, out of the blue, I got a call from a businessman who had gotten my name from Iarnrod Eireann and he offerred me a car, nice salary and a permanent sales engineering job, selling Bus, Truck and Railway parts, with the CIE companies being my main customer. That was interesting but hectic. A

fter one year, again I was appraoched (as opposed to applying) and was asked (because of a lack of people with railway engineering experience) if would I be available to supervise the manufacture of the Luas Vehicles in France! Of course I was! That was 18 years ago and, a couple of years after my return from France, I was made permanent and promoted to Rolling Stock Manager. 18 years later and I'm still here! Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland The job was advertised in the paper and on the council website. I filled in the application, waited patiently for an interview, and happy days, here I am. Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer Setup on my own in 1992. Ray PowerPotter I have a background in Agriculture. I grew up working on various farm machinery. I had a part time job in Combilift while I was studying at University. Combilift are great for accommodating summer work opportunities across various departments. I gained hands-on experience on assembly lines where I seen the process come together. I got to see a truck go from a bare chassis right through to a truck ready for delivery. It helped me to gain knowledge on building a truck through Combilift standards. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer I was working in the agency side of the business carrying out commercial lettings on behalf of landlords, I spotted my current job on LinkedIn and it really appealed to me as I always had an interest in working for Aviva. My experience is predominantly in retail, so this aligned with Aviva's fund having a number of retail assets. I had an interest in moving to the client side also.

Given it was during a pandemic having applied online everything was done virtually from initial discussions to interviews, the interview process consisted of two interviews with the second being a presentation. My direct line manager called to say I was successful, and this was followed up with an offer letter from HR. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager I applied through publicjobs.ie and was guided through the process. Mark Spain Garda Trainee I got my first job with St Michael's House through answering an advert in a local newspaper. I attended an interview with a panel of three people and was informed by letter that I had been successful. I was then covering a maternity leave vacancy, when a full time post became available in the unit.  I applies for the position, attended an interview and was successful. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant I applied to Intel after leaving college through their online jobs applications. I applied to an unspecified Process Engineer position and was called for an interview for the planar department a few months later. Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer I sent my C.V. and a cover letter to the school. Paul GalvanResource Teacher There are a couple of ways that singers are hired for work, one is via auditions. Typically at an audition, you are invited to sing for an opera house or casting director, you bring 5 pieces with you, and they provide a pianist (sometimes there is no time allowed to rehearse with the pianist beforehand!) and you sing 2-3 pieces from your list, and based on what they hear, if they like you and have something suitable to cast, then you're in luck!

More often than not though, singers will be cast because a director or conductor has worked with them before and knows they would be suitable, or they'll have seen them on stage or in concert and want to work with them based on that. So it's really important that when you're performing, it's to the best of your ability. You never know who's in the audience! Sharon CartyOpera Singer

Each year from December to February, Air Corps cadetships are advertised on National TV and the National Newspapers. Applications for this can be found online or by applying to the Defence Force competitions section.

I applied by sending for an application form and filling it in. The applications are generally due in at the end of Febuaury (the online applications are more popular now). Within one month of applying, I received a letter inviting me for fitness testing at Baldonnel. Details for the fitness test can be found in the Cadetship booklet, which is available online/career days/Defence Force competition section.

On passing my fitness test I was invited to attend a preliminary interview. This was with 3 air corps personnel and took place in Baldonnel also. This was a competency based interview, details of which is in the cadetship booklet. I was successful in the preliminary  interview and was then invited to attend for Apptitude testing. This took a full day, and involved a number of apptitude tests including numerical tests, mechanical reasoning and verbal reasoning.

I was notified that I was successful in the apptitude tests and was called to the final interview stage. This includes a final interview, hand-eye co-ordination tests and a psychological evaluation. This also takes a full day and took place in PARC Aviation, Swords, Co.Dublin. It is from this stage that the final Air Corps candidates are chosen.

I was chosen in my year to be one of four cadets to be taken in. (Classes have normally between 5-10 people) I was notified on the day the CAO offers came out of my success in the process and I accepted my place. I was then called for a Medical evaluation at the end of August and started my training at the end of September.

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp A friend working within the company. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. Main challenges Given the economic difficulties of the past few years I would say that the main challenge in working in financial services is gaining the customers trust. Clients are now more careful and in many cases very cautious about dealing with financial services providers.

However in many ways this can be looked upon as a positive as it give us a chance to showcase our knowledge and capabilities and sell ourselves to the customer and thus building up relationships. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator Dealing with things that don’t work is the main challenge. You are doing research into a new area, so many things work, but many things do not work. It is not a series of great discoveries, but a series of non-discoveries and hopefully one discovery over a period of years. Cecilia FenechEnvironmental Scientist I recently worked on a project where the scope of the project was constantly changing and we were under considerable pressure to complete the project by an agreed deadline. How I dealt with this is by working efficiently, being decisive and helping out the team in whatever way I could to ensure we met our commitment to our client. Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager Its not without its challenges in terms of the changes that are happening globally and in every industry but even more so in a regulated environment that comes with additional challenges but I’m up for it. Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB The most difficult part of my job is Managing my managers! This is especially difficult in the Public Sector where one can feel that as much or even more time is spent on ensuring that we can be SEEN, in time, to have done the right thing over and above the time taken to actually do it. This is to bolster ourselves for future questionning (e.g. in a Public Accounts Committee hearing) wherein it is easy to criticise.

Also, the VERY Risk Averse nature of things means that sometimes a large capital expenditure approval might take 1 or 2 years when in a private sector environment it might take months. This is due to the number of government agencies things must go through, often with each one getting their own independent consultants to review matters. As for Technical Challenges, in the light of the above, no matter how difficult they are, they're easy! Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland The main challenges are: - the ever tightening quotas - the increasing costs of running vessels. - finding crew - Departmental constraints Alan O'NeillFisherman AIB is quite new back to the market in the Graduate Space – Playing catch up but we are very fast to do so. Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead Writing. The idea of making it scientific, concise and understandable at the same time are relatively challenging for me (especially coming from a person whose country is not a native English-speaking country). That’s why I have to read more journals than others so that I can grasp a solid and coherent way to write my paper Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI Each child is different and has his or her own difficulties. In a class of nine their may be as many as nine dramatically different levels of reading/ writing/ spelling ability. Knowing at what level to pitch a lesson can be challenging. This is why we practice a lot of group work/ games and learning activities in this school to meet the needs of the children, and ensure they are working within their own abilities while still being challenged and motivated Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs Some days, we would have a challenge for sales, some days we've technical problems, or staffing issues, or weather; we're down in Midleton so when you've bad storms the river floods and breaks its banks or you get power cuts. It very much varies depending on the time of year and what's going on. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre We are a small company and we need to be able to react quickly to survive in a challenging and competitive commercial environment. From a personal perspective this means constantly ensuring that all the team "are singing from the same hymn sheet" and that everyone is focused on fully realising the commercial opportunity which presents itself at the time.

This can be challenging particularly in a research based company where sometimes ruthless decisions have to made with respect to dropping certain lines of experimental investigation. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur To try to accommodate all walks of people, as the products I work on could potentially be in every home. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer

The main challenges for me are:

• Dealing with the dynamics of clients in the house and how they interact (why and how they get on or don't ), identifying skills that they may need help with in order to learn how to get on better and finding ways we can teach these
• Liaising with the wider organisation in finding solutions for problems
• Developing new areas and generally increasing the potential for our clients in how they live and what they can expect from the service
• Working with a large team of people from different backgrounds, cultures and with different values and beliefs, all which affect our work and how we see our clients and our work
• Our clients may not be able to communicate properly what is wrong and therefore may display behaviour which is not appropriate or which is aggressive or antisocial. This is a challenge to encourage good behaviour and give them other more positive and mature ways of communicating their problems.

Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker Main challenges we face at the moment would probably still be cost. Cost is top of everybody’s agenda so that is a huge factor.

Notwithstanding that we try to demonstrate how we add significant value to the client and that helps us to become a trusted partner. Karl CurranAssociate Director The main challenge for me is time management. I have a large number of responsibilities to carry out and due to the varied nature of any given project it can be hard to stick to a plan on a daily basis.

Once you deviate from a plan you must try and catch up some other time which tends to lead to additional hours. I don’t mind this because I prefer to be on top of things rather than lagging behind. Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry Our work often involves deadlines. A client might require advice in a short time frame as they are under pressure to make a decision. We are often under pressure with tight deadlines in court cases. A judge might order that we need to file a court document setting out our client's case or defence within a week.

The document could go through a number of drafts and be reviewed by and contributed to by a number of people such as a few people on behalf of the client, the barrister and a partner in our firm and in this way it may take a lot of time to finalise. Although time-pressured and sometimes stressful, working in such an environment for long hours and working closely with great minds can be interesting and exciting! Niamh CacciatoSolicitor Negative stereotyping towards Gardaí can be challenging, however if treated fairly people more often than not respond very positively. Emilia GilroyGarda

• The variety of the job
• Human nature
• Ensuring that the school survives in the economic climate in which we find ourselves
• Continuing development and school improvement

Paul MeanySchool Principal The constant striving to achieve perfection in all tasks I complete. Working under time constraints and strict deadlines in a disciplined environment. Your interpersonal skills and communication ability must be excellent. Tom TooherLieutenant - Army Managing a busy caseload can be a challenge at times particularly when you are splitting your time between a number of locations. Also due to the current economic situation there is less money available to develop services and fund equipment. Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist Typical day Back to back meetings, most of which have decision points. It can feel sometimes like I'm not making much headway, but when you stand back, each of those decisions is a step on the broader plan. Richard KinsellaManaging Director The most typical thing about my days is the fact that they all tend to be busy!

Days vary quite significantly in and out of term. Out of term days will be focused on course development, lecture preparation and research. In term, I generally try to have one day a week where I try to focus on research activity - at the moment I'm preparing two papers, one to present at a conference of researchers, and the other I'm preparing to submit for publication in a journal.

However, in reality this time tends to be distributed throughout the week. I have a network of people with whom I am developing my research. They are predominantly based in Ireland and the UK, but I am also developing some projects with European academics. So there may be e-mails or phone calls about something!

Otherwise, my days consist of a mix of teaching, an open office-hour where students can come to discuss their courses, assignments or concerns and administration. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer A typical day at Johnston Central Library, will begin at 9.45 am. In the morning there is lots to do such as shelving returned stock, or displaying the new batch of daily papers.

The library doors open at 10.30am, and immediately the show gets on the road, it can be very busy, but we have an excellent staff team to share the workload. The mornings are also reserved for schools to visit and select new books. My job also requires me to offer storytelling, games and activities to the schools who visit us.

Another area of work is that of the libraries excellent local history service. Each staff member has had training in local history studies and our assistance may be sought on a wide range of topics. I will often assist at events held in the library, these may include author visits or the launch of an art exhibition.

The library provides internet access which is very popular. The front desk duties involve registering new clients, issuing and checking in loan materials on our automated system. The library also facilitates groups with a meeting area; those who avail of this service include Irish language groups, reading groups and other community-based bodies. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant The typical type of work I do includes working on group reorganisations, financing project and trade transfers. More recently, I have also been involved in a number of large property transactions. I am constantly in contact with other professional bodies, such as solicitors and banks. I would be in regular contact with Revenue, as part of my day to day work. Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager There is a lot of diversity working with J&J and there isn’t any set routine. I like to rise early - in a previous life I used to do a lot of training. With this job, some days I’m working offsite, some days I’m working in different countries or with people in different time zones so there are no two days the same. I generally finish about six in the evening. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer I aspire to work 5 days a week (8am to 4pm) however since I am an entrepreneur who founded a start-up food company so my working hours can be less or more depending on the week and its demands. I don’t have a typical day. The advantages to being my own boss is that I can be flexible with my time to suit my family (I have 2 kids). This is really important for me. In turn, I need to make up for this time another way so I often work after the kids go to bed and sometimes I need to work on the weekends (in this case I’ll try to get another day back to spend time with my family). Balance is really important for me. Running my own company is demanding and challenging however I love what I do so I wouldn’t change it for anything! Fiona UyemaChef

• Main thing to note is ‘no two days are the same’
• Recruitment can change day to day
• One day – attending Grad Fairs, spending time meeting students and selling AIB as a great place to work
• Next day- Screening candidates, setting up interviews
• Next day- Making offers
• Works in cycles and this forms a typical day  

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead

I typically work a regular weekday, however I like the flexibility that my job as Clinical Psychologist allows. Sometimes I might arrive in earlier, for example, to prepare for a Memory Clinic for older people with dementia. Other days I might stay a bit later if we’re running a Parenting Skills Group, for example.

On a usual day I come into my clinic-based office and check phone or email messages and respond to them. Then I might have a Clinic Team Meeting which is where members of the multi-disciplinary team (e.g. Social Worker, Psychiatrist, Occupational Therapist) meet to discuss referrals or ongoing clinical work. Then I might have an appointment with someone either for assessment (e.g. a cognitive assessment or IQ test) or therapy (e.g. psychotherapy).

In the afternoon I might have appointments out in the community, for example, with a teacher in a special school about a particular student, or in a residential home with a Social Care Worker about someone living there. A regular part of my work throughout the week involves reviewing research studies and programmes as part of my planning clinical interventions for individual people or situations.

Once a week I have a meeting with my Head of Department where we review the people and cases on my ‘caseload’ and I find this meeting very useful. At the end of the day I spend some time writing up my clinical notes, scoring up any assessments I did that day, liaising with my colleagues around any tasks that came out of my work that day, and finally planning my work schedule for the next day. Then I leave the Clinic to enjoy my evening!

Elaine MacDonaldPsychologist - Clinical Until recently, a typical day as an astrobiologist could range from collecting extremophiles on the surface of a glacier in Greenland; performing experiments in various laboratories; doing data analyses at university/research institutions; to being part of simulated Martian missions. Now, in a more managerial role, I also lead meetings, go to conferences, represent SOSA and my country at diverse meetings (for example at ESA headquarters) and design very big international projects. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services

• 6am - 7am - Emails and Admin
• 7am - First Appointment
• 2pm - End of Clinic
  
  
• 4pm - May start second Clinic
• 9pm - Finish of Clinic
  
  

 

Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist

I start work at 9.30am. and I am responsible for all the Health Care Assistants in the hospital. Every Monday I prepare and validate salary returns for the Accounts Department. I take phone calls from the various ward managers and meet with my staff on a regular basis. I am also in contact with recruitment agencies to fill staff shortages.

It is a very busy department. If I am not at meetings and negotiating with staff representative bodies on matters pertaining to the Health Care Assistants, I could be on the wards assessing staff performance or assessing the practical skills of those staff doing their FETAC Level 5 training. I am also involved in the interviewing and the selection of staff, look after the rosters and manage sick leave, etc.

Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 Check to-do list written previous evening. Check emails & reply. Weave and organise completion of various production tasks

Allocate time to marketing & promotion, finance management & accounts. Updating my Website. Ongoing maintenance of equipment. Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver My typical day involves ensuring that my staff have sufficient work to keep them busy so they’re not idle. I feel it’s crucial to have plenty of interesting and challenging work to keep you occupied. Oz IlbrahmiManufacturing Specialist A typical day in fund accounting is very busy, with preparation tasks split into four pods, each prep assuming one role. Our work is driven by deadlines so you can see on the allocation what time each task has to be completed by. It's important for us to be able to meet deadlines as delays can affect others down the line. As well as daily workloads, we also complete monthly tasks and reporting that's due at various points throughout the month based on deadlines. Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice A typical day would start with planning the day’s work ahead for all labour and sub-contractors on site and ensuring that they have the required material and tools to carry out their work.

Next would be to check up on correspondence/ e-mails which must be attended to.

Generally then I would review information that is required to keep progress going on site which would entail requesting or giving information to the design team.

Depending on the size of the project that you are on you could have to attend meetings every day or less frequently depending on scale of project.

Having the required information and research done for each meeting is vital. Creating and maintaining progress reports also falls under my role which is important to keep the project team up to speed on where the project is at any given time.

Each day you would have to allocate time to plan ahead where you would look 2 weeks ahead and beyond. Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry Being a Garda is different from other jobs where you have a pre-set task ahead. Everyday is different from the other, but a typical day starts with a parade in the station where you get briefed of any situation at hand, this is followed by regular beat patrol within the community, attending to calls and needs of the public. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve A lot of my duties as a Revenue Auditor are carried on outside the office, either at the tax payer’s premises or that of their adviser / agent. The Audit process involves me preparing my file following an analysis of the taxpayers tax returns and other information, which allows me to prepare my Audit Plan and I carry this into the initial ( and possible subsequent) interviews with the tax payer and / or their advisers.
I will also examine / analyse the books and records, which will allow me to arrive at my Audit findings, which I will present to the taxpayer and their adviser / agent. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer A typical day in Customer Care for me consists of Working directly with my team leaders to plan and organise call centre operations for the day ahead.

- Resolving complex insurance issues and managing customer complaints.
- Monitoring and analysing trends, metrics and customer feedback to ensure that we are consistently offering an excellent service.
- Liaising with other operational managers to ensure a concerted approach to organisational goals and projects
- Supporting and mentoring staff towards achieving goals and targets daily
- Working closely with Insurer Partners to resolve any potential issues and improve delivery and efficacy of service between both parties in the best interests of our mutual customers.
- Looking at process and service enhancements that will positively impact our customer’s experience. Nicole FeigheryCustomer Care Manager

There is no typical day. For example one day I could be involved in training soldiers, another in unit administration, another I could even be deployed overseas.

I am mainly employed in a leadership/management role with responsibilities for unit training, career development and operations. There is constant pressure being placed in a leadership role but that's just part of the job. The rewards are good, good opportunities to travel and to be promoted.

Tom TooherLieutenant - Army A day of a CEO in a start-up company is anything but typical. I could be talking to customers, making financial models, discussing stock options with my legal team, hiring new engineers or brainstorming on our algorithms with the technical team. All of which are fascinating and I am learning a lot, every single day. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies Further training... Written interview unavailable... Mary McCaugheyHead of Communications I had no teaching experience before going on the JET Programme so I took an online TEFL course while I was over there. I also continued to study Japanese and took the Japanese Language Proficiency Test while I was there. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy I would like to develop more into software programming and networking to further enhance my skills. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer I continue to avail of all of the wonderful training workshops and online courses made available to us by Failte Ireland and the LEO Offices. We are extremely lucky in this country for all of the supports and resources available to businesses. Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms

After completing my BSc in Physiotherapy, and then changing my career path, I worried a lot about doing the ‘right’ course this time around. In hindsight I probably was overthinking things! Within my first few years in AIB, I finished my exams to become a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA). This was a big achievement, and felt like a real milestone in establishing my career on the business side. I took a few years off studying to find a course that suited where I wanted to go, and recently completed a Diploma in Digital Transformation (Financial Services) awarded by UCD. I was delighted to receive a first class honours in this course, as it almost proved to myself that this is an area in which I thrive. This Diploma is a stepping stone to a wider Masters in Financial Services which I’m hoping to complete over the coming three years.

AIB have supported all my post graduate education to date – definitely another perk to the job!  Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB I have undertaken courses in Professional Development every summer since I began teaching and I have recently applied for a Masters in Visual Arts Practices in Dun Laoighaire - which is a two year part time course. Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs Yes I am currently undertaking further training as I am studying a masters degree in Automation Engineering at UCC. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer I am currently studying Project Management. Sinead KennyDesign Engineer No plans in the short term. Ray PowerPotter In our organisation, continuous learning and personal development are encouraged. As part of my role, I attend training workshops on a regular basis which are facilitated by our learning and development team.

We also have access to an online academy where there is a library of courses available at our disposal. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations

Training and upskilling is always part of working within the HSE. Numerous courses are available within the HSE and I will certainly start a new course in the near future. However I don't think I will take on something as big as the Masters for another few years (family time is prime time!).

Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager I have gone on several public speaking and media training courses. Also, because my job requires a reasonably high level of computer programming skill, I am always learning on the job.

I may at some point do some further training, but I’m less than two years out of my PhD, so I think I need a little bit of a break from exams! Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist I have undertaken a part time masters over the last 2 years. As part of my role I must take part in continued professional development (CPD) which ensures that professional personal continue to develop themselves after they have obtained their degree and job.

Construction like many other industries is always evolving and so you have to be willing to learn new techniques to complete your role efficiently and effectively, Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry I don't plan any further formal training, but I have a singing teacher (a bit like a coach for an athlete) with whom I regularly study, it's important to touch base with a pair of trusted ears. As a singer (differently to instrumentalists) we depend a lot on outside feedback, because often we can't discern ourselves how well something is carrying in a concert hall, or what sound is best for a particular phrase, so having an expert you trust is really important! Sharon CartyOpera Singer You never stop learning. Training and coursework are vital aspects of my job. Technology changes quickly, so you always have to be prepared to learn something new. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician

There are ongoing training opportunities in this job which are organised and facilitated by the HSE. Training pertinent to Social Work is actively promoted by the agency. For example, I have completed courses in the following:

• domestic violence,
  
• mental health,
  
• framework of assessments when working with families and children,
• attachment theory in practice etc.
  

Also there are opportunities for a social worker to take on students for their college placements which mainly involves being their ‘mentor’ while they gain work experience in your agency setting.

At present, I am also considering doing a part-time two year course in addiction studies and counselling. The benefits of a Social Work Qualification is that it opens many 'doors' and provides much opportunity to explore or specialise in other related areas.

Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker Yes I have and willing to do more. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve Yes, with previous roles, I’ve undertaken targeted software training courses. However, largely these have been self-directed, rather than any company strategy. Depending on the organisation, training budgets have been limited. Therefore, I’ve consistently taken the opportunity read around my subjects and take evening courses to supplement my skills. Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist Not immediately as I’ve just finished my Higher Diploma within the last year and that was very intense, with a massive commitment needed from me and my family. However there is compulsory refresher training and clinical up skilling on an ongoing basis that I’ll need to do. As you can see from above there is never a shortage of courses or further education open to Paramedics and Advanced Paramedics and no doubt in the near future there will be a course or position that I fancy advertised on the notice board. Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic Further expanding my knowledge and understanding of sprint mechanics Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist Advice if considering this job I think a career in tax is very rewarding and is an enjoyable career. There are a varied number of jobs which are available to someone with a tax qualification, including private practice, industry, Revenue, lecturing etc. The role of a tax adviser in practice or indeed within Revenue is, in my experience, extremely varied and challenging.

I would advise college students who are considering a career in tax to look into placements offered by their colleges / summer internships. I know from my time spent in private practice that a great number of the bigger accountancy / tax practice offer such positions to college students. This is a great way for such students to get a feel for what a career in tax entails and will help them in making a decision as to whether or not tax is something that they would enjoy. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer I would advise anyone starting out to get in touch with people in the industry. Ask plenty of questions and get a part-time job in the field you are interested in. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer I would advise to any young person to go to college first and/or travelling and gain some life experience as this will help you deal/cope with situations a lot better. Niamh BriggsGarda It is a fast-paced environment, and you have to be able to work as part of a team and find creative solutions to unique problems. Megan WalshMechanical Engineer

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down”  

Damien HaberlinEcologist (Post-Doctoral Researcher)

Be open minded – a career in Finance doesn’t sound the most riveting at times. But if I told you that I worked in one of Ireland’s leading technology companies would that change your view?

You don’t need to be the most tech savy individual, but once you have a passion for all things digital, and want to create customer first solutions, considering a job in this field could definitely be something for you.

 

Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB I would advise those considering the job to be patient and to be good at what you are doing and when the opportunity comes to join An Garda Siochana just take it!.

If you are part of a minority group in Ireland and considering joining An Garda Síochána then my advice to you is to go for it because as a foreign national working in the organisation I promise there is no discrimination in An Garda Síochána. Nan Hu Garda Ignore the stereotypes, or even better, use them as motivation! Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist Enjoy the wild ride after you enroll in a course. It is bumpy and challenging, but where is the fun in life if there is no challenge?  Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI When I filled in my CAO form, I had no idea that "Computational Material Scientist" was a job. I chose my course based only on the fact that physics and maths were my favourite subjects. If you know you love science, but aren't sure exactly what jobs exist, rest assured that people with scientific training will always be in demand by employers. Nuala CaffreyResearch Fellow in Computational Physics

A caring attitude is essential for Health and Safety – you need to be passionate about getting the message across to people and telling them why it is so important. After all, no-one wants to see anyone suffer harm or be in pain.

For astronomy, a yearning for answering the unanswered questions is a must. You also need to be dedicated and focused and not put off by the weather

Dave McDonaldAstronomer Some of the best people I know still aren’t sure what they want to do, my advice would be to give it a go. If you don’t like it you can always try something else. Whatever is in your heart follow it, don’t be something just because someone in your family is. Whether you’re looking to be a leader, a designer or come up with new ideas and a better way of doing things, make sure it’s something that fills you with passion. Donal Og CusackAutomation/Energy Engineer

• You will need a genuine interest in people, ie good customer skills.
• You must have good communication skills and a knowledge and liking of books.
• Organising and putting yourself forward for projects is something you will need to do.
• Enthusiasm is essential.

Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant I would offer 3 pieces of advice:

- Have a open mind and embrace change in order to grow
- Believe in yourself and your team - anything is possible!
- Be a problem solver, any problem big or small has a solution if you commit to finding one. Nicole FeigheryCustomer Care Manager Do your best to find out the most you can about your specific engineering category, whether it be Electronics, Mechanical, Civil etc. Approach companies to try and get experience whilst you are at college, that way you have a running start on how to use the most up to date packages and instruments that companies have, and that then gets you the work experience when you finish college. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer Go for it – it’s a great job. Des LalorWind Engineer Follow your interests. The people I know who are happiest in their jobs (including myself) are the people who have pursued the things that interest them most not necessarily the things that will pay best or have the highest status. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer Take every opportunity available, don't be afraid to do voluntary work and get involved in communities. Aishling ButlerGarda Trainee Don't just go into teaching because you are looking for long holidays. To teach everyday you need to like children, be very patient and understanding. However I feel it is one of the most rewarding jobs out there. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher Engineering in general is an extremely broad career and can lead to you many different applications and many different parts of the world. It’s also a career which can give you a set of skills highly adaptable to other careers. In Intel the same applies. Day to day the job changes so being able to change with the job is important. Make sure you are adaptable and can apply your skills in many different situations. Rebecca TigheProcess Engineer The lifestyle Yes certainly, the hours can sometimes be long but also very rewarding. It's what I love and it's what I know so I'll be sticking to it. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator Yes. It is reasonably paid. I'm lucky to have a secure job, although increasingly people can spend relatively significant periods of time doing contract work. It is quite a family-friendly role, in that the working hours have some flexibility and there is scope to vary the time spent on non-teaching related activities, if required.

There are clear criteria for progression - related to teaching, research contribution and personal contribution to the running of the business school. Working in a university provides access to all of the associated leisure facilities - there is a superb sports center here, though I don't make as much use of it as I should. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Yes, definitely! Contrary to popular belief, I have great work-life balance at RCSI, mainly because their PhD structural programme allows students to be more independent and flexible with their time. They do organize various exciting activities that you can attend while waiting for your experiment to finish. All in all, good time management is important to keep a balanced lifestyle no matter what job/ career you have in life Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI I am currently working a 35 hour week. The week usually flies by, because work is quite busy at times but also very challenging. Sometimes you may have to work beyond the 35 hours but effort by employees is readily acknowledged by management.

My current job allows for adequate time off, which allows for good quality time with family and friends. It also offers ample opportunity for leisure activities and a good work life balance. So I have no excuse for "lack of exercise ". Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager

My current role allows me to maintain a healthy work / life balance. I have a family with four children which takes up a large amount of time. I am active in a number of sports especially rugby and triathlon, also time consuming. I have progressed in my career satisfactorily so far but I would still have ambitions to progress further.

The company I currently work with encourages such ambition and allows people to seek responsibility and develop. It is important for a company to reward good / excellent performance and I am fortunate to work for such a company. Financial reward, while not being the most important aspect, is still important. My current role within the pharmaceutical industry pays well especially since I gained the Qualified Person qualification in 2001.

Michael BohaneQA Manager Getting the work life balance is difficult, made even more so by the current economic climate. However the crossover between work and home is something I am comfortable with. Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver It does. Always room for improvement! Owen HughesManufacturing Technician Yes, I enjoy my weekends off and I also get to keep another passion of mine alive in my spare time which is farming. A great work-life balance! Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer I always knew I’d prefer a “Monday to Friday” type job with regular hours where you can plan ahead more easily and have two consecutive days off each week. Since I’ve had kids, it works well to be off at weekends. I feel I’ve got job security in my current role and I like that there’s a clear progression path, with ample opportunities to progress for those who wish to avail of them. Orla AherneInvestment Consultant Yes. The time off is very substantial. After working for six days straight you get four days off in a row.

As a family man it means I can spend time with my children and do any jobs I need to during these four days. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda Yes absolutely, I enjoy my work and this has a positive knock on effect on my personal life. I believe if you are happy in your professional environment that has a positive knock on effect on your personal life.

My job is such that it does not impede on my personal life and I have time to do the things I enjoy. Kevin MoranInsurance Administrator

My current job as a Senior Quality Officer affords me the ability to enjoy a reasonably high standard of living. I earn a good wage which allows me to live in a nice area, pay my mortgage, run my car etc while still leaving enough financial freedom to enjoy a nice social life and other activities. That said I'm not off on several holidays a year by any means. One a year is good going but with financial discipline, money can be put aside for it.

My job is reasonably flexible around my lifestyle as I no longer work shift. As a QA analyst (the job I held before I became a senior QA Officer) I was on four and three shift rotations. In such a role you're taking over from the previous shift and handing over to the next so the hours you are present on site are strictly controlled. On day shift as a senior QA officer if for some reason I need to leave a few minutes early on a given day I can come in early (with managements approval of course). I should mention that shift work can be very difficult at times and nobody I've ever met has had an easy time with it (especially night shifts).

My current role involves no shift work which is great for meeting up with friends and family. All said I have a good quality of life. Owing to the demands of my job for meeting my own deadlines and those of the people who report to me, it can be hard to switch off after work. Frequently I find myself thinking over issues from work while at home. As one rises in levels through a company I'm sure this becomes a more frequent thing and possibly even a necessary one at times.

Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer One of the undisputed benifits of primary teaching are the hours! It allows you spend a lot of time with family.Without wishing to sound sexist it is an ideal job for somebody with small children as your hours and holidays coincide with theirs.It is also a secure job and has a very attractive pension.The downside is it doesn't have great progression opportunities especially in small schools. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher My job allows me to work flexible hours where I can be off during the week which allows me more free time to spend with family and also to pursue other interests.

I like the different hours and the variety in your week where you can have - 3 lie-ins a week or other times you can be finished work at 12 midday and have the whole day to yourself.

Each week is different and that suits me as I don't like to follow a strict routine, I like the freedom to be different! Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker It does, I’m lucky enough to be able to work remotely for 50% of my week. Allowing me some flexibility to do things outside of work, like fit in a run around the lovely countryside and spend time at home rather than on a commute. Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist Yes, right now I’m focused on learning and progressing my career and thankfully that is encouraged in my job and industry. Job security and work-life balance are also valued. And there are opportunities to travel and meet colleagues from across the global organization. Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist

Lots of my friends don't work in corporate jobs and when I was younger I used to wonder if maybe I should have chosen something more glamourous or more obviously beneficial like a charity but over time I realised that I was really lucky to work for a corporate company. Firstly, you get a lot of benefits such as healthcare, bonuses, plush office environment, wellbeing initiatives, generous pension schemes and more which means your working environment is nice and you don't have to worry about money so much.

But the thing it took me a while to realise is that if you can make a difference working at a large corporate the difference you can make to the larger world is actually huge, when big companies start focusing on things like Diversity and Sustainability this can influence things at a global level. Working for an international company I also get to work with people all over the world and in the past I used to travel to some of our other offices in Europe and India which was fantastic as your colleagues would take you out to dinner and show you the sights. One time I got to visit the Taj Mahal

Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead

My current job is nine to five, Monday to Friday with around 5 weeks annual leave per year so it allows plenty of time for leisure activities, family, friends etc. Other hospitals I have worked in had a weekend/on-call rota but it was easy enough to organise my social life around this. The job comes with a decent salary and I am pretty much able to take holidays and treat myself to the odd shopping trip or whatever as I please (within reason)!  I am very happy with the lifestyle working as a hospital pharmacist allows me to have.

There are opportunities for career progression as a hospital pharmacist although compared to the NHS the HSE has some catching up to do. Hopefully the role will develop in the coming years as it has in the NHS where pharmacists are becoming highly specialised, have prescribing rights and are integrated more fully into the healthcare team. From my experience of the HSE there isn't really a structured training/career path after registration that all pharmacists follow but there are plenty of opportunities if you go out and look for them.

Rachel BerryPharmacist In work, we are actively encouraged to ensure that we achieve a good career and personal life balance. I just try to ensure that I work as efficiently as I can when I am in the office which enables me to do activities in the evenings and weekends. I am a member of a number of clubs which also helps me to get a good balance. Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager I'm lucky to be part of a supportive team that encourages work/life balance, it is so important to remember to keep active and see friends and family even during busy times. Amy O’DwyerAssociate Sustainability Advisor Whats cool Every day is different! I never have time to get bored, and there’s always something to learn; new equipment, unfamiliar processes, technical challenges.  Great for a curious mind!  I also get to work with most departments on a daily basis: Lab, Quality, Technical Operations, Site Services, IT, Engineering, so get a good awareness of what is happening around the site. Rachel BennettIndustrial Pharmacist I love the fact that every day is different. Some days I spend all day in the office to catch up on admin. Other days I work offsite at events or festivals. I get bored easily so I like the diversity. Fiona UyemaChef Everything that I make goes into space, it's nice to know your own contribution to every launch is so valuable. Developing a new manufacturing process is pretty cool too. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician It’s cool that the work I’m involved with makes the news on a regular basis. For example, when Cassini flew past the moon Enceladus and the data indicated that there was a plume of water ions coming out of the moon, that made the news.

That discovery was led by the magnetometer team, of which I am a member, so it’s great to see the general public interested in what we do!

It's also nice to get to travel to conferences all around the world. I have been to meetings in San Francisco, Texas, Vienna, Italy, Germany, Wales.... Caitriona JackmanPlanetary Scientist The variety (two days are rarely the same) and the fact that I can control how my career develops. You are given a lot of freedom by the university to research what is most interesting to you, and this can change over time. I think the opportunities for international travel with a stable Irish base are great as well. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer From a very young age I loved animals and guess that being able to have a career working with them was always a dream.  In a modern "cyber" world I  feel really lucky to be able to spend time outdoors and lead a healthier lifestyle.  Also I get to do a lot of traveling with the horses which is great. Luke DreaEvent Rider Primary school teaching is very rewarding - e.g: to see a child improve in a certain area and to observe a child producing work of a high quality under your instruction.

School holidays - great to have them but they are essential for both teachers and students. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher You will get to know all the latest book releases and may have opportunities to meet a visiting author. Librarians will have an input in creating and organising library events.

The Library is a place where you are working within a team, and we are people who enjoy working among the public. I think you also need to have a liking for knowledge and learning, a good general knowledge is an asset.

It can be very satisfying to successfully assist people find what they want, whether this may be on, (for example), building a garden shed or screen writing. Each morning I look forward to my days work, that to me is cool. Jonathan SmythLibrary Assistant I love lots of things about my job, the friendly/laid-back environment, the people, the place, but most of all I love what I do! Writing code and having something to demo is such a satisfying feeling Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer Getting to meet and work with Astronauts! They are very down to Earth people! Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications

First and foremost – it’s the people (without sounding too corny about it!).

I’m surrounded by a great team, and it makes any job more enjoyable. I strongly believe you can tackle almost anything in the day job with the right people who have an open and honest outlook.

Before AIB, I worked in smaller companies, and always thought the concept of working in a big organisation would be quite daunting. With so many thousands of people, how would you know where to go, or who might be able to help etc? Now I see it as the very opposite. Meeting new people is something that I really enjoy. And as new projects arise, or changes and restructures take place on different teams, you often get the opportunity to learn about somebody new. The diversity amongst the team makes each day interesting.

Flexibility has more recently become a nice perk, and the annual leave is always something I cherish! Each employee was recently granted an extra days holiday to ‘digitally disconnect’ – definitely something I welcomed, but more so it was AIB’s acknowledgement of the importance of switching off.

Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB Living in Brussels - It’s a similar size to Dublin so it wasn’t a big disruption to move here. I like living on the continent because it makes travel so much easier when you can just get in your car and drive to another country. I also like the multi-national environment because it’s permanently stimulating. Catherine DaySecretary General

I’ve always strived to add value in whatever I do and my main objectives are always align to my personal values and I want to work for a company where that is embraced. Some of the work I’m doing is in relation to our workforce strategies and how we can make an impact to the life’s of our people it’s a really great opportunity to bring change and I am passionate about.

Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB There are a number of cool aspects of my job some of which perhaps only I find cool. I enjoy the fact that I can use my engineering experience to work on topics directly related to putting vehicles and people in space. I enjoy the fast paced projects that I am involved with and even though I do spend some sleepless nights worrying, the buzz when you find a solution is fantastic. In the past six months I have managed a project to put a reentry capsule in space, built hardware for astronaut training, taken part in a space debris study and more. Neil MurreyAerothermodynamics and Propulsion Design Engineer The HSE is a good place to work. As an organisation, it tends to "get hammered" by the press but these are usually very isolated incidents. It rarely gets credit for the majority of good things its' staff achieves.

Work within the HSE is usually very challenging and tends to keep you on your toes. You won't get bored. Due to its size, the chances of promotion are quite high if that's what you want.

However it never forces people in this direction. It supports staff through out their employment from a variety of different angles, i.e. in house training, support for further education, regular updates, staff development, appraisal if required, Occupational Health etc. Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager Being responsible for modern equipment like weapon systems, armoured vehicles and night vision equipment. Travelling overseas to see different cultures. Getting to operate and fire sophisticated weapons systems. Meeting and working with new people everyday. Tom TooherLieutenant - Army Meeting so many different nationalities and getting to see the world -now 46 countries! Kate WalshBeauty Therapist The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of over 400 teenagers each year. Paul MeanySchool Principal My job offers me exposure to a highly diverse pool of assets. As managers of taxpayers’ money, the team collectively holds a huge responsibility. The Fund is unique in its investment mandate; however, it is also highly agile in dealing with any new issues that may arise. A good example of this would be the setting up of the Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund, a €2bn fund to support medium and large enterprises in Ireland affected by Covid-19. Finally, is a fantastic team with people from many different backgrounds, giving me the opportunity to learn something new every day. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst Working with new and exciting projects with suppliers such as exclusivity line. Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager Not so cool It is always a challenge to manage ever-changing requirements within the business. It ultimately means you have to always compromise a bit in terms of the scope of what you are doing with the time available. However, you get used to it! Sam FranklinEarth Observation Specialist At present nothing, outside the college it's the level of respect towards the organisation in recent times. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee

The most difficult parts of the job are competing reporting requirements. There are many reports that have to be done and are essential to certain folks but at this time I feel we should improve these systems as there are too many of them.

Time spent fixing problems would be more beneficial to the company -there I go again, trying to improve the system!

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager Lots of challenges come with working with big data. Performance and scaling problems can be tough, and finding bugs can be frustrating at times, but it is very rewarding when all of the work finally comes together. Catherine AhearnData Scientist There is a lot of very menial physical work that I don't enjoy but can' t be gotten away from  i.e. mucking out, sweeping, care of pasture and riding surfaces etc. Luke DreaEvent Rider Gender, racial and sexual biases in the workplace. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies Chasing payments from customers. Ray PowerPotter Heavy administration process. Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead

It can be stressful at times, in particular I struggle with the thresholds, sometimes it feels like we know that the children are not living in the best environment, but we have to wait until the incident happens before we have enough evidence to apply for a Care Order.

Fiona O'SullivanChild Protection and Welfare Social Worker Some days can be very challenging and stressful when things aren’t working out or constant setbacks start creeping in making it hard to switch off.

As you get more experienced you tend to find different ways as a person to deal with these situations. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry Doing my VAT returns! Glenn LucasWoodturner Administration tasks!!! Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker I wouldn't say there's anything I don't like, however things can get extremely busy at times which can sometimes be daunting, but there's always someone there willing to give a hand. Abbie RiceAssociate Accountant/IFS Apprentice I really don’t like going to a scene that involves casualties or serious injuries. I don’t like bringing bad news to a family. It can be very upsetting for a number of days. Nan Hu Garda As we are very busy through the winter months it can be very cold. We cannot have any heat on in the factory floor due to the nature of our products. This is not nice through the winter months. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter Probably the amount of meetings that I go to. It’s a lot more fun being out interacting with people discussing successes or problems. Meetings can be a bit tiresome at times. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist Nothing really as every job comes with its own hazard. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve Unfortunately not everyone understands the role of an Occupational Therapist and this can be frustrating at times. As OTs work in many different areas and with a diverse range of service users the role of an OT can be very different from one setting to another. This can lead to confusion for staff and service users as to when to contact the OT Dept. Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist It can be dirty sometimes. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator The mood swings of a 16 year old!! And the corrections....... Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher