deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I started my own company a year ago. I hired some people that I have been working with for several years and together we are building something incredible! Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies I grew up on the farm and I always had an interest in livestock so it was a natural choice to go farming. Bryan DanielsFarmer - Dairy After I completed my time as an apprentice, I was being offered opportunities to take on more responsibilities in the work I was doing and it progressed to assisting the site manager. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry I have previously worked for my employer so it was promotion. Being due to displaying leadership attributes as well as a flare for the retail area and the drive to increase turnover there.  Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia Applied for Principalship when the Religious Order running the school decided that lay people should be given a greater role in the management and leadership of the school. Paul MeanySchool Principal When I was looking to become a Paramedic I had to check the appointment section of the national news papers for the position to be advertised. Now the positions are advertised through different methods such as national papers and websites.

When you apply for the position you go through various selection procedures, beginning with responding to the advertisement and completing the application form. After this you have to pass an aptitude test which is followed by a panel interview and medical.

On successful completion of these stages in which you would be awarded scores/ points based on your performance, you would be placed on a panel reflecting the amount of points you’ve obtained. This means the better your performance and competencies the more points you gain, and the more points you gain the higher on the panel you get.

Once selected from the panel you may be offered a place as a student Paramedic and sent to college for training. From there you must demonstrate that you have the ability and competency to become an operational Paramedic by passing the college exams and assignments as well as the State exams to secure a place on the State register*.

*State register; to practice as a Paramedic or Advanced Paramedic in the Republic of Ireland you must successfully complete the exams and secure a place on the statuary register outlined by the Pre-hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC). Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic I applied for a traineeship by way of a detailed application form. I was then selected for an interview and called back for a second round interview and then offered a traineeship to become a solicitor. I was phoned by one of the partners who interviewed me to tell me I had been successful. Niamh CacciatoSolicitor When the position was advertised, I submitted my application. From there I was successful in obtaining an interview, resulting in the position being offered to me which I accepted. Hugh Heraghty Fish Farm Manager At the moment I am self employed. This is always what I wanted and over the years I have built up a big enough client base to enable me to do this. Luke DreaEvent Rider Oisín:
Sending an application email and interviewing for the position.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter 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 applied to an advert via a recruitment agency. My experience at the time was a good match for the role required. Des LalorWind Engineer I got my current job when I bought my own boat; it is my own business. Liz O'TooleSkipper I was offered this job when the previous incumbent moved on. By coincidence, I was looking for a change from the job I had at that time so it was opportune. Karen O'FlahertyScience Communicator Prior to my current role, I was team coach of the Finance Operations area for three years and when the opportunity for promotion arose, I put myself forward.

I completed an interview with the Operations Manager and one week later I was offered the position. My predecessor had over 40 years’ experience and I was very lucky to have him as a mentor. With his guidance and support, I felt I was ready to take on the challenge. Sarah TenantyFinance Operations

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

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 Regular production bored me. So I set about trying to find an area that would excite and inspire me. Luckily I found it. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician Drive, determination and confidence. It was a tough application process but by using these three qualities I suceeded. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee

I was a science and maths teacher in my school for a number of years. I took a study leave year which allowed me to go back to university to train to be a Guidance Counsellor.

Having completed the training, a full time position came available in my school. Having already been involved in guidance in the school informally it seemed a logical progression to move into the formal role of Guidance Counsellor.

Brian HowardGuidance Counsellor Main challenges

The main challenges are the changes that are taking place within the Health Service, everyone has to be more accountable for the decisions they make while they are working in a hospital environment. All grades of staff have to be aware of all the work policies and the correct procedures to be followed while at work.

Up until the last few years attendants didn’t need any formal training, they were just there to assist the nursing staff but now they need to be trained and they have to take responsibility to ensure that clients get the care and attention that they are entitled to. Policies are changing all the time so you need to keep updated on them. This means taking time to read and understand them and the affect they have on your role at work.

Lydia PeppardCare Assistant 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

Sometimes the cases are difficult and take longer than expected but I am aways well supported. We have also got support from other areas in Tusla like Data Protection so we work together as a team.

Diego GallagherSenior Solicitor Change. We're almost 100 years old, but we need to be really innovative in our approach to people, platform, proposition and customers, whilst ensuring that what we do remains highly personal and valued by our customers. Richard KinsellaManaging Director It was certainly a challenge to balance studying for a professional qualification and work full time, however, the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) programme offered by the Irish Tax Institute caters for this challenge by providing weekend lectures and electronic access to materials. In particular, the professional skills workshop offered the opportunity to discuss and solve real-life tax problems that I could then apply in my day to day work. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor Cost / Time constraints. Sourcing correctly skilled and knowledgeable labour. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. The main challenges are the expansion of the milking herd. Also that we always have facilities ready for the cows when they need them. As well as meeting all the performance targets we have set ourselves in our plans. Bryan DanielsFarmer - Dairy Main challenges for me right now include aligning the cool algorithms that the technical team can create with customers, and trying to commercialize them. Some of the technology we can create is very cool, but getting people to see the value of it and buy it can be very difficult. Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies Every day presents different challenges, some more challenging than others. For example Barrack Guard presents its own challenges, patrolling , monitoring and remaining alert for the duration of your duty. Everyday in my office job there are different challenges which also have to be met. Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) 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 Sometimes we get demanding guests in. However, due to our training I am well able to deal with all sorts of guests and any challenges thrown at me. Kate WalshBeauty Therapist Travelling week in week out and spending time away from the family can at times be difficult. Ian McKinleyRugby Player A huge challenge for me at the start was speaking German to native Germans on the phone. It was quite daunting at the start, but you get used to it after a while. Another challenge of mine was presenting in team meetings. Again, it's one of those things that become second nature to you the more you do. You need to remember that everyone is in the same boat when doing these things! Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP Debugging code- your own mistakes are always the hardest to spot… but then again that’s a necessary part of any job in Software Development! Claire PurcellSoftware Engineer Construction Projects are very competitively priced these days. There are challenges with completing most projects within the budgets set out. While it is not easy to achieve sometimes it is a good challenge to work with the construction team and see if we can look at new ways to complete the project differently in order to make it more cost efficient. Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor The challenges for me are dealing with suppliers. I am used to controlling what I do and having a strict goal, and when dealing with third parties who have their own challenges and company goals, it can become difficult to work as a team. Elaine KellyMechanical Design Engineer 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

Akin to the housing crisis, it is a challenge to find places for all the separated children entering the country to live. However, the team manages it every time. This is an exhausting part of the work and I’m impressed daily as to how they achieve this. Aside from this, time management will always be a challenge, but over the years I have developed strategies to learn how to prioritise my responsibilities.

Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker Husband is in full time education and I am the only earner. Staying focused and keeping it going through very tough times. Staying positive. Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver The time difference can be a challenge as we work with colleagues on the west coast of America but usually the team is very helpful and considerate when arranging meeting times. Patricia ClearySenior Systems Verification & Validation Scientist Typical day It’s split half and half between the ‘people’ side and the technical side. Yesterday for example, I spent the morning working with a team on their yearly goals and I spent the afternoon getting up to speed on some of ESB’ plans regarding Solar energy. Des LalorWind Engineer I usually arrive in school about 8:15. Classes don’t start until 9:00 but I like to get some corrections and preparation done first. I would usually have between 6 and 9 class periods each day. Each class lasts 40 minutes.

On a typical day I would teach a variety of different classes and age groups, ranging from first year through to Leaving Cert. At 11:00 there is a ten minute break. Some days I would be required to supervise the corridors at this time.

After break there are two more classes before lunch at 12:25. Lunch is a good chance to catch up with colleagues in the staff room. At 1:25 class starts again. There are 4 classes in the afternoon with school finishing at 4pm.

I coach the school soccer team so I might have a training session for an hour and a half after school. Other days I might have to supervise in-school study for 2 hours. If I’m not doing extra curricular activities or study I usually stay in school and do some corrections, photocopying and preparations.

There is quite an amount of paperwork involved for a resource teacher as daily logs of student’s progress and activities must be kept. I might also use this time to update a student’s individual education plan (I.E.P) and make changes based on my assessment of their progress this week. Paul GalvanResource Teacher A typical day would consist of :

- All apprentices and electricians getting together in the site office to discuss what had to be done that day with the site foreman.

- Gathering up all the materials you were going to need for the day from the stores

- You would then be teamed up with qualified electricians and go and do the job required, they would be helping you as the day went on with showing you how to read technical drawings and how to do the job.

- At the end of the day we would have a quick run through of everything we had done and what had to be done the following day. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician

A typical day varies depending on the client groups that the therapist is working with. Speech and language therapists work with children and adults with speech difficulties and with language difficulties including understanding and using language. Possible client groups include clients with learning disability, physical difficulties such as cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes including down syndrome, delayed language development, stammering, stroke, head injury, autism, attention deficit disorder, cleft lip and palate, dyslexia, hearing impairment, voice difficulties, swallowing difficulties.

My typical day involves: I spend four mornings a week in a local primary school where there are two language units. These are small classes for children with specific language impairment. This means that they have average intellectual abilities but have severe speech or language difficulties. They receive their speech and language therapy during school hours several times every week.

In the afternoons and on Fridays I see children in two centres; the local health centre and an outpatient centre for children with physical and sensory difficulties. These children come to the clinic with their parents for assessment and therapy. The therapy I provide varies greatly depending on the client's individual needs. It may include: speech work, oro-motor exercises (these target the muscles involved in speech production), listening skills, play skills, following instructions, grammar, sentence production, conversational skills, and understanding of concepts.

This timetable can change as I sometimes visit schools to liaise with teachers regarding a child's speech and language programme. I also attend meetings to discuss and develop our service and I sometimes attend courses to learn new assessment and therapy skills. Working from a variety of locations every week requires organisation and forward planning. I have to plan ahead what I will need in each location and the children I will be working with.

Lisa KellySpeech and Language The average day starts with distributing the sales information for the previous day. That is usually followed by a catch up with team members to discuss that day’s priorities and divide workload as required. This work can be individual projects or group assignments. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme Luckily, on this contract we had no day duties which meant that unless we had rehearsals for the shows we were completely free during the day. For that reason when we docked in a city I was free to get off the ship and explore which was really incredible. I knew that straight away after this contract I was going to be choreographing a musical back home though so some days I needed to spend time during the day preparing for that too so that I had it all choreographed and ready to go.

Sometimes in the afternoons we would have rehearsals for the shows just to clean up any problems or change things if one of the dancers was injured. Then I would go back to my cabin and start my make-up for the show. We always warmed up together as a group before the show to make sure we could give it 100%. After the show we would prepare all of our costumes for the next day and see if anything needed fixing, cool down and go to bed to do it all again the next day. Megan McEvoyDancer Apart from managing the compliance work for my clients, my day also generally involves some ad-hoc work such as assisting with a project, proposal or piece of advice. This work is normally undertaken as part of a team with a partner, director, manager and trainees. Most businesses differ therefore the tax advice we prepare for these businesses differs. This ensures that every day brings a new challenge and a new learning experience.

Before joining Deloitte I did wonder if I would spend my days photocopying and filing however, I have found that even as a trainee I have been given plenty of responsibility. There is no shortage of interesting work to get involved in and there is excellent support with someone always available to answer any queries or concerns I have. Anna Holohan Tax Manager In secondary teaching, our day is more or less determined by the ringing of a bell every 35-40 minutes. I have 33 periods of class a week and teach both Junior and Leaving Cert. PE and Geography.

A typical day will see me meet over 150 pupils. All PE classes are double periods and Geography mainly single, except for one double at senior cycle.

During each lesson you are expected to correct homework and deliver new content. In PE you have to include a warm-up, the main body of the lesson and a cool-down. Some days time constraints or interruptions won’t allow you to complete what you have planned for so you have to adapt your lesson accordingly.

Time also has to be set aside to assess pupils in both subjects, more so in geography. At lunch or small break, I may have supervision and after school I have teams to train or study to supervise. Don’t be fooled - a teachers job does not end at 4pm!! Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher

8am: theoretical training session.

9am: preparing for 1st patient, i.e. preparing drugs, checking machines.

9am -17pm: perioperative anaesthetic care of patients in theatre.

Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist On a typical day, we begin the day with a team meeting where every team member discusses our tasks for the day and project deadlines. The team meeting is a safe space where we can share our ideas and hear each other's unique viewpoints. Projects involve a lot of team collaboration, each team member has unique ideas and skillsets which combined can create effective strategies for completing projects. Amy O’DwyerAssociate Sustainability Advisor There is no typical day in a researcher’s life. Some days you might be in the lab doing experiments, on another day you may be outside sampling or abroad at a conference. It is a challenging job, but very rewarding. Cecilia FenechEnvironmental Scientist A typical day consists of lectures both classroom and theatre based. Breaks during the day consists of fun with colleagues such as table tennis or just general banter.

Evening times consist of activities such as gym /indoor soccer/ swimming table tennis and much more. All in all a very enjoyable day. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee Because I am self-employed, I have to be very self-motivated and always provide quality and positive Leadership for my team, sometimes this can be challenging as I have to juggle a lot; we have a large working sheep farm coupled with my Husband Jim spending long stints away for work, we also have a 4 and ½ year old wonderful boy. While challenging this juggle is very rewarding, we live in a beautiful place, surrounded by wonderful people and happy Customers. Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms My typical day involves taking part in a lot of different meetings with people from around the site. As manager of my area it is important that I am always planning ahead for what new activities may be coming into the group. Some of the meetings are for this planning while others deal with day to day activities in the lab. I talk to my supervisors daily to discuss any issues in the lab. We monitor the number of batches that we release on a weekly basis and any errors that occur in the lab. Knowing everything going on in the lab is very important so that I can communicate anything critical in a timely manner to my own boss too. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist

The first thing I do when I go onto the ward is to look at the drugs the nurses have ordered from pharmacy. The nurses will have ordered drugs for new patients and this is one way of spotting any potential problems early on e.g. drug not stocked by the hospital, wrong dose or strength etc. If anything strange does show up I go to those patients first and address the problem.

The next thing on the list is to go and talk to all the new patients and get a list of all the medicines they were on before admission. Most of the time this is relatively straightforward (and quite enjoyable as most of the patients like to have a bit of a chat) but there are occasions when it still isn't clear, even after speaking to the GP, the patient and the community pharmacist.

The list I obtain is compared to the drugs prescribed by the doctor. If the lists don't match I first of all look to see if there is an explanation and if not then let the medical/nursing staff know. Sometimes a patient won't be on a drug that they really should be taking according to their medical history or vice versa and I will highlight this as well.

Once the new admissions are sorted out I try to go round all the other patients and check that the drugs they are prescribed are suitable. I'll also answer any questions they have regarding their medicines and pass anything I'm unable to answer on to the medical/nursing staff. How busy I am depends on how many new patients there are and whether or not they have complicated drug histories. I have other non-clinical commitments which need to be fitted in as well.

Rachel BerryPharmacist Up 8am. Cycle to school. I have a class of nine children. I teach English and Maths til lunch time, then Religion and the rest of the Curriculum in the afternoon. Our school is in the city centre so we have numerous trips, museum visits, cinema trips. We are very involved in Art, Sport and Drama, and we go swimming also. We finish at 2:30. Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs A typical day consists of a high paced professional environment. From the minute you log on until the minute you log off it's a high paced professional environment which is challenging and therefore extremely rewarding. Everyone pulls together working as a team helping each other out and learning from each other to achieve a shared goal. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency 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 Arriving on site early, planning what trades are required and where. I would be ordering materials and tracking work progression across the site to see if deadlines will be met. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry

The good thing about working in Creganna is that the job has a lot of variety to it. Unlike working in a R&D department of a large company, Creganna provides the service of device design to many different companies. Hence you could be working on a device for a cardiovascular application, like a stent delivery system one day & on a biomedical cement delivery device the next.

A project is usually kicked off with brainstorming sessions, which may involve 8 – 10 engineer discussing a possible device design & subsequently coming up with possible solutions. We will then try to construct prototypes in the lab. The next step involves testing these devices in conditions which simulate those experienced during application. Some projects may require additional research, for example, we often travel to NUIG hospital to view various procedures. This enables us to understand the conditions the device will be exposed to during surgery & the requirements of the surgeon.

Once a prototype has been refined & there is confidence in its performance against a defined set of specifications, animal trials will be carried out, which is a very important step. During these trials we can test the device to the extreme & ensure that once it is used in patients it will perform as expected & not cause any injury to the patient or physician.

Sinead KennyDesign Engineer Further training...

In the Air Corps, training is on going. We are involved in courses on a regular basis. These courses vary from flying courses to computer courses to activity/adventure training courses.

As we have a range of aircraft in the Air Corps, pilots will be trained on a number of different aircraft throughout their careers. As a result further training within the Air Corps is inevitable!

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp I will be doing a fish filleting course very soon. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger

Yes of course as technology is constantly changing especially in global positioning systems and communications equipment constant training is needed.

Also, courses in health and safety, risk management and human resourses are very important these days.

David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy As part of the job there a lot of job specific courses that can be completed during your trade . I have completed mobile tower assembly, boom and scissor lift driving, confined space training, occupational first aid, abrasive wheel training. I hope to follow up at the end of my trade and do engineering. Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician 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 Yes, I am undertaking level 8 Business Studies with Dublin Business School. Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia Probably not! I’ve done more than my fair share of exams! Orla AherneInvestment Consultant Intel actively promotes training and development as a core part of my job role. I find myself in a classroom almost every week! I currently have plans to complete a project management course to aid in my current role. Darryl DayIQ Engineer I would like to develop more into software programming and networking to further enhance my skills. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer I have just begun the Green Belt in Lean Supply Chain Management, which will definitely help me in my current role, this is a programme Musgrave offer jointly with UCC. I have also begun a 4-week Project Management course to understand the basics of this. Later on, I would like to go back and do a Masters to help me with my future roles, but that will be another few years down the line. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst I have developed my skills through the range of industries I have worked in within the EU, in the Industry Department on competition, and in External Relations. I also worked on Environment Policy and then with three separate Commissioners, all giving me the broad knowledge I needed to prepare me for taking top job as Secretary General. Catherine DaySecretary General I will definitely be undertaking further training, what this looks like however is unclear at this moment in time. Shane O'SheaSuperValu Regional Support Manager 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 am currently studying for a BA in Social Studies (Disability). My organisation offers on the job training to the staff on an ongoing basis. This enables staff to update and expand their skills. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant Im a life long learner and I have signed up to do a corporate coaching wellness diploma – with the impact of the pandemic on everyone I want to make sure it’s a topic I can support in. Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB Yes, I am passionate about learning, I actively encourage my team to commit to their studies by highlighting the benefits of continuous professional development. I will complete the MDI qualification which contributes towards credit for ACII. Nicole FeigheryCustomer Care Manager Yes I have and willing to do more. Rasaq FaladeGarda Reserve Yes, I do ongoing training – I dedicate about 5% of my time to training. Des LalorWind Engineer I have partaken in a number of training programmes since taking on my current job including Performance Management, Conflict resolution, Lead Auditing, Internal auditing among others.

I am currently studying a Masters in Pharmaceutical Technology in Trinity College Dublin. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer I only plan to keep up with developments in International Standards relating to trams. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Advice if considering this job If you work hard and produce excellent quality work you will never be quiet. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator To prepare your work place first thing in the morning would be the most important part of my job. Brendan WhiteFish Filleter Be open to new possibilities – I never dreamed in secondary school that I would like Biochemistry so you never know what you might like until you try! Patricia ClearySenior Systems Verification & Validation Scientist Being an Engineer is a great career choice. It offers so many opportunities both in Ireland and world-wide. Most positions will have terrific travel opportunities after a few years experience under your belt, and if you choose you course carefully your qualification will be recognised by employers all over the globe. Also an engineering qualification will open doors into management roles if that is your preferred career choice, but the reverse is not the case (if you do a course outside of engineering, you will probably not be able to branch off into engineering a few years after graduating). Shane CallananElectronic Engineer Once you’re willing to listen, take advice and work hard there are many options for career paths / future development. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. Learn about the Naval Service – look at the website, visit a ship alongside a port when they are open to the public, talk to any friends/family in the Naval Service, ring the Recruiting Office. David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy Be willing to be challenged, be open to other perspectives and 100% be willing to learn. This is a fast-paced environment, most learning will be done on the job so if you are open to these three elements, you will certainly come out the other end better prepared for you career. Shane O'SheaSuperValu Regional Support Manager

I found having education in a number of different areas of engineering to be beneficial to the work I am doing.

There is a whole world of possibilities out there for engineers, and it is difficult to know what subjects are necessary for the industry you will end up in. I was always interested in robotics and environmental issues, but it was not until my Masters that I really knew what I wanted to do.

General entry courses are quite useful, as you get a taste for a few different areas before you have to specialise, a lot of companies offer on the job training, and there is also the possibility of further study.

An engineering qualification teaches you so much more than just the technical subjects, but a way of looking at the world and solving problems in a logical and systematic way.

Engineers are sought after for these skills as much as the technical ones, and it opens up incredible opportunities. Engineering is not an easy route through college, but it is incredibly rewarding.

Elva BannonMechatronic Engineer To get physically fit for the entrance tests and also for the demanding physical nature of the job. Also I would tell people to enjoy themselves before they join as it’s a job for at least 30 years.

I would also informl people about the variety of avenues people can get into when they have completed their training. There really is a career for every person regardless of where their interests lie. There is so many specialised units and prospects. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda The role is really a portfolio of jobs, so you'd need to be able to vary your skills depending on the situation, be it operational management, people leadership to strategy formulation, etc. Richard KinsellaManaging Director

If you are seriously considering applying for the Air Corps you should check the pre-required Leaving Certificate subjects as outlined in the cadetship booklet. This is very important!!

Also, if applying you should get the details of the fitness test from the cadetship booklet and make sure you can do each of the disciplines well before the fitness test...a lot of people fail this part of the application process, and it can be passed easily!

If possible, you should organise a visit to Baldonnel through somebody that you know or maybe even your school...just to get familiar with the aircraft and to see the daily operation of the Air Corps.

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp I would advise them to ensure they enjoy working with young people. If possible try to get some teaching experience; I started out as a substitute teacher before applying for my H Dip in Education. Paul GalvanResource Teacher Some may think that you can go untrained into fishing. The best advice I would give people considering fishing as a profession is to get training. Fishing is an all encompassing career - when you need to go fishing, the rest of your life goes on hold unfortunately. It is very unpredictabe because you could be fishing non stop for three weeks and tied up for two. Alan O'NeillFisherman You need to work with people in the industry as knowledge is everything  - where to buy, who from, when etc. Health and safety courses and a pleasant manner and drive are also important. Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger

A day for a Process Engineer at Intel can range from spending all day in what we call our 'bunny suits' or space suits as most people would recognise them as or a day of juggling meetings with working on long term projects that have a quality improvement for your product or have a cost saving for the factory. The key thing is to be adaptable, be organised and be able to communicate your plans clearly and concisely. You will be your own boss in many instances as an engineer and it is up to you to get the job done and do it well, while at the same time meeting goals and challenges that are set for the factory.

The great thing about a process engineer at Intel is that much or your work can be done remotely, which means you don't have to sit at your desk all day allowing you to get in to the machines and get stuck in. One should also be aware that you will be continuously learning in this sort of environment. Because our technology is so up to date we are always making changes to make this possible. Our products will range from mobile phone chips to top of the range computer chips so we need to be able to make changes to meet the demands of what the market is looking for.

Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process

I think sometimes people think jobs in learning and development are all about delivering training courses but this is usually only one aspect of the role. A big focus of the role is project management, event organisation and designing and selecting relevant learning content. A key skill that is required is the ability to review and synthetize materials and content and to be able to condense these into easily understandable 'chunks' to help people learn something new or change the way they do things.

A passion for learning is obviously important, as is the belief that people aren't 'fixed' - that can learn and grow. I don't think a particular educational background is required, people move into learning from all different education and career backgrounds.

Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead 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 Try and get as much practical experience before entering the job as possible. Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist 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 can be challenging, but very rewarding. Choose subjects and coursework carefully. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician The lifestyle Yes, because of the fact that I am into sport, teaching allows me the time to ensure I can attend training sessions and games all the time. In relation to progression there is always plenty of areas that you can explore from a background in education. It is a very secure job. However, It would be impossible for me at the moment to buy a house in Dublin on my salary. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher To be perfectly honest, not exactly. On one hand, I love what I do and that motivates me to work relentlessly and fight hard for my hopes and dreams. On the other hand, this means that quite often I work long hours and have to sacrifice a lot of my personal time. I have found a way of living with it and I am fairly happy most of the time. I don't think I could ever be happy with a 9-5 normal office job, which is another reason why I enjoy what I do so much. It gives me freedom to be creative, propose my own projects, travel the world. Nevertheless, I do wish I had more time for my hobbies, friends and family. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services Yes. I can design and make work. I also teach from my workshop at home. I am invited to demonstrate overseas regularly so keep in touch with international trends. Glenn LucasWoodturner It does. I can balance work, family life and my social life very well. Liam McCaulR&D Engineer

At the start of my career in Finance, I had many hobbies – from social hockey to playing in a concert band. As I began to advance in my role and take on more responsibility, I found it difficult to carve out the time, but that’s always been a challenge for me. A healthy work – life balance is something that is always encouraged, and what I’ve come to learn over the years is that it is entirely up to the individual to make it happen. Although my hobbies and interests have changed over the years, I’ve made sure to take time in the evenings to switch off.

Thankfully, the security of what I do afforded us the opportunity to buy a house in the last year. Needless to say, DIY has become a new hobby, between gardening and interior design.

In just a few months’ time I’ll be taking maternity leave as we get ready to welcome our first baby. Having the reassurance that my job will support me through this milestone is something which I value greatly, especially as I see friends in a similar position who are struggling to work through some of the challenges presented by maternity leave. Lara MulveySenior Product Manager AIB Most definitely. Intel promotes a healthy work-life balance and as a result there is a lot of flexibility. There is never an issue with taking time off, or adjusting working hours to suit personal needs. I also work with a great group of people and we regularly play 5-a-side, organise socials and meet regularly outside work. Although, I could always do with being paid more! Darryl DayIQ Engineer Yes absolutely Megan WalshMechanical Engineer During the summer months the ship I work on ties up because of no quota, so we get a chance to relax and try out other work for the summer months. Brendan CavanaghShips Engineer

As a working artist teaching allows me a lot of time to pursue my painting. In the last 5 years I have had time to prepare 4 solo exhibitions - something which would be immpossible in almost any other proffession.

You will never be "rolling in money" as a teacher, however it allows you to have a very comfortable standard of living and the time off to travel and pursue other interests. Also it is a rewarding profession as you get to make a difference in childrens lives, and in the current climate of instability it is a very secure job

Padraig ParleTeacher - Special Needs Yes, I always loved having a routine mid-week. The job has ideal hours of 09:00am – 17:15pm Monday to Friday giving me plenty of free time in the evening for leisure activities such as the gym and sport and with weekends off it enable me plenty of time for socialising, relaxing and spending time with family. Furthermore, the opportunities available within Northern Trust to progress within the company and develop me as a professional keeps me motivated which I feel is very important to a successful career and feeling fulfilled and happy within myself. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency Working as JET Coordinator can be quite hectic as I have to visit lots of different universities and often have to get up early or don't get home until late, but it's nice to still be in a Japanese work environment after coming back from Japan - a great way to ease myself back into Irish society without as much reverse culture shock being home. Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy I would like to have more time for leisure & social activities!

The job is interesting but weekend work & early starts are to be expected in agriculture. Denis ReidyFarmer - Dairy Oisín:
Yes, occasional overtime at short notice but my social life is not greatly affected.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter

Like many jobs it can vary from time of year but over all I am very happy with my lifestyle. Farming has the advantage that you can always make time for family and friends. During busy times of the year such as calving season they can be long hours but with good management the work load can be reduced.

On my own farm I have enough cows that I can afford to employ someone full time, this in turn allows me time off. The farm also covers the cost for the up keep of the dwelling house and travel.

Bryan DanielsFarmer - Dairy Yes, absolutely. As a Third Secretary I can expect to spend large parts of my career working at Irish embassies abroad which is a prospect I find very exciting. At the same time I will spend time based at Headquarters in Ireland which means I will always retain that strong connection with home. I am currently based at Ireland's Permanent Representation to the EU which is Ireland's largest diplomatic mission abroad. Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs

Yes, very much so. I am heavily involved in a number of sports at national and international level and having a career in the Air Corps allows me to fit in all the necessary training that I need. Air Corps personnel are required to maintain a certain level of fitness at all times during their career, hence sporting activities/fitness/training are considered very important.

During the week, a number of lunch time training sessions are organised, circuits/pilates/running, and people are encouraged to participate. Also, there are a number of sports teams and activities (e.g. Football, Hurling, Soccer, Rugby, Volleyball, Parachute jumping, rock climbing, absaling, to name a few) which are available for people to get involved in.

Apart from the Sporting activities, however, the Air Corps gives job security, a very good salary with plenty of annual leave. Generally weekends will be free, apart from the odd weekend duty which allows plenty of time for family life also!

Oisin McGrathLieutenant - Pilot - Air Corp Teaching affords you the holidays like no other job. Where possible I like to travel during the summer and get away on shorter breaks during the year. In time, it will be a job that will facilitate family life easier than other professions. Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher Yes, there is a great work/life balance. I can work flexible hours and also work from home. This is very important as you can come in late if you have an appointment or work remotely if you cannot make it into the office. There is also a sports and social club that organize events onsite, such as BBQs, gym classes, running events and walking outings. Lynda O'LearySystems Engineer 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 it does. ESA is a family friendly organization. There are many perks such as home leave, generous paternity and child benefits. Also the wages are very good so we can have a comfortable life. Neil MurreyAerothermodynamics and Propulsion Design Engineer Whats cool Tax advice is always relevant to companies, whether they are restructuring in a downturn or growing and diversifying in times of expansion. It is an exciting, dynamic and deadline-driven environment that requires you as an adviser to stay up to date on the latest developments. The Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification has been essential in equipping me with the necessary skills to meet the needs of my clients and to help me to succeed in my career. Caroline AustinSenior Associate Solicitor Delivering for the Irish public is a key personal driver of mine. When a new depot, tram Luas line is launched, my colleagues and I do feel (justifiably, I believe) very proud. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland

I don’t know about cool, but there is a buzz – even after 25 plus years in the profession – when you do something that changes someone’s viewpoint on health and safety and they start to do things the right way in order to protect themselves.

There’s loads of cool stuff with astronomy. I’ve been fortunate enough to do some work with RTÉ – both live and recorded. I even got to do a film review on the Moon landings. As well as meeting the RTÉ folks like Dave Fanning and Derek Mooney, it’s great to communicate the message that astronomy is interesting, fun and very accessible to everyone.

The coolest astronomy thing, though, has to be having an asteroid bearing my name. With all my achievements, one very kind colleague put my name forward to the International Astronomical Union and they named asteroid number 21782 after me. So asteroid Davemcdonald will be whizzing around the solar system for a few billion years after I’m well gone. Now that’s cool!

Dave McDonaldAstronomer I like the fact that my job gets me involved with all aspects of the business - planning, purchasing, finance, engineering, human resources etc. It is this diversity of contacts which ensures that each day is different and interesting. I also like the pressure in my job. I'm never short of something to do. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer Meeting so many different nationalities and getting to see the world -now 46 countries! Kate WalshBeauty Therapist 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 Chill is all about making Insurance easier for the customer. As a company, they are always open to new ideas and changes to make us better at what we do. This gives staff the opportunity to improve things and build on ideas that will improve the company and what we do. Nicole FeigheryCustomer Care Manager

I don't know what is cool about fish but the creative side of the counter and cooking suggestions give me a buzz.

My husband used to be a Chef and the ideas he comes up with are great and the customers love that.

Nicola O'HigginsFishmonger One of the great aspects is that Intel is a casual dress environment, which means no suits, and everybody is comfortable at work. Also the fact that I get to work on Multi million dollar machines is something I find rather 'cool' Kerrie HoranEngineer - Process Working with a team whom you know and get on well with makes the tasks so much easier. We also socialise together, so that it is not all work and no play. Ejiro O'Hare StrattonClinical Nurse Manager 2 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

Before I worked for an Investment company, I thought that investing was something that only wealthy people did, I didn't realise that it's possible for everyone. When I first started in the role, I had a project where I had to help non experts in the organisation learn more about investment and I ended up learning so much for myself! It's a great feeling being able to understand the basics of investment and know that you have the confidence to manage your own money for your future.

Yes definitely, my role allows me to help others to learn and develop and that is really rewarding, when people tell you that you helped them realise something that is going to help them in their life or career it's really satisfying. One of things I most enjoy about my current role is getting to work with people all over the world, it was brilliant when I got to travel and see people in person in some of our offices in India, Germany, Luxembourg for example.

Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead Job satisfaction is the best thing for me. It is very rewarding to see a client progress and do well based on your work with them. Also the working hours and annual leave allows me to enjoy other aspects of life including hobbies and traveling.

There is also a great deal of variety in this career. Every client we meet is different and a day's work is rarely dull. I also get the opportunity to liaise with and meet a variety of other professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, teachers. I'm also lucky in that my work colleagues have also become friends. Lisa KellySpeech and Language I love the variety in my job, the people- staff and customers, when its busy and the day fly’s. There are days on my feet when I see on the App I have done over 9000 steps and 30 flights of stairs, just doing my duties and I have days when I’m at a desk all day with a list of tasks to complete and crossing each one off before heading home feels great. I like working in not-for-profit, I work for our visitors and not for shareholders pockets! Mary Jo SheridanTourism Manager - Dublinia I am very much a people person and love the opportunities which this job provides. Steven KilgannonGarda Trainee The coolest thing is working with such a fantastic, hard-working, enthusiastic, energetic and intelligent team. We are a small company, based in Ireland and we are performing truly world-class research which will have a significant positive impact on the bottom line of many of the major pharmaceutical companies who we list as our customers.

Another cool thing is the nature of the work we do constantly changes in that we are always working on new projects with new customers which keep us challenged and excited. Brian KellyScience Entrepreneur Team support and support from colleagues is a pivotal factor in sustaining oneself in this job. Also knowing that there are very few people I know who could undertake this work which in itself is an indicator of the skills unique skills and abilities required for this role. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker I love getting to sing beautiful music! That makes me so happy. And it's an amazing perk of the job to get to dress up as other people and see the world through their eyes. I also love the achievement of working really hard at something that is technically difficult, and then coming together with other people to make something really beautiful that lots of people can enjoy, as well as the storytelling element that we singers get to use very directly, because of having text to communicate to an audience. Sharon CartyOpera Singer I love the variety my job presents. I love to meet different customers and hear how they started in business and what their future ambitions are and how I can help them get there. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager In painting we get to experience a wide range of skills from paperhanging to shotblasting and we are never in the same place for too long. You also get to work on different sites and different buildings totally transforming them from what they were. Fergal FeehelyApprentice Painter Decorator Not so cool Changing timelines place additional pressures on the group. Sometimes this is necessary from a business perspective. Validation project deadlines can be pulled in a few days or weeks (sometimes at short notice) and so all the activities of the validation group need to be reassessed to meet the new date.

There can be an expectation that the group just has to figure out a way to get it done ("nothing is ever impossible to the guy who doesn't have to do it himself"). Somehow we always manage to get it done albeit with additional stress but that's one of the aspects I like about my job. Fergus O'ConnellQuality Officer 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 Down in the weeds tasks - running reports over and over, or sometimes the nature of lastminute.com asks can be a real challenge! Oonagh KellyHead of HR There are times where the pressure is turned up and additional effort and work is required this only happens a couple of times a year, but you need to be mentally prepared to put in the work that is needed. Ross McKeoghMusgrave Retail Graduate Programme

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 Sometimes tight deadlines mean that it can be very fast paced and challenging, but working as part of a team really helps here! Sinead LewSenior Tax Manager The time away from home is definitely an endurance. It can be hard at times to be away especially if something has happened at home or even missing a family event. But that being said, If it is something very important or an emergency of some kind, relief’s will be made available and time off granted David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy The clean up after my events (TV cooking slots, cookery demonstrations etc). Yes I do a lot of the cleaning, packing up and carrying luggage. Fiona UyemaChef Currently, working from home every day is not too enjoyable, I enjoy some variety in terms of office/home/on site work. Shane O'SheaSuperValu Regional Support Manager Although it's been interesting travelling to different parts of Ireland, I can't say that I have gotten used to having to get up super early in order to travel for hours to get to my destination on time! Office work can also build up during the days you are travelling so when you get back there's often a lot to do! Edel CarletonJET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy Sometimes things go wrong, you have to re-visit projects and start the process again which can be stressful and time consuming.   Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer A school is run on tight budgets and limited supports and this makes management difficult at times. Paul MeanySchool Principal If there is something I don’t like about it, it would have to be the public scrutiny and negative perception. Saying that, it truly is coming from minority of people and most encounters are very positive. Emilia GilroyGarda Sometimes the paperwork can be time consuming, but necessary to do the job. Madonna DalyBusiness Manager I would not say that there is really anything I don’t like about my job. If had to mention something, I would say I am not very fond of operational tasks in any job, which is, fortunately, only a very tiny part of my job. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst Deadlines can be pressurising but it does ensure the work is kept up to date and to a high standard which benefits both my performance levels and that of Northern Trust. Jack BarryAnalyst, Transfer Agency Heavy administration process. Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead Being part of a big company means there is lots of processes, but you get used to them quickly! Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager The problems that we face can be very unique and need tailored solutions, so the work can be meticulous at times (but interesting too)! Megan WalshMechanical Engineer 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