deiseanna gairme in institiúide an AE

Employer Insights Getting the job I applied for my job when I saw it advertised on the HSE careers in healthcare website and in a Sunday newspaper. I attended an interview where I was interviewed by two speech and language therapy managers and a representative form the HSE Human Resources department. The interview lasted approximately 30 minutes. I received a letter shortly afterwards to let me know that I had been successful in the interview. Lisa KellySpeech and Language I had heard in the papers that St. Michael's were hiring people. Once I called to enquire I was sent out an application form which I filled in and then I was called for interview about a month later.

I felt that went well, it was with 3 women working high up in the organisation and I relied a lot on previous experience and gave examples of how I would work in a certain situation.

This seemed to be what they were looking for and so about 3 weeks later they offered me the job. I accepted it but they didn't start me for another month!

I had to go for a medical also before I started. Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker

My current job is a Health Care Assistant.  I have worked for the Health Service for the last 20 years as an attendant. Up until the last year an attendant was the only non-nursing role within the hospital.  All non-nursing roles were classed as attendants. This role consisted of some care of the clients, cleaning and some catering duties.

In the last few years the national strategy within the Health Service was to break up this group of staff into three distinct roles, Health Care Assistants, Catering Staff and Household Staff in order to provide a better service to the clients using the service. The staff working at ward level were given the option of which group of staff they wished to be part of. The role of Health Care Assistant was determined by staff who had completed the Health Care Assistant's course, staff undergoing the course and then seniority of staff.

My role for the last 20 years was as an attendant within a kitchenette at ward level. I have completed a Skills VEC FETAC Level 5 Course Modules including: Communications, Care Support, Food Preparation and Service, Legislative Procedures & Quality, Nutrition, Work Experience, Infection Prevention and Control and Stock Control and Material Systems.

I wanted to return to the caring role so I opted for the Health Care Assistant's role.

Lydia PeppardCare Assistant A friend working within the company. Donal KanePlumber / Construction Super. I studied Law and Business and qualified as a Solicitor before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs. Edith DelaneyThird Secretary Desk Officer

When I moved to Ireland I sent out a few CVs to various companies to see if there were any opportunities.

I was asked to complete a formal application form, I was interviewed by the Engineering Manager and then after this my peers met with me to make sure I would click with the team and finally completion of a medical exam secured my job.

I was asked back in and told face to face of the offer by Masonite Ireland.

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager

My current job was advertised in the national newspapers. Before applying for the job I phoned the Occupational Therapy Manager in St. Michael's House to get some additional information on the post. Then I sent in my CV and was called for interview.

I was interviewed by the OT Manager, one of the Senior OTs and someone from Human Resources. The interview lasted about 30 minutes. A few days after the interview I was contacted to inform me that I was successful in the interview and I was being offered the job dependant on a medical exam. The medical was completed the following week and I was then sent a contract to sign, to formally accept the post.

Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist A Customer Service Manager role is a hybrid between a contact centre manager and an insurance service manager. In order to show I was capable of such a diverse and dynamic position, I began looking at ways to build the required skills and knowledge.

In June 2014, I Began a QQI certificate in contact centre management, this helped me develop new skills such as scheduling, forecasting and Workforce management needed in a busy contact centre like ours.

I’m also studying towards my MDI qualification with the III to give me a competitive edge and improved technical competency in insurance and insurance products. Nicole FeigheryCustomer Care Manager 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

After studying science, I did a one-year Higher Diploma in Education in UCC. This involved studying the theory of educational practice as well as having practical work experience.

I was very fortunate to remain almost immediately in the school that I did my teacher training in.

Cian O'MahonyScience Teacher I sent my C.V. and a cover letter to the school. Paul GalvanResource Teacher

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 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 While in college both myself and a friend discussed joining the army after viewing it at a careers day. On completion of our degrees we both applied to join the army and were called for interviews. On passing the interview we were selected to attend a medical and then on completion of that a fitness test had to be passed. On passing all three sections I was contacted by ManPower (now Fas) who then confirmed my acceptance. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) I made the most of my time on the Graduate Programme and utilised all the networks I made throughout no matter what department or level of seniority they may have been. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst When I started looking for a job I subscribed to a UK-based weekly list of academic jobs. As lecturers tend to work in specialised areas I did anticipate that I would have to work abroad for a number of years, to gain experience and wait for a job to become available in Ireland.

Fortunately, I was nearing completion of my doctorate as DCU Business School entered into significant expansion. I heard about my job through a number of sources - it was advertised both in the Irish Times and on the DCU website.

At that point I was getting the Times every week, as were my parents. I was also told about by a fellow PhD student in Trinity, who was also working in DCU. I applied by filling in an application form, which was available on the web. I was given the opportunity to include additional pertinent information, so I sent in an extra document to accompany the form.

In this I emphasised the fact that my research interests were complementary to those of members of the HRM/Organisational Psychology group, as well as to those of the Learning, Innovation and Knowledge Research Center. I was also excited at the prospect of joining the Business School as it entered a dynamic expansion phase.

The selection process had two components, which were a few days apart. First I had to come in and make a presentation. This was to assess my teaching and communication skills. There was a panel with the Head and Professor of the Human Resource Management and Organisational Psychology Group, which I was applying to join; the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning; an external representative; and a representative from the Human Resource Department.

In the next stage, I had an interview with what seemed a big panel at the time. The Dean of the Business School, the Professor of HRM, the Head of the HRM and Organisational Psychology group, two external Professors and a representative of the HR group asked me questions about why I wanted to work in DCU; my teaching and research experience and philosophy; course design and delivery.

The panel made an obvious effort to make me feel comfortable, but I was still pretty nervous - I really wanted to work here!

I was contacted by telephone two weeks later and was told that they would like to offer me the job. The offer was quickly followed by a formal letter and contract.

The decision to take the job was easy. I had also applied for and been offered two other jobs - one in Ireland and one in the UK. But DCU had a very clear fit with my research interests, I was very impressed by their strategy and I'd really enjoyed meeting my potential colleagues through the interview process. I had really enjoyed being in college in Trinity so moving into a similarly welcoming and collegiate culture was very important to me. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer 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 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 I set up my own workshop in 1997. I am continually upgrading the workshop and developing work and teaching programmes. Glenn LucasWoodturner The Public Appointments Service run competitions periodically for the position of Third Secretary. There are various stages involved from submitting an application to sitting psychometric tests and attending an assessment centre before the interview stages begin. I would be recommend anyone interested to sign up job alerts on www.publicjobs.ie. Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs Main challenges The main challenges are dealing with diversity and mixed ability in the classroom, inclusion of all pupils in all activities and maintaining safety and high levels of participation in PE. Mary JoyceSecondary School Teacher The main challenges are ones that effect society as a whole today, poverty, homelessness and trying to police the increasing rate of crime. Niamh BriggsGarda 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 Constantly learning new weapons and warfare tactics keep me alert and challenged. Life in the Defences Forces is an endless learning curve and so we are always improving ourselves and those around us. Overseas operations are a very challenging feature of my career and one which I welcome as they give me the opportunity to put into practice my training and skills. Being away from home, friends and family is a major challenge facing any soilder. Keith LynchPrivate (Line) 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 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 As with any job in a very regulated industry such as pharmaceuticals, the admin and paperwork can be quite heavy. But this is necessary to ensure the highest quality products are delivered to our patients and customers. Gillian MorganManufacturing Process Specialist

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 Ensuring any parts designed is produced to a high standard and changes are properly conducted after inspection. As a Design Engineer, my role has a great deal of responsibility in the entire process of the project. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer The main challenge in the job is successfully balancing the wide range of responsibilities associated with the role. This can lead to some tension between the desire to perfect lectures and a wish to move my publication plan forward.

Managing this tension requires self-discipline and clear boundaries on the amount of time allocated to each component of the role. As an early career lecturer I spend a lot of time trying to ensure appropriate and engaging content and teaching delivery methods. This can be challenging as there are a variety of different audiences to consider - undergraduates, postgraduates and executive students with significant work experience.

However, I have a really supportive group of colleagues who I can chat to and the culture here is very supportive of innovative teaching methods. I'm still very much learning what works effectively through trial and error. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Some of the main challenges include:

• When clients present with unusual and complicated difficulties. This requires resourceful, flexible thinking and the ability to research new therapy ideas.
  
• Long waiting lists.
• Balancing seeing clients with managing other aspects of work including attending meetings, keeping paperwork up to date, attending courses etc.
• Keeping up to date with new developments in therapy and assessment and expanding my skill base.

Lisa KellySpeech and Language I think for most singers the worry of illness is the most challenging one. Unlike in many other jobs, a headcold or a bit of a sore throat might not prevent you from doing your job adequately, but for us, usually it means taking time off (both to recover and to prevent passing bugs on to colleagues!) as depending on what the ailment is, it can affect your singing, or worse, damage your instrument permanently in more extreme cases. Sharon CartyOpera Singer I feel most challenged by the changing children in front of me! Children are more questioning than ever, they need more diverse methods of teaching to keep them engaged. The child with learning difficulties and the child with above average abilities as well as the average child all have to be kept engaged. This is not an easy task working within the confines of the curriculum which you are under pressure to deliver. Deirdre SayersPrimary School Teacher It is getting more and more difficult to stay up to date with all the latest research published in my field. It is not unusual for several people to be working on the same problem at the same time and it is important to keep up to date so that you don't waste time repeating the same experiment. Nuala CaffreyResearch Fellow in Computational Physics As a family’s social worker, we continue to assess the family’s situations and apply interventions accordingly. One has to continue to keep ‘their eye on the ball’ within this profession as many of the family’s difficulties can be very much underlying and covert or ‘hidden’ to an extent. Our job is to continually investigate the child’s circumstances.

Also it can be challenging when continuing to working with parents when Court proceedings are involved. You must be able to handle this confrontation as well as maintaining your role as a ‘support’ to the family while attempting to effect positive change in family circumstances.

It’s important to remember that when working with a family you should always be ’firm but fair’ as you may have to be appropriately confrontational when addressing issues and concerns while also remaining fair and understanding some people’s life circumstances. Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker 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 At present managing properties when there has been a number of store closures due to Covid 19 has been challenging, our tenants turnover has naturally been impacted so we are closely liaising with them to assist where possible but also having our investors interest and keep rent collections as high as possible. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager Passing exams and advancing academically is the main challenge, i.e. ongoing training and assessment. Dr Jan SteinerAnaesthetist 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 Oisín:
Managing various projects and meeting deadlines.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter Typical day My day varies from day-to-day. It depends what kind of experiment that I am running on that day itself. Normally I will start doing experiments in the morning, so that I have plenty of time to do write ups or read some journal papers in the afternoon. My experiments involve analysing mouse brain tissue, RNA samples and sometimes we do studies on paediatric brain samples too! Before heading back home, I will plan the experiment for the following day and prepare the necessary chemicals required for that experiment. This is so that my following day will be more organized and I don’t have to worry about rushing and preparing the chemicals in the next morning. Kelvin E Lau HowPHD Student RCSI There isn't really a typical day! If I'm in the middle of a production, this normally lasts for 6 weeks (if it's a new show) and there will be two rehearsal sessions, in a rehearsal room, with piano, for 4 weeks. Then there's what's called a Sitzprobe (German for Seated rehearsal) where the orchestra and the singers meet for the first time, and go through the opera from start to finish (the singers are usually seated, and there's no acting and no costumes).

Then for the final two weeks there are a series of rehearsals for the different departments to get stuff ready for opening night-Stage and Orchestra for the conductor to iron out any musical issues, and some Tech rehearsals where the lighting/costume/set departments can run things and check how they look, and finally Dress rehearsals where everything is run together in anticipation of opening night. There's a lot that goes into making opera run smoothly!

If I'm not in rehearsals for an opera I may be preparing roles or concert programmes, usually it will take up to a year of practicing a big opera role for it to be comfortable to sing, a bit like an athlete preparing for a big race, you need to do a little bit each day for a long time for the muscles in your body to become strong and develop the muscle memory for each piece. Of course you can (and often have to) work on a few different pieces at once, and things almost always overlap, so the skill of learning how to pace yourself is really important. You're very much responsible for your own preparation. Sharon CartyOpera Singer

On a typical day I would meet with some or all of the Learning and Development team and we would discuss our schedule of upcoming projects and learning deliveries. We would be discussing the design of training, who it should be delivered to, the technology or systems we use to deliver it, the organisation and logistics of how to actually make it happen and finally how we will communicate and promote it to fellow employees at the organisation. Often, I will also run a workshop on a topic such as Time Management, Resilience or Collaboration. This would usually be a 90-minute session using Zoom with about 15 people dialling in from different locations across the organisation. I would be presenting slides that explain concepts relating to the topics, as well as hosting group discussions and small 'break out' sessions to help people understand the topic and practice learning new skills.

There's usually an element of marketing to my day, this might be writing an email to colleagues to advertise a new course and get them to sign up or it could be writing a blog on our company networking page to get people thinking about a particular topic or creating content for a website to promote learning to help people perform their roles better. Normally, I have a few meetings, these could be one on one meetings with people who are looking to design and deliver training for their teams or large part of the organisation. This would involve trying to understand what it is they want to achieve, I ask things like: "what will people do differently as a result of attending this training?" Often people don't know!

Other times there will be project meetings, these will be for bigger items such as the implementation of new system that supports learning or putting in place a new approach to train salespeople. In these sorts of meetings, I am usually working with a project plan in excel, making sure we are on track with tasks, chasing up people or putting together documents to support the project such as guidelines or briefing documents.

Kathryn ReevesLearning and Development Lead

I got an opportunity to move to a workforce organisational design role in our chief technology office which is leading the development of a strategy for new and existing workforce. In the CTO, we provide the wider AIB Group with thetechnology and data solutions that enables the AIB Group to back our customers so it’s a really great area to work in.

It might sound cliché but no two days are the same.

Sabrina StauntonDesign & Strategy Development Manager AIB

My timescales vary depending on weather, tides, etc. My boat is small so generally you get ashore at night. I can work from 5am to 6pm or from 10am to 11pm. You only work when work is to be done i.e. when you are fishing, but the more work you do and the more fish you catch then the better the money.

The pressure on me personally is high as I am responsible for finding and catching the fish. The crew have to sort, clean and stow the fish in boxes with ice. Teamwork is vital, when you have a good team the work is done far quicker, easier and the quality of the product is higher which in turn commands better prices. The biggest reward every day is the number of full boxes of fish stowed for sale. The job is never routine or boring and it changes every day.

Liz O'TooleSkipper

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 A typical day for me can be very diverse which is why I love my role, usually there is a number of meetings in the diary with property managers to discuss any arrears and how we plan to deal with this, we also have a number of team meetings to discuss any issues with the properties. We are hands on with communicating with our tenants, so this is daily also. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager

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 Everyday is very different in this job particularly given the variety of our responsibilities and the fact that we work with a variety of different people. Within a normal working day, one can find themselves doing the following;

• administration
• home visits to clients
• direct work with children
• facilitating access for children in care with their birth family
• participating in court proceedings and preparation for same
• report writing
• meetings
• networking with other professionals involved in a case
• and many telephone calls!

Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker Each machine is unique if there are parts that need customised, I create them on solid-works and then I send them to be machined. I also go out onto the factory floor and check the machines to see if there are elements/parts that need changed. Kevin O'HaganDesign Engineer A typical day could involve many different processes, including production of hardware, some programming, inspection of finished parts and paperwork. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician After being paraded by my supervisor at 7 am I would usually head out on the mountain bike patrolling around the district. I would inspect shops, post offices, off licences, and public houses and interact with the public and local community dealing with any issues they may have.

I would investigate crimes, taking statements and collecting CCTV footages. I would respond to calls such as public misconduct and theft incidents.

During my meal break sometimes I would go to the gym in my station to keep fit. After the meal break I would patrol the district again. At the end of the tour I would record the incidents which I responded to on our computer system. I would do a report in relation to any issues highlighted by the community. Nan Hu Garda

Let me start by saying that no two days are the same. The role of Operations Manager in the National Project Office was a complete change in direction for me personally as prior to this most of my career was spent within the hospital setting.

If office based, I usually check in with all Team Leaders and their staff to see how "everybody is" on the one hand and to see how their particular national campaigns are running. At this stage if any difficulties come to the fore we might try to figure out the difficulty there and then, or else set out a particular time with the necessary people to make sure the process runs smoothly.

After this I would usually be in communication with my immediate manager to see what new pieces of national work needs the attention of the office and work out the logistics for this as well. As the title suggests the National Project Office has a national role in that it provides for recruitment and strategic policy development for a variety of different services throughout the country. This subsequently can involve time away from base on a regular basis.

All staff try to limit their time away by holding as many meetings via teleconference when possible, as the work back at base also needs to be completed. I'm very fortunate as Operations Manager to work with a great team of people who are very diligent, efficient, and most professional in their work practices. For this reason any new projects although challenging, are met with enthusiasm and are progressed without too much difficulty.

Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager 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 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

Actually there is nothing like a typical day really, and that's what make it so interesting.

But common things do happen: Morning production meetings to get feedback from shifts occur at 07:45 followed by a planning meeting at 10:00 for the next 24hrs schedules. A 08:30 there is a short technical team meeting to try and dove tail current work lists in the department and to give/get feedback on various activities going on. The rest of the day would be spent on parts of the circa 5-10 projects that would typically be on the go at any one time.

When you have so many projects on the go it is very important to develop tracking systems that work for you and to try and reduce the pressure of deadline by setting your own targets some time before the actual due dates.

Challenges can come about because of multiple competing deadlines and tight resources on man power, scheduling is thus the key to success.

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager Each day can be very different, most of the time I am working on content for our wide spread social media campaign that we are running for SSP. Or I could be working on videos, photos and lots of communications with people from all over the world. Jonathan FaullSpace Social Media and Communications

A normal day in the army starts at 08:25. You would be on parade at that time where an NCO would inspect your uniform and make sure everybody is there and then do some foot drill with us. From 09:00 until 11:00 we are tasked with jobs that come from our superiors which can be anything from cleaning, weapons, training or lectures. We then have a tea break. Then physical training would be organised for us.

After lunch we have another parade followed by more tasks. On a normal day we would finish at 16:30, however you are expected to prepare everything for the next day e.g. clean and iron your uniform and prepare what equipment is needed for the next day.

Louise Mc DonaldPrivate (Line) There is no typical day in An Garda Síochána there is huge variety in the job. We could be doing anything from walking the beat to attending community meetings to visiting schools or being involved in the regular policing of the district which involve arrests, searches and interviewing. Niamh BriggsGarda It’s difficult to describe a typical day in research, because there are several aspects to what we do. During field work, our day can be dictated by daylight, tides and the seasonality of the species we study. In my case, jellyfish mainly occur in summer so most of my fieldwork is done then, which can mean long days in a boat, sometimes working around the clock. During the winter tends to be when I can focus on lab work, analysis and writing. In addition, we would attend meetings, conferences and workshops to discuss our work and look for new research opportunities.  Damien HaberlinEcologist (Post-Doctoral Researcher) Further training... 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, there is still a great number of things that I would like to learn or get better at. This includes learning new languages, improving my IT skills (for example by learning new programming languages or using new software), refreshing certain skills (such as First Aid Training) and challenging myself to learn something beyond my comfort zone (for instance learning to make good sales pitches and generally marketing) Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services I am always open to upskilling; I regularly attend webinars so that I am up to date on current matters. Jenny DonnellyAsset Manager Continuing professional development is an important part of my job. This includes attending courses that are organised to train new assessment and therapy skills. I have had the chance to attend several courses over the past year and a half since I began working. It also involves keeping up to date with new research and evidence for the therapy techniques that we use and also undertaking research.

On a day to day basis all the therapists share new ideas and information with each other and it is very useful to discuss clients with more experienced therapists to get extra ideas. It is also possible to further your formal education by undertaking a masters or a higher level diploma course. There are several of these available in the area of speech and language therapy. Lisa KellySpeech and Language 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 In the Defence Forces you are constantly furthering your career by undertaking military and educational courses. Tom TooherLieutenant - Army I only plan to keep up with developments in International Standards relating to trams. Ciaran MacSamhrainEngineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland 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

Since graduating from College I have attended a number of courses to develop skills in specific areas. These have included courses on handwriting, posture & seating and sensory integration. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is vital for keeping your skills up to date as OT is a dynamic profession.

I hope to continue to attend professional courses to further develop my skills. In particular I would be interested in undergoing additional sensory integration training as this is an area of particular interest to me and it is relevant to my current caseload.

In the future there is the option of undertaking a Masters in Occupational Therapy or a Masters in Intellectual Disability. This is something I might be interested in doing in due course.

Tomas FlanaganOccupational Therapist It is definitely my intention to return to education in the very near future. I am out of college two years and even now I can see the advantage to continuous education.

The one thing that is always recommended by engineers that I have encountered is to take any and all education that you can. Apart from the fact that it makes you infinitely more qualified for different jobs, it keeps you up to date with new technologies and methodologies.

Sometimes a company will contribute towards costs and give you time to attend college if it is related to upskilling for a role which the company values. To date, I have witnessed a number of people transition from one type of career to a completely different career within the same company.

Education is the tool that allows you to change your work life to whatever you wish depending on how you go about it. Lynsey GarganManufacturing 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 I am currently studying Project Management. Sinead KennyDesign Engineer 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 In the Garda College I have completed a suicide intervention course which has proved to be a very worthwhile course.

In the future I hope that I can further my education and build on the degree that I will attain at the end of the training. I think that furthering education will be crucial if I want to progress my career in years to come. Peter CliffordProbationer Garda I decided to pursue the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification on joining Deloitte. I had undertaken some lectures with the Irish Tax Institute as part of my Masters in Smurfit and found them to be extremely well organised and professional. I knew that I would have excellent support pursuing my tax qualification.
Deloitte have really supported me in pursuing the CTA qualification. They offered me paid study leave for my exams and in house training sessions which made the experience of sitting my first set of exams as stress free as possible. Anna Holohan Tax Manager In my previous jobs, I had taken the opportunity to learn advanced financial modelling in Excel for valuation and to develop a good working knowledge of some of the key databases used to support several functions in Corporate Finance. In my current role, I plan to learn Data Analytics as it is a crucial function that has proven its importance in all businesses today and is highly useful as a tool to support decision making, which I believe will be helpful in my current and future roles. Madhuvratha VasudevanSenior Investment Analyst Yes, I am planning to take the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing, wish me luck! Amy O’DwyerAssociate Sustainability Advisor

Yes, it is very important to continue with upskilling throughout your career. In the last few years I have started to learn and use new-found skills based aroung lean six sigma principles.

Throughout my career I have been fortunate to take a number of specialised training courses that have benfitted both the company and I.

Energy Management Pumping systems, Time Management, Intensive French, Health and Safety, Remote Emergency Care, Lean Six Sigma (Green and Black Belt), to name only a few.

I would like to go on to do an MBA in the future when kids leave home and I have more time available to study.

Jonathan PugsleyEnergy Manager I qualified as a Chartered Accountant last year so I am looking forward to the next educational step in my career. I completed a couple of online course late last year in areas of personal interest including watches and art history. It's important to have a genuine desire to learn and spend the time to do so. Otherwise, it can be quite a slog. Michael McDermottAssociate Director, International Corporate Banking

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 Advice if considering this job Go for it – it’s a great job. Des LalorWind Engineer The Tourism industry is extremely rewarding, you will meet people from all corners of the earth who are interested in our beautiful country and see you as the link to their perfect travel experience. There are so many opportunities in the industry and it will take you any where you want to go! Catherine O'Grady PowersOwner Gleenkeen Farms Think long and hard, listen to advise, plan well and be ready to make sacrifices for job satisfaction… Liz ChristyTextile Design/Handweaver It can be challenging, but very rewarding. Choose subjects and coursework carefully. Owen HughesManufacturing Technician 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 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 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

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 Try gain experience in some area of construction if possible to see if it’s for you. If you’re interested in a 9-5 job this is not for you!

If you like meeting with new people each day and dealing with issues which they may have regarding the project this is a good job for you. If you like to take charge of situations then this is also a good role for you to take on. Aidan MaherSite Manager - Grad Entry My advice would be that if you are not afraid of hard work that construction can be a very rewarding industry. It is a constantly changing industry which is interesting to work in.

To be a QS the main values would be to be interested in dealing with financial data and be happy to work as part of a team. Having an interest in construction generally outside of the commercials will also help as it keeps you interested in the projects you are working on apart from what they cost. Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor I would highly recommend this job but I’d say to start taking insurance exams as soon as possible and get them done while you’re young.

I’d also recommend talking to as many people in the industry to see what area of insurance you want to go into i.e. Insurer, Broker, Loss Adjuster etc. – they’re very different! Karl CurranAssociate Director Go for it! Intel is a fantastic company to work for. Darryl DayIQ Engineer Take every opportunity that comes your way, don’t be afraid of a challenge. Don’t be afraid to throw yourself into things, you’ll learn on the job. Denise HarringtonSupply Chain Analyst I would strongly recommend a career in tax to any students who are considering it. Tax professionals are in high demand from employers and can add real value to any business. It is a challenging and rewarding career which can place you at the heart of business decision making. It can also be an excellent springboard to other careers in finance.

Just recently a new Chief Financial Officer was appointed to Irish Distillers who was formerly the Pernod Ricard Group tax director! Also do your research about the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification – from my own experience, the course is very practical and relevant to my day to day job. It provides a structured framework for achieving the knowledge of tax law and skills required to be a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA). Lorcan KellyTax Consultant If you’re unsure of whether or not you’ll like the area you’re thinking of studying in, try some beginner online courses or lessons such as those on Coursera. Trying out things that you mightn’t have had much exposure to in school, like coding, can really help you decide if it’s for you. Catherine AhearnData Scientist The most important thing is that you like your subject area! It?s also important to do as well as you can throughout your degree. For example, I applied for PhD scholarship during my final year, so they were looking at my first, second and third year results. Finally, I find that liking people helps a lot. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Know what you like and dislike, and what you are good at and not so good at so you study or do an apprenticeship in something that you will love so that work is a job as well as a hobby. Choose a more general degree eg science or engineering where you do a lot of subjects in first year then specialize. If you don’t get the course you want you can still do a similar one as the fundamentals are the same. Niamh YatesValidation Engineer

I would advise you to contemplate your motivations for considering a career in social work. Whereas I entered university wanting to change the world, I now understand that if I wanted to do this, I should have followed a career in social policy. Moreover, I have developed an appreciation for the big (and small) changes I have made to children’s and family’s lives, the connections I have made within the communities I have worked in, and the support and guidance I have given and received throughout the course of my career.

I would further add that through my career I have met some incredible colleagues who I am lucky to now call friends. Social work is a career wherein one relies heavily on their teams/colleagues, and close interpersonal connections are quickly forged.  

Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker Be prepared for hard work.
Be a team player.
Have a good sense of humour.
Learn from your mistakes. Frank MorrisonRecruitment Manager Don’t be afraid to speak up, be yourself and always learn from each other. Xiaona HouProduct Engineer The lifestyle 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

There are many opportunities in Ireland in the medical device arena as Ireland could be described as the “silicone valley” of medical devices in Europe. A majority of the large multinationals are located here which means that there are a lot of people with the skills specifically required for the industry.

Most of these multinationals are located in North America, hence we are often required to travel to the US. I have travelled to a number of different countries both during my postgrad & with my job. Also, because people are living longer & have certain lifestyle expectations, there will almost certainly always be a need for new medical devices. Unlike a lot of other industries, this would suggest that there will always be funding available to develop products for new areas. Also as a result of human DNA mapping, more & more diseases will become manageable, possibly through the help of medical devices

Sinead KennyDesign Engineer It enables me to have a happy work life balance. I work long hours but my job is very sociable. I meet a lot of people within the job, but outside of that I play sport in my free time with the Belgian GAA club and I also do some travelling at the weekends. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant This is not a typical nine to five job and as a result my work life balance wouldn’t be exactly where I want it to be. It’s perhaps more skewed on the work side but I don’t regret any of the choices I’ve made. Catherine DaySecretary General Being honest, to a degree yes, but not fully. The nature and reality of private practice is that we are busiest outside of everyone else's 9-5 schedule. This means early mornings, which are great, and I enjoy. Late evenings however impact on family life, social life, and sporting endeavours.

I haven't been as involved in my chosen sport of Gaelic football as I'd like to have been this past few years as its quite the challenge to juggle work and making training, especially when GAA fixtures change so frequently and at such short notice.

I have a comfortable lifestyle thanks to putting in long hours and working hard, this is something that I enjoy so it's never an issue for me aside from the aforementioned clash with my own sporting interests. Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist It does. Always room for improvement! Owen HughesManufacturing Technician Yes, definitely. The flexible working hours in BD allow me to start my job early and finish early. This is really valuable to me as it allows me to spend more time in the evening with my 14-month-old child. In BD, we are always encouraged to continue learning new skills which is very important for the R&D medical device industry. Xiaona HouProduct Engineer Yes, I usually work a five day week, times can be flexible when required. Hugh Heraghty Fish Farm Manager Yes. Wyeth are a great company to work for and they ensure that employees have a good work/life balance. I find that I get good time off and I don’t see work interfering with my personal life too much. I also get to travel quite freely and love to hit other spots around Europe. I’ve been very fortunate at Wyeth to have progressed through several levels since being here and I am now Manager of the Raw Materials lab after joining the company as an analyst. Brian O'ConnorAnalytical Chemist 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 Mark MaguireApprentice Electrician

I am passionate about helping people to bring their whole selves to work, and having their real needs met. I am a mother of three daughters, and am a huge advocate for women returning to work from maternity leave, having seen the barriers that exist in the workplace. That has made me even more committed to progressing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Working in HR has helped me to also have access to resources in work that I can apply outside work and help in community and volunteering organisations, as well as with my family. HR is not just about filling forms and checking boxes – it’s about solving problems, helping people to maximse their potential and I find this hugely fulfilling.

I have been very deliberate in choosing HR roles where I don’t have to travel as my children have grown up – I did a lot of travel when I had babies and made a conscious choice to step back from that because I wanted a different balance and HR is a very portable career where you can do that.

Oonagh KellyHead of HR I'm paid well enough. As regards to whether I'm happy; it's like being paid to do your hobby, to go and have fun. It's like boys toys: space, the final frontier, Star Trek. I grew up with Star Trek, so for me every day is fun. I set up the company in 2010, so I created the job myself, effectively. Rory Fitzpatrick CEO of the National Space Centre In Revenue, you have flexible working hours which are managed through an electronic time and attendance recording system. You can start work at any time between 8 and 10 o’clock and you can finish your working day any time from 4 o’clock. This allows great flexibility and ensures that you can organise your day in such a way as to create a balance between career and personal life. Edel ButlerAdministrative Officer 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 My profession is a “caring” profession – I am involved in protecting people’s health at work. I guess that’s one of the reasons I chose it. It certainly has been very good to me on the earning front. And while it has taken a few years to save up for life’s “luxuries”, I am certainly in a very healthy position to take great vacations, have a nice house and spend a significant portion of my earnings on my hobby. Dave McDonaldAstronomer 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 Generally yes it would as I know I have weekends off and the industry allows you to meet a wide variety of people. The early mornings can be hard if your trying to participate in sports clubs etc. on week nights, so it requires trying to find a happy balance. Colin ButterlySite Manager - Trade Entry Yes, absolutely. I think that one of the most important things to have is a work/life balance. We're on flexi-time, which means I can work an extra hour during the week to leave an hour or two early on a Friday. It's a very social place to work, with many internal and external events happening throughout the year. Laura GlendonMultilingual Software Support SAP Absolutely. I earn a good salary and maintain relatively social hours. Whereas there have been times where I have needed to prioritise the needs of a child or the service over evening plans, these occasions have been exceptional rather than the norm. I have always worked with incredible colleagues, and consequently, we would always look out for one another, and assist to minimise life interruptions. Furthermore, I have always been offered flexibility in my job to take any accrued hours back at times to suit my own lifestyle. Jonathan O’ReillyPrincipal Social Worker Whats cool Responding to Emergency calls is pretty ‘cool’, all the action and the excitement. This can get your adrenaline going, having to think on your feet and getting to use your skills, medications and equipment.

Driving on blue lights and sirens is pretty ‘cool’ too. Although most of the time when you arrive at the scene of an incident, things are bad. However, there are still ‘cool’ times such as delivering a baby in the back of the Ambulance or a car at the side of the road, that can be magic.

It’s a great feeling when you learn new skills or administer new drugs and you can see the patient improving immediately. Keith HayesAmbulance / Paramedic I'm self employed, so to an extent I'm my own boss. You feel you are in control. You get to do projects from the start, and bring them to completion, you get to see something for the work you've done. You're outside, in the fresh air, in the summer, and thats an added bonus. The fact of seeing a job through to completion can be very satisfying. Paul DowlingHorticulturist 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 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 It’s very interesting because no two days are the same so that’s good. You get a sense that you’re representing your own country and also you have the opportunity to develop a broader outlook on the world.

You also gain friendships with people from all over Europe that all have interesting things to say and as a result, have a very active social life. You’re never stuck for too long behind your desk either. Kevin KearyParliamentary Assistant My favourite thing about the job is helping others. There truly is nothing like the feeling that you've done something to make someone elses life just a little better. Emilia GilroyGarda The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of over 400 teenagers each year. Paul MeanySchool Principal

Anything with a bit of adrenalin attached is cool. Whether it is boarding a trawler in very bad weather, a gunnery shoot, exercising ships gunners. Approaching a port with a large concentration of traffic, anything that is challenging really.

Also the opportunity to travel the world, though my career to date I have been lucky enough to have been to many different places, from Singapore to L.A. Argentina, Hong Kong, India and Egypt.

David FlemingSub Lieutenant - Navy I enjoy the fact that there is a lot of patient contact and that we have the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives through sometimes relatively simple actions. For example, just taking the time to sit down with someone and listen to their concerns or explain what each of their medicines is used for could make the difference between them taking medication or not. I found working as a community pharmacist quite an isolating experience and enjoy working alongside other healthcare professionals in my current role. Rachel BerryPharmacist

The ability to get things done – I’m generally the go to person if something is needed to be fixed, Knowledge – it’s nice to be the go to person if someone has a problem /difficulty, even though I don’t know all the answers, I’ll do my best to find out.

The ability to help /fix things is very fulfilling. I don’t know though if I could be perceived as cool! Laura DevlinHR Manager - Hotel

The best things about my job:

• Working with great people every day who are fun to be around
• Working on some of the biggest deals in the Irish and Global market
• Meeting new people every week and learning about their businesses
• Seeing how technology is changing the world around us
• Having a chance to progress in the company through hard work
• Being able to work flexibly, and ensure a good balance between work and family life

Brian DelahuntyHead of Corporate Banking Being involved in peoples lives at such a basic level is really 'cool'! It is cool to have such great opportunities to relate to our clients in a real and meaningful way and see the difference your team can make on the lives of those in your care.

You have some great times, great fun with your clients, you get the opportunity to expose them to great challenges and to see them develop new skills and participate in society in a meaningful way.

I love to see a client find a new skill or hobby or to be involved in making something happen in their lives which before would have seemed impossible i.e. that they would find employment in mainstream society or that they would join a film club. Naoise PyeSocial Care Worker The variety and the people I meet everyday. Aishling ButlerGarda Trainee Meeting and working with people Barry McEnteeChartered Physiotherapist 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

Variety of the role- couple of months is marketing strategy.

Being a brand ambassador for the bank.

Ross O'BrienGraduate Recruitment Team Lead Having my own workshop in the Castle yard. Flexible hours, and selling what I make. Ray PowerPotter There are lots of cool things about this job. One of my favourite is the brilliant facilities for teaching in the Business School. I have a lot of fun with them!

There are big screens which my power-point slides are projected onto, and I can use them to show videos or DVD's. I can even link to the internet to show things during class.

Coming a close second is getting to travel abroad to present my research at conferences. I was subsidised to do this as a student too, but now it's funded by DCU because making a research contribution is part of my role.

Another major benefit is the flexibility and autonomy associated with the job. While I work hard, I do so in my own office, organise my own time, and am free to do so once I do my job well.

I also have huge flexibility around my working hours and some flexibility to work on my research at home, if I'm not teaching or meeting students. While I don't get summer-long holidays, it's really wonderful to have block of time over the summer to develop my research. Essentially having research time is being paid to explore ideas and issues that I have an interest in.

I really value having a job where I have the freedom to choose the direction of my work - and to change it if I want. At the moment I don't see myself moving away from conducting research in healthcare service-delivery - this is a really rewarding growth area - but it is great to have the choice. Aoife Mc DermottLecturer Working with new and exciting projects with suppliers such as exclusivity line. Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager Right now, artificial intelligence and robotics. But I’m biased! Sinead O'Sullivan CEO of Fusion Space Technologies Not so cool Seeing people upset and not knowing how to help them. Deirdre LavelleCare Assistant The workload can be quite big. Construction projects have a schedule which they must be finished by so sometimes everything is needed yesterday! Eileen FahertyElectrician / Quantity Surveyor

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 I really can't think of anything off the top of my head! Shane SargeantDepartment of Foreign Affairs 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 The work involved in preparing for class i.e. preparing lessons and resources 'behind the scenes'. Brian CadiganPrimary School Teacher Being outside in the rain! On site there isn't really the same social aspect as there is in the office. You are only working with a couple of people on site. The work -, there isn't much I don't mind doing really. Maria O'NeillCivil Engineer Time management! It is a busy job and I don't always have time to do as good a job as I want to on some tasks because other things are more important or urgent. For example, sometimes you want to spend more time working on a piece of research but you can't because you need to respect a deadline given to you by a publisher. Dr. Patrick CadwellLecturer The unpredictable nature of the job has its benefits but on occasions can affect pre-made plans with family or friends. Niamh BriggsGarda Oisín:
Having to delay your work to wait for a person to help you with a particular job or tool.

Oisin MurphyApprentice Carpenter Not taking time to reflect on your achievements Sara Hickey Assistant Trading Manager Occasionally there can be an important deadline to meet that requires extra hours in the office but this is the exception rather than the norm. Anna Holohan Tax Manager 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 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 Tearing the net and mending it. Getting no fish and therefore getting no money. Alan O'NeillFisherman The challenges mentioned above: too much work sometimes, having to multitask a lot and still needing to prove myself to others, many times because of my age and sex. Michaela MusilovaMission Control Space Services Similar to many industries, different types of technology are constantly being introduced in the field of engineering. This means that it is necessary to attend training and spend time getting used to the various types of software.Only recently, I attended a training course on the essentials of seismic engineering. Earthquake design is not applicable to buildings in Ireland; however, it is a necessary requirement in other parts of the world. As Arup works on global projects, it is brilliant that I get the chance to attend this type of training, as I can apply what I have learned when I work on international projects. Shauna HurleyStructural Engineer 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 Administration tasks!!! Mary Ita HeffernanSocial Worker Doing my VAT returns! Glenn LucasWoodturner