50 Years of Co-op

For half a century Cooperative Education at University Limerick has been embedding employability in the curriculum providing many students with their first experience of the working world. 50 faces, 50 years is a project capturing the diverse range of experience and career paths taken by former UL students and how their Cooperative Education placement has impacted this.

Each week, we will be sharing stories from former co-op students from the first outgoing class of 1974 up to graduates of our most recent 2024 class.

David O'Loughlin

David, now Director of Financial Reporting in DM Financial, knows first hand the value that co-op students can bring to an organisation. He offers some advice for accounting students starting their career.

Every year we take on a number of really amazing UL students, who get on the job expertise in the same manner as a trainee accountant.

Aisling Fee

Co-op forces students outside of their comfort zones and Aisling was certainly outside her comfort zone when she moved in with a host family in Spain. She shares how it impacted her co-op experience.

Initially I was horrified to learn that the host father had no English, now looking back it was a blessing because it really pushed me to practice my Spanish and gain confidence speaking in a relaxed setting.

A woman with blonde hair wearing a black graduation cap and gown holding a diploma in front of a red door

Sherrif Adegoke

Known as Breezy iDeyGoke, Sherrif shares valuable advice for students: be open to learning and expect the unexpected. His co-op experience laid the groundwork for his successful post-graduation career. Sheriff emphasises the importance of making new friends in a professional setting and understanding that dynamic, which has been crucial in his journey from a full-time musician to running a record label and working with Nike.

Be open to learn anything and expect the unexpected. I originally felt it was going to be a completely different industry to what I had interest in at the time. But it ultimately led me to understand and work towards building the framework of what sparked my career after graduation.

Fiona O'Kearney

Fiona's career took a significant turn in 2021 when she joined Unapologetic Magazine. Currently, she balances her marketing role in with her passion for publishing. Fiona discusses her impactful co-op placement and offers valuable advice for students embarking on their own co-op experiences.

The role honestly created a domino effect for my career – it was very easy to get administrative jobs after graduating because of my experience working in an office

Karen Ronan

Karen moved to New York to work with Bord Failte in 1995 as part of her Cooperative Education. Since then she has continued to promote Ireland as a world class destination. Read more about how her placement helped to create her future career.

My co-op placement paved the way for my entire career to date. I had no knowledge of tourism prior to joining Bord Failte and it has been the most rewarding career.

Michael O'Keane

Michael graduated from UL in 1978, when it was still known as NIHE, and all classes were held in Plassey House. He went on two separate placements to ICC bank, which lay the path for a career banking and finance. As a student in one of our first co-op classes to take on placement, his experience looks very different to today. But his advice remains as relevant now as ever!

Most of all enjoy it – you may not realise it but everyday you are adding to your existing skills and developing new ones

Dave Riordan

Dave Riordan completed his co-op placement with Eli Lilly in Kinsale Co. Cork, 27 years later he is still with them but now as site head in Puerto Rico. Read about how co-op gave him the experience he needed to start his career.

Don’t overestimate how much time you have– It slips by really quickly so use every moment and every opportunity to learn something new.

Julia Leonard

Client Manager, Julia Leonard speaks about her time with Zagg International and how those eight months helped her to build the skills needed to work in a fast-paced marketing agency.

Co-op isn’t just about the work, it’s also about networking and making connections, so get to know your co-workers and seek out mentors who can offer guidance and support.

Ger Comyns

Industrial Engineer Ger Comyns shares with us his experience of co-op and how it confirmed his post college career choice!

Embrace and enjoy the experience. Your time on co-op will fly by. Don't underestimate the "soft" learnings gained from going to the office, interacting with people and often people from different geographies and cultures, attending meetings in person and online & reporting out. This will make attending your first job, post graduation, less daunting.

Jennifer O'Donnell

Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Global co-op allowed Jennifer to explore the Spanish language and build up the linguistic skills needed to pursue a career in languages.

My co-op placement had a profound impact on my future career by solidifying my passion for the Spanish language and work in educational settings. Following my co-op placement, I stayed in Spain, improving my language skills and continuing my studies.

Professor Shane Kilcommins

I quickly realised that my undergraduate education was not standard or orthodox. It combined innovative curriculum, assessment and work placement that shaped all of us who attended the institution in multiple way.