50 Years of Co-op: Aisling Fee

Tell us a bit about yourself, what course did you study in UL, what has your career looked like to date?

My name is Aisling Fee, I am 25 years old and I come from Drumkeerin, Co.Leitrim. In 2021 I graduated from the BA Applied Languages. I majored in French, Spanish and marketing.

I am currently finishing up my internship at Netraco & Santé, a medical supply company where I occupy the position of Head of Communication and French Exports. I am completing this as part of my MBA in Communication and Strategical Marketing from the business school EFAP in Bordeaux, France.

Tell us a bit about your co-op placement, what organisation did you work with and what year it took place?

In 2019 I moved away from Ireland for the first time to sunny Madrid as part of the co-op programme. My placement was in Agora International School where I worked as an English language assistant via the institute CAPS (Conversation Assistant Programme for Schools).

I was working mainly with the younger children aged 3-8 years, we had such a laugh together. Sometimes I worked alongside the teacher in the classroom and other times I would take students outside the class individually or in small groups. We worked on mainly oral communication skills. I also had the opportunity to monitor a variety of outings such as sports events and school trips.

CAPS organised for me to live with a host family of one of the students from the school, who were incredible and with whom I still keep contact today, 5 years later. This allowed me to fully immerse myself in the local Spanish culture and also made the trip less daunting knowing that I wouldn’t be completely alone once I moved over.

What impact did your co-op placement have on your future career?

It is funny how one experience leads to another. As soon as I graduated, I worked as an English lectrice in the University of Rennes (France) for two years. This came about because this university has a direct partnership with UL. I reversed roles and went from being an Applied Languages student to teaching them. Honestly, I'm not sure if I would have been picked for this position if I hadn't the experience of already teaching English abroad from my co-op.  It was here in Rennes through the GAA club that I met my boyfriend and moved to his city, Bordeaux, where I am now finishing up my MBA/ internship.

During my co-op placement I immensely improved my Spanish. Before I began, my Spanish was very basic as I had only started it as a beginner’s language the year before when I entered UL. At work and with my friends, I was speaking English most of the time, so this huge leap in progress is primarily due to living with my host family. 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. Today, I am so grateful to have a second international language which, in a professional context, opens many doors.

What piece of advice would you give to students going on co-op now?

Be open minded! Say yes to as many different tasks as your employer offers you, the more experience you can get the better. This will also help you identify what you like and dislike doing. 

If you're lucky enough to be offered an opportunity abroad, go for it!  A willingness to move out of your comfort zone, the ability to take on new challenges and adapt to new environments are all qualities which employers value.

Finally, if you're a language student and you're doing your placement in a country where a language you're studying is spoken- immerse yourself. It is always easier to socialise with other Irish or other international people but make an effort to mix with the locals and speak their language, you will be amazed how fast you will improve. Joining a club or staying with a host family is a great way to do this.