woman standing with arms crossed

To this day, I credit that placement opportunity for where I am now in my career and the fantastic group of friends from UL I met and remain close with from our time in NYC. 

Aisling shares with us how outside of the learning experience of co-op, her placement had a wider impact on her life. 

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

My name is Aisling O’Brien. I studied Business Studies with French at the University of Limerick from 1998 to 2002. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve primarily worked in the drinks industry. I spent over 16 years with HEINEKEN Ireland, holding various roles, including Senior Marketing Manager for the Heineken® brand in Ireland. In 2019, I relocated to Limerick and worked for two years as Head of Brand with The Shannon Group. In 2021, I returned to HEINEKEN Ireland, where I currently work in the Commercial Department as Trade Marketing Manager for the full portfolio of brands.

Tell us a bit about your co-op placement. What organisation did you work with, and when did it take place?

I was fortunate enough to do my co-op placement in New York in 2001 with Edelman Public Relations. I couldn’t believe my luck the day I arrived in Times Square to check out the place I’d be working for the next nine months. The building was about 40 storeys high and directly opposite the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. My position was as an intern in their Crisis Management Team, working under PR guru Roger Ardan. I progressed from supporting the team with administrative tasks to pitching client stories to US media and contributing to team and client meetings.

My newly made, now lifelong UL friends and I lived in Woodlawn in the Bronx, where a kind-hearted Irish man named Jimmy rented us his house on Katonah Avenue. Officially, four of us were meant to live there, but we often had visitors and short-term guests! We built a great network through our UL connections in Woodlawn and enjoyed the mix of virtual proximity to home via our Irish friends in the Bronx and immersion in NYC through our jobs in midtown.

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

To this day, I credit that placement opportunity for where I am now in my career and the fantastic group of friends from UL I met and remain close with from our time in NYC. I remember the professionalism of the Edelman team, their incredible work ethic, their clear communication about their work and clients, and most importantly, their generosity with their time and support for an inexperienced but eager Irish girl!

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

Take every opportunity you can. Be curious and interested. Listen and ask great questions!