two men in suits looking at one another

The co-op experience afforded to me by UL has had a profound impact on my career and future career by not only affirming my desire to be a civil servant, but also through teaching me that not everybody enters their dream position immediately upon completion of their studies.

Conor shares some practical advise for co-op students in setting expectations for starting their careers. 

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

I’m from the beautiful village of Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow and started studying at UL in 2016. I completed my undergrad in Politics and International Relations and went on to then do a master's in International Studies, again at UL. Since then, I emigrated to Portugal for a year to postpone responsibility for another while longer! After coming back to Ireland I managed an accommodation centre for Ukrainian refugees in Carlow which afforded me a great opportunity to develop professionally. Since March of this year, I have been working as a Housing Case Worker with Crosscare on Amiens Street, where I essentially assist those currently experiencing homelessness to access housing. 

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

I was very fortunate to be offered an internship at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform through the UL co-op system in 2019. Within DPER, I worked in the Reform and Delivery Office in government buildings on Merrion Square. Although many might see it as trivial, it was an absolute honour and uplifting to work in such a building and to have such accomplished colleagues. Throughout my placement, I worked on a plethora of projects and tasks, ranging from the unified identity for the civil service to assisting with the organisation of conferences that had several high-profile international attendees. I even got to meet Leo Varadkar and Pascal Donohoe along the way! 

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

The co-op experience afforded to me by UL has had a profound impact on my career and future career by not only affirming my desire to be a civil servant but also teaching me that not everybody enters their dream position immediately upon completion of their studies. Very few, if any of my colleagues on my co-op were fortunate enough to enter the civil service through a graduate programme. Instead, they gained expertise and skills through a myriad of experiences. As ideal as it would be to land your dream job straight after college, the road less travelled can provide you with a wealth of experience and knowledge that can be hugely beneficial to your career and will stand to you going forward. 

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

If I was to share one piece of advice to those about to start their co-op journey, as generic as it sounds it would be to fully embrace it to the best of your ability. Take the knowledge offered to you by your colleagues, adapt to their professionalism and attitudes, attend the work social nights and simply do whatever you can to fully immerse yourself in the organisation or position you find yourself in. Make sure to enjoy it whilst learning as it’s a period of your life you’ll look back on very fondly for years to come.