50 Years of Co-op: Julia Leonard

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

I’m Julia, I’m 24 and I’m currently working in Dublin as a client manager in media agency Core. I’m from Limerick originally and went to an all-Irish secondary school, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh before studying at UL. Funnily enough, my subjects in school were very different to what I ended up studying at UL. I studied music, art and politics & society in secondary school and ended up getting a degree in business! I studied Business in UL with marketing as my major and entrepreneurship as my minor. After graduation, I started working in Spark Foundry, Core as a client manager where I get to work with an amazing team and clients every day. 

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

I worked in Zagg International, a tech accessories company, from January to August in 2021. I worked as a digital marketing intern, managing the online merchandising of the company website, product launches and influencer marketing campaigns. Although my co-op placement was during lockdown, it was one of the most enriching experiences of my university experience and helped me to grow both personally and professionally. Not only did it broaden my understanding of marketing and the ways of working in business, but it also helped me to develop essential soft skills like time management, networking, attention to detail and my confidence. It also helped that I worked alongside a great team whose work ethic and enthusiasm for the job also aided my brilliant experience. 

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

My co-op placement helped me in a lot of different ways in my career. By graduation, I already had eight months of practical experience in the marketing industry which enhanced my CV when looking for a job. It also gave me experience in interviews (which can be daunting when you’re just starting out!). As I mentioned before, the skillset I built in co-op have been really valuable in my current role. The digital reporting I did in Zagg built my attention to detail and initiative skills – which are things I need every single day for my current role when planning and reporting on campaigns. Zagg also gave me the opportunity to do presentations for the wider marketing team including a competitor analysis. As a client manager, presenting is integral to my job and it was really helpful to have that experience going into my first media role. Even building the more basic skills like exceling in Microsoft platforms (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word) has been beneficial in my career. Overall, my co-op placement was a transformative journey and the skills I developed during my time there have no doubt contributed to my success since. 

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

My advice would be to stay open-minded, curious and proactive on your placement. Learn as much as you can from your co-workers and ask all the questions in the world. Seek any opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. 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. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – co-op is about learning. Knowing what areas you can improve in/what areas you’re exceling in is essential for growth and morale. My main piece of advice is to make the most of it – the skills, experience and relationships you build will absolutely benefit your career post-graduation.