The Cycle of Learning
Following your graduation today, you will enter your chosen field as a highly skilled graduate from a university with one of the highest rates of graduate employability in the country. Our Early Careers Employer Survey 2024 found that University of Limerick graduates were recruited within an average of seven weeks, and most participating firms noted that the competition for graduate talent was intense.
According to the OECD, Irish workers are among the most productive in the world. We have the fourth most international workforce in the EU, and 63 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds in Ireland have attained third-level education compared with the EU average of 43 per cent. Today, you join that number and become part of UL’s 130,500-strong alumni who are making a difference around the world.
As technology advances and industries undergo transformation, employers require a highly skilled workforce to drive innovation, productivity and growth. In the context of Ireland’s current low unemployment rate and amid a global battle for talent, it is crucial that we continue to develop and attract world-class talent to meet industry needs. We are proud to say that as a graduate of UL, you are well-equipped to bring fresh ideas, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to your chosen profession. In turn, by producing graduates of your calibre, UL can enhance its reputation and attract international students, faculty and research collaborations, thereby benefitting the region’s economy.
At UL, we have always been committed to enabling our students to become engaged and socially responsible citizens – individuals equipped to take positive action and make an impact locally, in the region and further afield. As well as our commitment to tackling the grand challenges of today, we are wholly aligned to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The goals provide a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and our planet, now and into the future”.
As you leave here today with an award in hand, you take with you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, which will enable you to adapt and learn throughout your career. Never forget the value of lifelong learning. Whether through formal education, self-directed learning or engaging with diverse perspectives, a lifelong commitment to learning will enable you to address the complex challenges of our time. Lifelong learning fosters innovation, creativity and adaptability, which are essential qualities for employers who seek to thrive in a dynamic and competitive landscape.
We are engaging in innovative ways to remain connected with you through UL@work, co-designed programmes with fellow higher education institutions, dynamic apprenticeships, practice-orientated programmes, bespoke programmes for industry and public service, micro-credentials and much more. With multi-modal delivery to the fore of continuing education and given UL’s position as a leader in the field of co-designed, industry-led curricula, it is unlikely that this is the last you will see of this university.