In the next instalment of our Alumni Spotlight series, we speak to University of Limerick graduate Patrick Twomey, who studied the Bachelor of Business Studies at Kemmy Business School.
Now the Managing Director of Twomey’s Bakery, Patrick shares how his UL experience prepared him to take on the challenge of running his family’s business.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Patrick Twomey, and I come from Dromcollogher in Co. Limerick.
I’ve been the Managing Director of Twomey’s Bakery Ltd. for the past two years. I’m the fourth generation of my family to run our business, which has been operating from Church Street in Dromcollogher since 1901. It was started by my great-grandfather, James Fitzgerald.
Twomey’s Bakery is now a leading producer of fresh pastry and artisan breads, which are distributed nationwide. I take great pride in continuing on our family business. The experience I gained at UL gave me the confidence to take on this challenge.
What course did you study, and what year did you graduate?
I graduated with a first-class honours degree in Business Studies in 2016.
Why did you choose to study at UL?
UL is such an incredible place to study; it was always my first choice. It was hard not to be impressed by the stunning campus and top-class facilities.
I had also heard good things about the style in which the courses were delivered. There was lots of continuous assessment and students are offered a chance to gain valuable, real-world experience with a nine-month work placement in third year.
What were the highlights of your course?
In third year, I had the opportunity of working with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) on a nine-month internship programme. That was a formative experience for me, as I gained first-hand experience of how large organisations operate. Looking back, nothing prepared me better for my later career than the experiences I had working with GECAS.
As a KBS student, you had the opportunity to learn from some of the top academic talent, in state-of-the-art facilities. What was your KBS experience like?
I loved my time as a student in the KBS. Business is taught in a very distinct manner in UL, with specific focus on fairness, empathy, and equality in keeping with Jim Kemmy's ideals. I really enjoyed the style in which modules were delivered and found the content to be valuable when I graduated and moved on with my career.
Majoring in Human Resource Management, the KBS afforded me a safe place to learn and practice, and meaningful skills such as negotiation, interview techniques and employee engagement.
What advice would you offer to students considering studying at UL?
Enjoy it! Four years is a short time, and it's over before you know it!
Separately, what advice would you offer to students considering studying your course?
Engage with the practical elements of the course as much as you can and don’t be afraid to put your learning to the test. The standard of teaching on the Business Studies course is exceptionally high, but I found the most valuable learnings to be when I put things to the test. The theory you learn is always sound, but you need to find the best way of putting that theory into action and this can look different for everyone. Put your learning to the test outside the classroom environment as early as possible – this helps you to develop your own style for best putting that theory into action.
Talk to everyone! Business Studies is a large course, and there is so much you can learn from your fellow students as well as from the academic staff.
What are some of your favourite memories from your time at UL?
I’m very proud to have won the KBS Outstanding Scholar award for three years straight and, at the end of my final year, I was lucky enough to win the John Lovett Memorial prize, which is awarded to the highest QCA in the Business Studies and Human Resource Management stream. It’s something I’m extremely proud of and was a great way to close out my time in UL.
I was lucky to have made so many great friends in my time at UL, and though we have all gone our separate ways, we still remain in contact and meet up regularly. I always remember the great nights we had in the Stables.
Are there any campus locations that hold special significance to you?
The Stables, though not an academic building, is probably one of the most important locations for any UL student! I can remember so many great nights there, from Christmas Daze to RAG Week. It was always a safe place that you could unwind.
Outside of that, towards my final years, the library became a very significant location also and, like the Stables, I spent many a long night there!
How did your course and your overall UL experience prepare you for entering the workplace upon graduating?
As I said previously, the practical nature of the learning in UL really helped me to develop skills that are still applicable for me in my career today. Getting the opportunity to put these skills to the test in practical environments allowed me to develop my own personal style.
Analytical skills are so important for any graduate, and my time in the KBS allowed me to hone these skills – whether it be through analysing financial documents, or case study situations.
Good decision-making is a byproduct of good analysis, be that numerical or factual analysis. Being able to critically analyse has allowed me to make good decisions in my career.
Could you update us on where you are now in your career?
When I graduated from UL, I joined Accenture as a Management Consultant. I spent over five years in Accenture and got fantastic experience with all aspects of Project Management, from initiating, designing, planning, implementing, and controlling, to monitoring large-scale transformational change projects.
An opportunity arose to return and manage our family business in Dromcollogher, and I couldn’t resist the challenge. At Twomey’s, we went through our own strategic transformation over the last number of years, focusing on more high-volume supply direct-to-distribution centres as opposed to the traditional direct-to-retailer style of bakery. Over the past 18 months, we have gone through a period of rapid growth as our product lines have doubled and our staff count has grown by over 40%.
This growth is all the more impressive given how difficult it is to be a food producer at this time. Ingredient inflation is still recovering from the record highs of 2023. In saying that, we’ve managed to circumvent that somewhat, through establishing more efficient ingredient supply channels that have in turn allowed us to insulate our customers from large price fluctuations.
I have a tremendous passion for the baking industry, and being able to play a key role in the success of our family business is always a source of pride for me. This motivates me to always strive for better outcomes.
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
Coming from a Human Resource Management background, talent development is a particular area of interest for me. At present, I’m the Chairperson for the Irish Bakery and Confectionery Apprenticeship Consortium. This brings together bakeries from around the country, with the ultimate goal of lobbying the government and the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) for the establishment of a much-needed Level 6 Bakery and Confectionery Apprenticeship Scheme. An accredited apprenticeship scheme would allow the industry to develop a consistent supply of baking talent, while at the same time rewarding the talented bakers that are the backbone of bakeries around the country. It's something I’m hugely passionate about. We hope to achieve apprenticeships status within in the next two years.