NCI Blog

After a successful year completing his work placement with PwC UK in Edinburgh, Andrew Conlon is preparing to return to National College of Ireland to begin his final year of undergraduate business studies. During his work placement, Andrew was presented with the opportunity to begin his Chartered Accountant exams, which he passed with flying colours, as well as work from various offices across the UK, meet lots of new people and make lifelong memories but now, he is ready to apply the practical experience he has gained during his placement to his studies.

Whether you are a recent graduate looking for your first permanent position, or a skilled worker seeking a new and exciting challenge, entering the jobs market can be a scary prospect. No matter your level of experience or area of expertise, you will be entering a fiercely competitive market full of skilled workers. Therefore, it is crucial that you stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression on the hiring managers.

It is almost impossible to find an industry or business in our world today that has not been changed by technological advancement in recent times. Whether you are a farmer using agricultural technology to improve crop productivity, or an accountant using automation software to reduce paper usage, technology has streamlined important processes in businesses, allowing them to be more efficient, safer and profitable.

An article from the Harvard Business Review deemed Data Scientists to have the “sexiest job of the 21st century” due to the high demand from companies for individuals who could combine programming and analytics and make sense of the ever-increasing data that businesses were handling.

It's the age old question: how do you know you want to work in a new or emerging field if you don't know what to expect? Technology subjects such as cybersecurity, data analytics, blockchain and artificial intelligence are not taught at second-level so anyone choosing to dive right into a third-level course in these specialist areas, whether it's a level 8 degree or a conversion course, likely won't have existing experience in these areas.

With so many changes in the workforce in recent years, including the shift to remote and hybrid working models, many professionals are seeking more flexible working arrangements. According to the CSO, 88% of those in employment who worked remotely during the pandemic would like to continue to do so, with 6 in 10 preferring a mix of remote and office work.

An MBA or Master of Business Administration is synonymous with senior management leadership positions. At NCI, we think of an MBA as a ‘passport’ that can open up new career opportunities both in Ireland and internationally.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, shares her tips for researching career options and how these skills can boost your employability as part of our Career Tips Blog Series. One of the primary reasons that many of us attend third-level education is to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to acquire a better job than we would have gotten straight from school. If you’re anything like me, you listened to a select group of adults on what they thought would fit you best and you went with it. How many of you dived into researching career options before you started your degree? I certainly did not, mostly because I didn’t know how to, nor did I understand why it would be helpful.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, spoke to marketing student Gladys and Psychology graduate Leanne about their entrepreneurial experiences as part of our Career Tips Blog Series.

NCI Careers Advisor, Jennifer Kwan, spoke to recent graduate Caroline Reynolds about her experience changing careers as part of our Career Tips Blog Series. The pandemic has changed the way we work and the way we think about our jobs and our careers, but are we adapting our attitudes in the long run in the right way? Career changers have been leaders in anchoring their career decisions on learning and are finding more opportunities open to them because of it. They have recognised that their values and motivations have changed over the years and that becoming more flexible, self-reliant, and above all, better at learning, will prepare them for success.