NCI Blog

This is a guest blog post by Dr Michael Goldrick, Programme Director of the learning and technology courses at National College of Ireland.

With an extensive career as an educator and researcher, Professor Jimmy Hill, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Vice President of National College of Ireland, shares his thoughts on what it takes to become a successful business owner along with details of a new NCI programme, starting in September, which will help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to begin your entrepreneurship journey.

Dr Danielle McCartan-Quinn, Vice Dean of the School of Business, hosted a webinar to explain how you can get your honours degree in Business Management or HRM Strategy and Practice in just two years.

In one way, Fintech is the easiest of the newer computing buzzwords to explain, as it is simply a portmanteau that combines FINance with TECHnology to make a new word: Fintech. The word first began to be used in the early 1990s, as an abbreviation for Citi’s initiative: Financial Services Technology Consortium, though the move towards understanding the possible impact Technology could have on Finance began as early as the 1980s.

A lot of us have some idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) - or at least think we do - if only from the movies. At its most sophisticated, we might think of the replicants in Blade Runner (with a bit of bioengineering thrown in), while considering Ex Machina or Chappie as more likely to become Science Fact within our lifetimes. However, often robots, even humanoid ones, don’t have Artificial Intelligence, they cannot read their surroundings and respond to them, but only perform a single pre-programmed task. These machines help us *do* things more quickly or carry out repetitive physical processes; AI helps us *think* more quickly, sorting through vast amounts of information.

When NCI graduate Laura Buckley selected the BSc (Honours) in Technology Management as her top choice on her CAO form, she didn’t know which aspect of the course she would enjoy more; business or technology. Her talent for the business and IT management subjects soon became evident and, equipped with a solid foundation in computing and a focus on business management, Laura set her sights on becoming a leader in the technological/agile project space.

A quick search at time of writing this blog post displayed 240 Blockchain roles currently recruiting in Ireland through LinkedIn alone. Even if you are not currently job-searching, you will have come across the word in news reports and articles about everything from Brexit to cybersecurity to cryptocurrency. This is your speedy guide to understanding what people are talking about when they mention ‘Blockchain’.

Human resource management, data analytics, economics and TikTok… John Geraghty, HR Business Partner at TikTok, explains how these areas come together in his current role. Drawing from his undergraduate degree, his interest in data and economics has kept him grounded and ensured that he has always based his decisions on facts and tangible metrics. Studying the MA in Human Resource Management at NCI was a real lightbulb moment for John; he was certain that this was the field he wanted to pursue a career in. Starting off in recruitment, he soon moved into HR roles in technology companies where he developed an understanding of the impact of employee insights on business success. This sparked a desire to develop analytical skills to make decisions that would drive business growth, leading him to study the Higher Diploma in Science in Data Analytics at NCI.

Molly interviewing Tommy Tiernan about his chat show, image taken pre-covid. Photo credit: Bren murphy Rubbing shoulders with the stars isn't something you imagine doing as a data analyst. However, NCI data analytics graduate, Molly O'Dwyer, has found a way to combine her creative marketing side with her analytical strengths in her role as a Social Media and Data Lead at RTÉ where she works on shows such as The Late Late Toy Show and The Tommy Tiernan Show. While 1.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the record-breaking Late Late Toy Show in November, Molly was hard at work sharing special moments from the show with online audiences and uncovering insights from online engagements and behaviour.

The world of education changed this year. Where once, the idea of blended or fully-online teaching and learning was an option, or even an aspiration, this year has necessitated an adaptation for most of us, to technology enhanced learning.