NCI Blog

Looking to kick-start your career in accounting? Discover Xuerui Liu’s journey from China to Ireland, as she decides to take her career in a new direction by studying NCI’s one-year full-time MSc in Accounting and exploring Ireland’s vibrant culture.

Ian Ray grabbed the opportunity to do work placement as part of his business degree at NCI with two hands and discovered the path he wants to follow after college. He looks back on his one-year work placement as a HR Intern with Keelings, sharing two key achievements and what he has learned from this professional experience along with key insights into his studies at NCI. Making life choices such as where to study and what career to pursue can be challenging. Ian shares plenty of tips and advice below that can help those making CAO decisions for September 2025 discover the right path for them.

Being awarded Intern of the Year Runner-Up at L'Oréal was the highlight of the work placement experience for Clodagh Cahill-Turley who is currently completing the final year of her BA (Honours) in Business degree. As the only intern based in Ireland to be nominated for an award, this showcases her contribution to the company and recognises her achievements during her year-long placement.

One thing stood out to Zsuzsanna Nicoli when making her CAO choices. The BA (Honours) in Human Resource Management at NCI included the option to complete a year-long work placement in industry, meaning she would gain real-world experience and have an opportunity to apply theoretical learnings before she even graduates. She shares insights into her work placement with Ryanair and studying HRM as well as advice for those making their CAO choices below.

Many students think about what they would like to do with their degree when they are still in college. At National College of Ireland, many courses are designed to give students direct, practical experiences alongside classroom learning to highlight how you may go on to use the qualifications gained here.

About to jump into her final year of studies, BA (Honours) in Business student Sophie Sherlock reflects on her experience on the course so far along with her time completing work placement in Human Resources with the Central Bank of Ireland. She also looks back to making her CAO choices and shares advice for anyone who is currently in that position.

From left to right, Roseline, Lan Ngoc, Simon Harris TD and William at the launch of the Global Citizen 2030 Campaign by the Government of Ireland Studying abroad in Ireland offers high-quality education, a competitive economy, an English-speaking country in Europe, with a warm welcome and stunning landscape, making it an ideal place to pursue your studies while exploring a new culture.

A strategy many students consider when deciding what to do in college is to join a Level 6 course in an area they are interested in before committing to the Level 8 degree. These courses tend to be shorter, have lower entry requirements and graduates can gain entry to year two of an Honours Bachelor Degree.

Whether you are already working in human resource management or learning and development and want to validate the expertise you have gained, or you are starting out and want to get your first role in HR or L&D, a CIPD accredited qualification from National College of Ireland will be valuable to you in your career.

Choosing a field of study is a big decision as it can shape your career and future opportunities. At National College of Ireland, we understand the importance of making an informed choice, especially when it comes to closely related fields like Accounting and Finance.