My Intra (Work Placement) Experience at DCU Business School

I can recall first hearing about the INTRA Work placement on my very first day of attending DCU. It wasn’t from a lecturer however but rather a friend of mine who has an older brother who had also studied Business and had just finished up on his placement. Admittedly DCU was not initially my first choice on the CAO as I had missed my first-choice course by a few points so upon hearing about this year-long work experience (which wasn’t being offered by the course I didn’t receive), I began to realize how lucky I was to receive a place in DCU and the benefits included such as INTRA.

As the months went by in 1st year, we began to hear other mentions of INTRA but it wasn’t until 2nd Year that it became an experience we were far more aware of. When we first made our CVs with the help of the astounding career guidance team and the initial positions were posted, my course mates and I were incredibly excited to see the various positions being offered in huge companies.

Whilst it goes without saying that a year-long work placement in an office is an extreme asset when it comes to applying for jobs after graduating, even the process of interviewing and preparation is extremely beneficial in terms of preparation for the working world. I can still recall my first interview which was with Paddy Power for a position on their marketing team. Despite my initial disappointment when I did not receive the job, I was incredibly grateful for the experience that interview alone taught me and when it came to interviewing for other positions after I felt far more confident and prepared.

After multiple other interviews, I was fortunate enough to receive a job in Takeda Pharmaceuticals within their HR and Payroll Teams. Despite the fact I was attempting to get a position involving Marketing, I was incredibly grateful to receive the position and as I would come to realize; the experience was even more rewarding than I had assumed. I gained so much experience in all areas of the business that will undoubtedly stand to me no matter what field I end up in after graduating which is something I would emphasise to business students in 1st and 2nd Year or Leaving Cert students who are considering applying for DCU, the INTRA Placement is invaluable and an aspect that cannot be found in many other universities.

I have recently returned to DCU to complete my final year of studies and have even noticed my work ethic/ability to productively meet deadlines has vastly improved since my impromptu departure from campus in Spring 2020 which I undoubtedly have INTRA to thank for.

The professional contacts you will make during your placement must also be mentioned as I was lucky enough to work alongside multiple great teams with who I have remained in contact with and have been generous enough to assist me with things like CV building.

In summary, the INTRA Placement is an extremely beneficial experience that I simply cannot recommend enough for DCU Students or individuals considering applying to DCU alike and should definitely be an aspect that is considered while filling out your CAO forms.

Find out more about Intra Work Placements at Dublin City University – https://www.dcu.ie/intra

Author: Peter Killalea, Bachelor of Business Studies

My Intra (Work Placement) Experience at DCU Business School