Career Transformation
www.yourcareer.ie
“Continue to learn and break through the skills gap to embrace change.”
Breda O’Toole, Head of Talent Development and Digitalisation, IDA Ireland Page 02
“Everyone
James Lawless, Minister, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science Page 06
Light and heavy vehicle mechanics are given the opportunity for growth and development throughout their careers.
~Stephen Brangan, Cian Skelly, Ray Luby, Dublin Bus
Returning to education as a mature student: a transformative journey
Returning to education as a mature student is an inspiring step that can unlock new opportunities and personal growth.
While returning to education may feel daunting, this decision offers the chance for a fulfilling and transformative experience.
Embrace a growth mindset
Believe in your ability to learn and grow. It’s never too late to pursue knowledge. Be patient as you adjust to a learning environment and view challenges as opportunities for growth. Persistence is key.
Leverage your life experience
Your life and work experiences are valuable assets. Use them to enrich your learning and contribute to discussions. Selecting the right course is crucial — attend open days, speak with current students and research factors like accreditation, industry relevance and earning potential.
Explore flexible learning options
Many institutions offer part-time, online or evening classes designed for mature students. Explore these to accommodate your lifestyle. Additionally, consider programmes tailored specifically to adult learners for a more supportive environment.
Build a support network
Connect with other mature students who can offer encouragement and advice. Engage with teachers to discuss your needs, and don’t hesitate to seek their guidance and adjustments if necessary.
Manage time wisely
Balancing education with responsibilities can be challenging. Create a well-structured schedule to maintain harmony between studies, work and personal life.
Stay open to new experiences
Learn from younger peers and embrace new tools and technologies. These can enhance your educational experience and provide fresh perspectives.
Set realistic goals
Focus on your own journey and celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. Setting meaningful and achievable goals will keep you motivated and positive throughout your studies. Returning to education as a mature student is a courageous and rewarding decision. With the right mindset, preparation and support, you can turn this chapter into an empowering journey of growth and rediscovery, paving the way for a fulfilling career and a brighter future.
Managing a modern career through skills transformation
Nowadays, roles may shift more rapidly as business models change and technology revolutionises how we work. So, how do we make the most of our careers?
In a World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025, employers report that 39% of key skills required in the job market will change by 2030. The report cites that ‘skills gaps in the labour market are the primary barrier to business transformation’ with the second main barrier being ‘organisational culture and resistance to change.’ What does this mean for workers and their careers? If we stagnate, we are likely to be left behind. However, if we grasp learning enthusiastically and systematically, we are more likely to be able to open ourselves up to many opportunities within the job market.
Working in different sectors
Increasingly, we see workers being hired from different skill bases and backgrounds to meet the needs of enterprise. Workers in tech companies are being hired into the life sciences sector because of the need for digital skills across sectors, for example. Imagine the opportunities that are presenting themselves now, even if your education is not related.
Maintaining a life-long learning approach
Key skills now for enterprise into 2025 and beyond are technological skills, especially in AI and big data, digital literacy and
cybersecurity. Skills in creative thinking, resilience and flexibility are rising in importance. When was the last time that you learned something new or re-learned a skill but had not applied it in any new areas? Life-long learning thrives on the curiosity to explore and embrace new experiences, and that doesn’t just mean in a work context.
Developing key skills
Today, there are many ways to learn. There are virtual courses that you can dip in and out of, microcredentials that you can stack towards a degree, plus mentoring, coaching and job shadowing — and that is only the beginning. Choose the best way you like to learn, and if you are not sure, search for ‘Learning Style Questionnaire’ and complete it. Continue to learn and break through the skills gap to embrace change; this way, you will be the creator of your own skills transformation.
Images, unless otherwise specified
Breda O’Toole Head of Talent Development and Digitalisation, IDA Ireland
Gina Oglesby Founder and CEO, Back To Work Connect
‘Why my tech role is a real, transformative benefit for our clients’
I’m pleased to see that diversity in leadership has improved.
Aisling Cronin, Director, Technology Strategy and Transformation at Deloitte, reveals how she grew her career in a fascinating and dynamic field that is in constant demand.
What is your team’s role?
Our days are spent helping our clients to deploy technology in their businesses. These conversations begin with an idea of where they want their business to be. It is my job to advise on the right strategies and build a plan to bring these ideas to life. There is no typical client; we work with clients from major government agencies to leading financial services firms and consumer goods, tech and life sciences companies.
Right now, we’re helping organisations navigate AI responsibly while maximising its impact. Current projects include defining a digital transformation strategy for a public sector body, rolling out tech cost optimisation in financial services and designing a tech service desk for a global company.
Is it a growing area in your company?
With emerging technologies like AI evolving at an unprecedented pace, many organisations struggle to keep up — turning to us for guidance. It is an exciting time to work in this space. Top technology talent is more valuable than ever, and we’re proactively building teams in high-demand areas to stay ahead of client needs.
My team helps clients to prioritise and decide what’s important and when it will be important. Our clients expect us to advise them on what technology is best suited to their organisation and how it can work for them and deliver their strategy. Our advice is always valued and in demand.
Were you always destined for a tech career?
Sponsored by Deloitte
I’ve always enjoyed maths and studied management science and information systems studies at Trinity. The subjects ranged from engineering, maths and computer science to business management, accounting and economics, providing an excellent foundation for a career in consulting. In 2009, I joined Deloitte’s graduate programme.
What are your career highlights?
As a consulting graduate at Deloitte, I started in coding and technical client work. The next logical step was to move into project management, which
made me realise there’s more to technology than the tech. In 2015, I transferred to Deloitte in London and spent two years in project management and client advisory, enjoying the work, learning a lot and travelling internationally.
Why did you leave for a while?
After 10 years of consulting, I thought my career would benefit from industry experience. I wanted to be part of an organisation to understand how it ticks and what happens when the consultants leave. In 2020, I joined a global pharmaceutical company as a Technology Strategy and Workforce Management Lead, gaining valuable insight into a large-scale business. Stepping outside my comfort zone helped me grow. Now, having walked in clients’ shoes, I better understand their priorities.
What brought you back to your current employer?
The people. Deloitte is home to some of the most talented technical minds in professional services, and I knew my industry experience would allow me to add even more value — both to our team and to the clients we support. The chance to collaborate with such expertise daily, while bringing fresh insights from my experience in industry, made the decision to return an easy one.
Have you faced any challenges as a woman in tech?
Early in my career, the lack of female leaders made it hard to envision myself in senior roles. Fortunately, strong support and sponsorship have kept my confidence up. Today, I’m pleased to see that diversity in leadership has improved — Ita Langton leads Technology & Transformation — a testament to our commitment to women in tech leadership.
Why should someone join your team?
You work with diverse organisations and tackle a range of challenges. I enjoy being challenged — using fresh ideas to help clients solve complex problems. Plus, you gain insight into key industry trends, guiding your own career growth.
Aisling Cronin Director, Technology and Transformation, Deloitte
WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway
How to demonstrate your soft skills on your CV
When job hunting, assess your strengths, skills and aptitudes. Match these to the job description, emphasising relevant skills in your curriculum vitae (CV) for better alignment.
When writing a CV, transferable skills often go overlooked. These skills are usually highly sought after by recruiters and can be difficult to demonstrate.
What are transferable skills?
Transferable skills are the skills you have developed through your life experiences — not just in jobs — which will be of value in the workplace. This experience could come from projects, work placements, voluntary work, sport, personal life, hobbies and interests. These experiences will have given you opportunities to work with others, take a leadership role or show that you can be committed and conscientious, for example.
Key skills that are worth mentioning include self-reliance skills, interpersonal skills (such as communication), teamwork and leadership and employability skills that can be used in a broad range of situations (such as problemsolving, creativity and time management).
Highlighting the right skills
The best place to start is the job description. Look over
Lifelong learning and digital upskilling prospects
the description for the role you’re interested in and take note of keywords and job requirements. These will help you tease out the skills the recruiter is looking for and build a list of core skills to refer to.
For example, if the job you’re applying to requires you to work on several projects at once, you should emphasise your time management skills. Communication skills and problem-solving skills are also likely to be useful in this type of role, especially if you’re likely to be dealing with multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests.
Examples of relevant skills
You’ll then need to figure out which of the core skills for the role you can demonstrate. Here, you can draw on previous projects you have worked on, even if the experience is from a different field or a voluntary role. The point is to highlight skills you have gained that will be useful in this job. Add examples of how you have employed these skills in the past to your CV. Describe projects or tasks that you have worked on and how your skills helped you achieve the desired results.
The Advance Centre was created through Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3 funding from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in late 2020. The project is one of 24 initiatives supporting skill development across Irish HEIs, focusing on digital transformation and promoting lifelong learning through policy evolution and upskilling.
Multidisciplinary approach to digital transformation
Digital transformation is the integration of digital technologies into all areas of the working environment to create fundamental changes in how everything operates. Digital transformation education is by its very nature multidisciplinary, with the need for both general data skills and, more recently, a focus on AI skills as well as relevant sectoral context.
Digital upskilling challenges
Upskilling in digital transformation comes with many challenges for the employer and employee. One of these challenges is the availability of part-time training. Another challenge is identifying the skills gaps and how to address them. Stating that there is a skills gap in data analytics is too narrow in focus.
For Intel Sr Principal Engineer and Higher Education Strategy Team Chair Kenny McNamee: “A key component in continuing to deliver leading-edge advanced technologies is the adoption and integration of AI in manufacturing to optimise processes with improved data analysis and decision-making to reduce costs and improve product quality.”
Expanding data upskilling initiatives Working with highly automated
processes, the amount of data generated and used to make decisions is vast. The data challenge is a mixture of managing data projects (setup); developing the data models to process the data (execute); and reviewing and stress-testing the data models to ensure the efficacy of the results from these models (verify).
While these functions share commonalities, they are distinct skills. Over 50 Intel staff, along with learners from other backgrounds, took three micro-credential courses in blended or online formats. Feedback was positive, with employees applying their learning directly to projects. Next steps include expanding microcredential upskilling and exploring further opportunities for graduates.
Flexible accreditation
A 12-week micro-credential differs from shorter CPD courses by allowing for greater depth. This is a key requirement for QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) accreditation. Credits reflect the learning level and can be stacked toward higher qualifications, from certificates to master’s degrees, completed parttime.
The Advance Centre’s flexible study options allow learners to upskill in an agile and cost-effective way, especially since the introduction of the HCI Pillar 3 learner fee subsidy, which allows learners to avail of an up to 80% discount on course fees.
Claire Farrugia Operations Executive, gradireland
Barry Twomey Director, Advance Centre
Upskill in digital with flexible, subsidised micro-credentials. Gain AI, data and automation skills to stay ahead in Ireland’s evolving workforce.
Sponsored
How to attract and engage top talent — and be an employer of choice
Attracting and retaining staff can be a hard ask. However, if an organisation displays authentic values, new staff will be inspired to join — and current ones will be happy to stay.
It can be challenging for businesses to find and retain exceptional talent. Yet, Bernard Yore, CEO of ESS Group, says: “This is a very exciting time for us,” says Yore. “We’re expanding quickly and have taken on 60 employees in the last year alone.”
Importance of authentic, values-driven culture
Yore attributes at least some of the success to a focus on ‘company values.’ However, this is not about selecting a few random, fuzzy platitudes to write on a meeting room whiteboard, he insists. Organisations must do more than that. “Specifically, it’s about demonstrating behaviours behind those values,” he says.
“For us, that can include everything from celebrating one of our apprentices winning an award to participating in International Women’s Day events; and from hosting talks about career obstacles and opportunities for women to
taking part in the Great Limerick Run to raise money for children’s hospice, LauraLynn.” In other words, when a company actually lives its values — rather than just talking about them — it creates an authentic and enjoyable culture that has the power to attract new employees and retain current ones.
Outsourcing talent to various industries ESS Group — specialist in the fields of asset management, maintenance reliability and critical airflow environments — was established 34 years ago and provides solutions and support to industries such as manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medtech, transport, education and utilities. Its services include the outsourcing of specialist engineering and technical personnel and apprentices to its many customers. This means that 200 of its 260 employees are working in permanent roles with companies across Ireland and the UK and are currently hiring across a variety of
maintenance and engineering roles.
Partnership collaboration and communication
“When outsourcing staff, we operate a three-way partnership,” explains Colm De Burca, ESS Head of Outsourcing. “There are the personnel we outsource to a customer. There are the customers/ companies we outsource our personnel to. Then, there’s our support team, which recruits and manages our personnel and listens to any issues they, or customers, may have. That collaborative, communicative-based approach is appreciated by all parties and is fundamental to the success we’ve had.”
This shared relationship is continued outside of working hours, too: another example of good company values, notes Yore. “If we’re hosting drinks or taking part in an event, we don’t confine invites to our employees,” he says. “We’ll reach out to the customers they’re working for to see if they want to join.”
Referrals and diverse hiring
De Burca admits that the Group is lucky because it finds many of its hires via word-of-mouth referrals from current employees. Nevertheless, when considering applications, one still has to think outside the box. “It would be easy to look at someone’s CV and say: ‘This person’s background is the food industry, so they wouldn’t fit in the pharmaceutical sector’,” he says.
“But it’s not good to typecast. It’s more important that they are customer-focused problem solvers, troubleshooters and innovative thinkers. Our employees are all different nationalities and come from any background.”
Training personnel and treating them with trust
Finding the right talent is one challenge. Keeping it is another. So, as well as offering training courses to the public, ESS offers in-house training to help companies and personnel develop their maintenance and asset management practices and technical abilities.
“We want to nurture all our people so are always interested in anyone keen to learn and develop,” says De Burca. Crucially, employees operate best in an environment where they feel trusted. “You need to treat people like grown-ups and give them autonomy,” he says. “It’s a simple thing but, in our experience, they’ll appreciate it and want to do their best for you.”
Grow your career with us
Bernard Yore CEO, ESS Group
Colm De Burca Head of Outsourcing, ESS Group
Sponsored by ESS Group
WRITTEN BY
Tony Greenway
Tertiary degree programmes make higher education more accessible
Tertiary degree programmes are transforming learning and career options by reshaping how we can access higher education. What makes these courses truly transformative is the freedom they offer.
Students can now begin their journey on a degree course at a local further education institute and progress seamlessly to higher education, bypassing the traditional reliance on the Central Applications Office (CAO) points system and reducing the cost of accessing higher education for learners.
Available tertiary degree courses
From day one, they are registered in both institutions and can use the resources and facilities of both a further education college and a higher education institution.
There are currently 29 courses open for applications, with an additional 14 opening for application on 28 March in areas such as information and communications technology (ICT), nursing, social work and healthcare. The launch of 17 new tertiary degree courses for the 2025/2026 academic year marks a milestone in the expansion of these new access routes to higher education across the country.
Meeting demands and needs of society
Over the past year, we have witnessed a 68% surge in enrolments for tertiary degree programmes, confirming
Returning to work: from career gap to career growth
Returning to work after a long career break — for childcare, eldercare, illness, relocation or other reasons — is both a major challenge and a unique opportunity.
This is one of the few times in your working life when you have the chance to step back and reflect on what you want for the next chapter of your working life — seize it. Are you excited to pick up your old career where you left off? Are you ready for a career pivot? Are you excited by a career reinvention, retraining into a role that is more in line with your current ambitions and motivations?
the increasing demand for this new approach, which offers unparalleled flexibility, breaking down the barriers that have traditionally limited access to higher education. It’s about creating a more inclusive education system that meets the needs of today’s learners.
The courses are designed in direct response to the needs of our society. Demand is high for graduates in sectors such as ICT and healthcare, which also represent some of the most rewarding career paths out there.
Equipping students with opportunities and options
By introducing tertiary degree programmes in these areas, we’re offering students the tools to make a tangible difference in the world. These courses are not just an opportunity for academic achievement; they offer people the freedom to reach their full potential, regardless of their background, age or financial circumstances.
I encourage everybody exploring their career options — whether just finished school or contemplating a change — to consider these new opportunities. The future is bright, and with the right support, everyone has the potential to transform their career and their life.
experience and perspective that returners bring. Leading Irish private sector employers including Deloitte, J.P. Morgan and FDM Group have established annual returner programmes, providing a supportive pathway back into a professional role. Last year, returner programmes moved into the public sector, with the Irish Civil Service launching a returnship programme for finance, HR and tech professionals.
Overcoming return-to-work challenges
Even if you’re motivated to get back to work, it’s easy to become filled with self-doubt and low confidence. You might be concerned that you’re not employable: you’re too old, you’ve been out of work too long or you’re too out-of-date.
Be reassured that employers are increasingly valuing the skills,
Career returners bring a wealth of experience Shirley Comerford, Assistant Secretary, Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform highlights the value of returners. She says: “We are delighted to have partnered with Career Returners to deliver an Assisted Return to Career (ARC)
programme for the Irish Civil Service. Career returners bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives to the Civil Service, promoting diversity, innovation and enriching our workforce.”
Seek out support
If you’re not sure which path to take or are feeling overwhelmed or stuck, don’t try to do this alone. Look for encouraging friends and family to keep you motivated. You can also get a wide range of return-to-work advice, inspiration, motivation and peer-to-peer connection through the new Career Returners Community, a global online social network and support hub for returning professionals.
James Lawless Minister, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Julianne Miles CEO and Co-Founder, Career Returners
Increasingly, we see workers being hired from different skill bases and backgrounds to meet the needs of enterprise.
~Breda O’Toole, Head of Talent Development and Digitalisation, IDA Ireland
Light and heavy vehicle mechanics are given the opportunity for growth and development throughout their careers.
Why a mechanic profession might be for you
Discover how Ireland’s largest public transport operator is leading the way through career progression, job security, pension and education support schemes.
The Heavy Vehicle Mechanic Apprenticeship Programme is a four-year programme where apprentices are trained to the highest possible technical standards. They acquire the ability to maintain the various systems associated with modern public service vehicles. It is a handson, practical and technical education programme, which comprises seven phases: three in college and four on the job.
Apprenticeship programme benefits
Apprentices receive a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in the trade of heavy vehicle mechanics on completion of their apprenticeship.
Participants receive a number of benefits during their apprenticeship including travel concessions, toolkit provided, college fees paid and access to a company GP scheme. With satisfactory performance reviews, they may receive an offer of a permanent position in Dublin Bus as a heavy vehicle mechanic. That gives you an industry-leading pension scheme, welfare scheme and a highly competitive salary.
Career progression opportunities
Mechanics are given the opportunity for growth and development throughout their careers. There are two potential career paths: progressing through more senior technical roles in our Technical Office or through supervisory roles in one of our depots. There are currently over 100 such roles and most are done by people who originally started as apprentices or mechanics.
Most of our engineering managers who manage the depots started as apprentice mechanics and are now responsible for teams of up to 100 people and 250 buses.
Hands-on heavy vehicle training
The Technical Training School is equipped with a classroom and a full workshop to carry out hands-on training. The changeover to hybrid and electric vehicles required reskilling all engineering employees to work safely on or around highvoltage electrical systems. The Technical Training School received accreditation from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) to deliver hybrid/electric heavy vehicle training up to level 3. It is the first facility in Ireland to offer this type of training.
Educational support for employees
At Dublin Bus, we provide support through the Educational Support Scheme for apprentices and any appointed employees to undertake a relevant course of study. Many of our mechanics have undertaken engineering degrees and other third-level courses. We also provide funding for these programmes, offering the support to help employees succeed.
Growth into a manager role
Engineering manager Ray Luby shares: “I started as a mechanic in Dublin Bus in 2006 and progressed into many roles within the engineering department. In 2023, I was promoted to engineering manager of Donnybrook Depot, which houses the largest bus fleet
in the city. I manage a team of 100 employees who service and maintain 240 buses. Last year, I completed a diploma in Project Management with UCD through the company’s Education Support Scheme. The support has been incredible throughout my career.”
Peace of mind with job security
Stephen Branagan shares his own journey. He started in 2015 when he joined as a heavy vehicle apprentice mechanic. He says: “I spent four years in the Ringsend depot. It was a busy time as I also got my bus and truck licences. The company has a brilliant Education Support Scheme, and I’m using that now to get my fully funded degree in mechanical engineering at TU Dublin. I have received two promotions recently and am now in an executive position in the Technical Office. There is huge scope to progress in your career, and the job security and pension really give me peace of mind.”
Continuous learning through dynamic roles
Now lead project engineer in the Technology Development Department, Cian Skelly started as a heavy vehicle mechanic apprentice in 2003 and qualified in 2007. He says: “Over time, my role has changed, being a lead hand, maintenance controller and shift supervisor. I used the Education Support Scheme to take on a part-time degree in mechanical engineering. Through the programme, I have successfully completed a Higher Diploma in IT and Computing. The career progression has been brilliant.”
Executive, Technical Office, Dublin Bus
Engineer, Technology Development Department, Dublin Bus
Ray Luby Engineering Manager, Donnybrook Depot, Dublin Bus
Sponsored by Dublin Bus