Réalta Master in Engineering Scholarships

Your career journey post-graduation?

After graduating, I got a job as a project manager with Bristol Myers Squibb, a biopharmaceutical company in Dublin. This was my first job out of college, and it has been an incredible learning experience. Over the past two years, I have worked in different areas within the company focusing on helping to bring new medicines to the site.

How did the Réalta Scholarship contribute to your university experience and your personal/professional growth?

The Réalta Scholarship relieved a great deal of pressure from both me and my family. It allowed me to focus on my studies during my masters while still enjoying the college experience! 

Any advice you can offer to current and future scholarship recipients?

My advice is simple: apply! The support provided by the Réalta Scholarship is immeasurable. It takes a tremendous amount of stress off your shoulders during your college years, allowing you to fully focus on your education. Take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it.

Why did you choose to study engineering at UCD?

I always had an interest in chemistry, engineering and maths during secondary school and this led me to chemical engineering. Travelling to Dublin and speaking to the staff like Dr Patricia Kieran on the open day for UCD, I then knew it was the right choice for me! I felt that it offered a wide range of options for me after graduation and allowed me to pursue my interests from school. 

How did the programme you studied support / help or set you up for your career journey?

I use my degree everyday. It gave me the industry knowledge to contribute from day one. There was also a real focus on team work and group projects throughout college which helped me working in a large organisation such as Bristol Myers Squibb.

Your career journey post-graduation

My work placement during my masters year was with IN2 Engineering in Ranelagh which was an amazing experience but I was keen to work outside of Ireland for a while so I followed my girlfriend who was doing her masters in London.

I was really lucky to have had a fantastic relationship with my thesis supervisor Donal Finn and my Energy & Buildings teacher James O’Donnell; they introduced me to some of their contacts in London who in turn helped me get an interview.

I now work for XCO2 in London, an environmental and mechanical engineering consultancy and I’m really enjoying it. It’s a small and progressive company which is constantly reinventing the wheel and keeping up to date with what’s going on. It’s an amazing company and I would definitely recommend to other UCD graduates to explore job opportunities with XCO2. 

In my spare time I volunteer with Powerup North London, a charity that helps schools, churches and community centres to save on energy costs and I really enjoy that work.

My ambition for the next few years is to explore the area of renewables and sustainability more and I would be happy to move country again to gain relevant experience. My end goal down the line is to start my own company.

How did the Réalta Scholarship contribute to your university experience and your personal/professional growth?

My parents had been saving up for my education, so luckily part of my living expenses during college were covered. However, it would not have been enough to fund my masters and I would have ended up getting a big loan.

The scholarship had a huge impact on my time in university as it allowed me to cut back on the shifts I was working, concentrate on my studies and apply for every project and opportunity that came through my UCD inbox: I was accepted onto the Huawei - Seeds for the Future programme (unfortunately not in China but online, due to Covid, but a great opportunity anyway!) and the Red Bull Basement competition, a student innovation event in which my friend and I were chosen to represent Ireland with our start-up idea and we came in the top 10 countries.

The scholarship gave me the chance to do all these amazing things without being in massive debt today. Having these experiences on my CV and talk about them in interviews is really valuable.

I’m extremely thankful to the UCD donor(s) who support students like me and who made it possible for me to fully immerse myself in university life and explore every opportunity that came my way. 

Any advice you can offer to current and future scholarship recipients?

If you work hard and remain curious, be open to changing your ideas, the money will come! Focus on grades but it’s not the be all and end all; don’t forget to spend time with friends! And if anything comes in through the UCD inbox that interests you - APPLY!

How did the programme you studied support you / set you up for your career journey?

I find that the problem-solving capacity you are taught when studying engineering helps you with absolutely everything. Employers say I have great understanding of engineering principles and I am sure that a lot of it is down to the fantastic teaching I received in UCD. I remember in particular the Energy Systems in Buildings module. My lecturers were always open to answer questions and went out of their way to help you learn.

Why did you choose to study engineering at UCD?

I always thought engineering would be a good choice for me as it’s an outlet for creativity; I had considered medicine in the past but after doing work experience in a hospital during secondary school, I knew it wasn’t for me.

I started off in mechanical engineering because it felt really down-to-earth and then I branched off into energy systems for the masters. I really enjoyed the programmes, found it all extremely interesting, the lectures were really insightful and I learned something new every week. It was right down my alley! Some of the modules were very difficult but there weren’t any modules that I didn’t enjoy.

Your career journey post-graduation

During my final year at UCD I got a placement with Fingleton White and after graduation I was offered a job with them. I was involved in the design and operations of power stations, such as the gas thermal power station in the Guinness Storehouse. I was also involved in upgrade works at Pfizer Pharmaceutical and the Glanbia dairy site.

Based on the site experience and operational work I did in Fingleton White, I was offered a job with ESB in January 2023 and I now work with them at Poolbeg. Working for ESB is quite a different experience for me - I was used to working for clients, now I am working for the country and the priorities here are placed very much on environmental issues and safety.

How did the Réalta Scholarship contribute to your university experience and your personal/professional growth?

I was brought up by a single mum, my father passed away early. Throughout my undergraduate studies I had to work really hard to finance myself. I was working long shifts in bars and consequently did not get enough sleep or time to study.

Receiving the Réalta Scholarship gave me the extra support I needed to do my masters and still be able to keep up social life and sports. I could do my work on an ongoing basis, not having to cram at the end. It would have been very stressful otherwise.

Any advice you can offer to current and future scholarship recipients?

Apply! These supports are very important to give everyone the same opportunities. If you're willing to learn and work hard, you should have the same chances as anyone else, and this scholarship helps bridge the gap. Coming from a certain background doesn’t mean you can’t do everything; don’t put yourself in a box.

Everyone’s situation is different but if the pressure of having to work long shifts is taken off you during your final year in college, it can make all the difference for your overall experience and success. Be consistent with your time and don’t hesitate to ask for help!