Dublin City University’s Access to the Workplace (ATTW), the award-winning programme that provides professional summer internships for DCU Access students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and for neurodivergent students, launched ATTW 2024 today at PwC in Spencer Dock.
The event, Talent to Take on the Future, explored how organisations can build a workforce that is ready to embrace the challenges of the future. Two talks focused on building personal resilience and effectiveness, with broadcaster Kathryn Thomas sharing insights from her journey to career and business success in conversation with Dublin GAA legend and Director of Development with DCU Educational Trust, Jason Sherlock. She also discussed the lessons she has learned from supporting individuals to accomplish health and fitness goals with her Pure Results bootcamp company.
Doone O’Doherty, People Partner with PwC led a panel to discuss the company’s approach to building diverse talent pipelines, and their experiences of participating in DCU Access to the Workplace since 2019. She was joined by Maebh Gallagher, Associate Director for Strategy and Business Excellence with Bristol Myers Squibb and former Access to the Workplace student participants, Illan Dunne and Queen Lawal.
Fiona Hudson, DCU’s Access to the Workplace Programme Development Lead said:
“This programme is so important to our students and our society. It provides DCU students who may not have the same network and opportunities as their peers with high-quality professional internships – and it gives our partner companies the chance to benefit from the incredible talent we see in our students.”
Joe Quinsey, CEO of DCU Educational Trust commented:
“Access to the Workplace looks beyond university to level the playing field for student groups who we know experience disadvantage entering the workplace after graduation. I’m delighted to be here celebrating five years of Access to the Workplace with so many of our partner companies, who are opening a door for DCU students to excel.”
Doone O’Doherty, People Partner with PwC said:
“We are delighted to partner with the DCU Access to Work programme, which aligns with our goal of creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone can belong and grow in their careers. We have been involved in this programme since its pilot in 2019, and we are proud of the impact we have made through our support. Through our partnership with this programme, we have been able to support talented students from underrepresented backgrounds and neurodivergent students in pursuing their education and career goals. We have also benefited from the fresh insights, creativity, and innovation that they bring to our organisation. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with DCU and helping more students achieve their potential in the future.”
About Access to the Workplace
DCU’s award-winning Access to the Workplace programme has provided 318 professional summer internships for DCU Access students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and for neurodivergent students, since it was first launched in 2019. Leading Irish companies, who also support Access scholarships at DCU, host the internships.
The full list of partner companies can be viewed here.
