ATU Careers Office shortlisted for 2023 Employability Awards

In webinars, professionals share their industry expertise and hiring plans with student cohorts throughout the academic year. The webinar is held on the same day each week, with a broad range of topics, such as ‘Building Your Brand’, ‘Workplace Etiquette’, ‘Graduate Assessment Centres’, ‘Adaptability and Diverse Skills - Key Career Enablers’, ‘CV and Interview Tips’ and ‘Careers Working in the Non-Profit Sector’.

More than 1,000 registrations were made for 34 webinars this academic year, with over 40% joining the live sessions. Playback was also available for 95% of webinars.

Catherine Lyster, Careers Officer ATU Donegal, says Webinar Wednesday has proven to be a game changer in how ATU works with employers.

"This initiative has enabled us to collectively develop valuable employer contacts. It’s wonderful to see recruiters and students from all our campuses engaging in the webinars. In addition to recruiters and students, the playback feature for Webinar Wednesdays is brilliant for academics and college management who are looking build contacts with respective employers and to gain an insight into the local and national graduate labour market".

Adette Ring, Careers Officer at ATU Sligo, comments that the initiative had created a new network across ATU. 

"Employers speak directly to our students and students hear and learn first hand what opportunities are out there for them upon graduation - a marriage made in heaven between employers and students so to speak! Hopefully the Webinar Wednesday initiative will grow and expand in the years ahead.”

The Webinar Wednesday initiative has been an excellent collaborative success across ATU, acknowledges Fiona O’Donnell, Careers Officer at ATU Galway-Mayo.

She says the initiative provides a platform for industry to share their knowledge and insights across a broad range of relevant topics to ATU students and staff, and it also allows students and employers to ask questions and engage in quality conversations.

This online event series has also had benefits in minimising carbon footprint and improving safety, with 28 industry speakers having collectively saved an estimated 50,242 km in travel this academic year.

The online format of the Webinar Wednesday series complements campus-based career events, observes Deborah Seddon, Careers Officer ATU Sligo. 

"The virtual platform ensures all our learners can grow their professional networks and industry knowledge. We’ve been delighted to host several ATU alumni at these events who were representing their employers and seeking to recruit the next generation of talent. It’s been wonderful to hear how their careers have evolved since completing courses at ATU."

The award winners will be announced in Dublin on Thursday, 27 April 2023.

Webinar Wednesday returns in September 2023.