Courses
ATU Careers Transitions
ATU Careers empowers students to own their career journey by building career readiness, fostering industry links, and supporting smooth transitions.
Our provision includes key resources, workshops, and class talks across all stages of career planning. We offer a blended approach to career guidance, with campus and online services and activities. We equip students with the skills, attributes, and confidence to achieve their aspirations while meeting industry needs.
Employability Framework
Based on Dacre-Pool & Sewell (2007), the framework focuses on five elements:
- Subject knowledge & skills
- Work and life experience
- Career development learning (self-awareness, decision-making)
- Generic skills
- Emotional intelligence (confidence, self-esteem)
Transitioning into ATU
- College Skills and Career Planning (5 ECTS credit, L6) A transformative journey of self-discovery and career
planning. It involves identifying areas of interest and personal strengths, ATU courses and career opportunities,
supports available and career portfolio. - Strengths PATH Programme: This programme uses an online assessment to match personal strengths with career
sectors and ATU courses. Learners access interactive tools, reflective activities, and personalised reports remotely,
supporting self-discovery, confidence, and career planning through four stages: understanding, discovering, reflecting,
and linking strengths to courses. - RPL Preparation Programme: This programme guides students in preparing their RPL portfolio for entry or advanced
entry to ATU programmes, covering the RPL process, reflection on career direction, and preparation of a personal
statement with supporting documents. Includes Career Edge employability assessment, CV Builder, CV360, and
postgraduate personal statement support. - Drop in Before You Drop Out: If students are unsure about their course, Careers Officers prioritise one to one
guidance, deliver in person and online webinars and facilitate bespoke clinics. There is also an online programme
available where students explore options with self-assessment tools, receive a Strengths Profile and Careers Report to
help them reflect on their choices.
Transitioning through ATU
- Careers Guidance: Careers Officers provide one to
one and group guidance both in person and online
throughout the year. - Workshops/Presentations: A diverse range of careers
workshops are delivered both in collaboration with
academics and as part of the wider careers education
programme. Topics include options with my course,
postgraduate study, CV and interview preparation and
maximising your LinkedIn. - Profiling For Success: A range of psychometrics to help
students to identify their strengths and motivators. It also
includes reasoning and situational judgement exercises,
to aid students in preparation for employer selection
assessments. - Target Connect: This careers platform is universally
available across the ATU. This provides staff, student
and academic access to book guidance appointments,
job vacancies, to register for industry and career events,
and access curated employability and work placement
pathways. - MyCareerPath Resource: This is an online career
development platform, with career and e-learning
programmes, which students can access online, 24/7
using the mobile app. - CV & Interview Preparation: Students and graduates
have access to CV review and tailored advice 24/7 via
the CareerSet platform, integrated into Target Connect.
In-person and online mock interviews are facilitated on a
regular basis.
- Interview 360: AI powered interview training tool
available at MyCareerPath. Helping students to optimise
their performance at interview. Customised questions
and AI feedback. - Interview Wardrobe: An ATU wide careers service
sustainable initiative, whereby students can access
preloved workwear for free. - Industry-Led Webinars & Careers Fairs: These are
facilitated and managed throughout the calendar year
growing student and staff connections with employers. - Preparation for Work Based Learning and Placement
Preparation Programmes: Careers teams work
with academics to deliver tailored work preparation
programmes to support students in securing work
placements. - Career Readiness Digital Badge: Self-directed
standalone module, which helps students to recognise
strengths, grow knowledge of industry and options with
their course, make effective career decisions as well as
helping to make their future goals a reality. - The Next Step Careers (5 ECTS L7) Module
encompasses self-reflection and research skills,
Career Development e-Portfolio, present and articulate
professional skills. The module is designed with UDL
principles, builds sustainable skills for lifelong career.
Transitioning out of ATU
- Webinar Wednesday: Industry talks, to enhance students’ insights and employability.
- Be Career Curious and Careers fairs are hosted regularly on campus and enable students to engage directly with
employers for networking, career insight and job opportunities. - Thinking Ahead & Career Chats: workshops, one to one appointments and presentations showcase options after ATU
and provide guidance in relation to employment, further/postgraduate study. - Recruiter in Residence: recruiters are regularly hosted on campus for hiring and showcases purposes.
- Build Your Brand/Networking & LinkedIn Bootcamp Masterclasses.
- Career and Learning Development Plan, Vision Board Masterclasses & Setting SMART Goals.
- Get Interview Ready: bringing recruiters onto campus to facilitate group and one-to-one interview practice.
- Interview Preparation: in person or online mock interviews and Practice tools including Interview 360.
ATU Careers Contact Details
careers.galwaymayo@atu.ie
careers.sligo@atu.ie
careers.donegal@atu.ie
mycareerpath@atu.ie