April Employability Award Ceremony at NUI Galway

The awards are designed to give students the opportunity to increase employability skills

NUI Galway’s inaugural Employability Award Ceremony was held today and 56 students were presented with their Award Certificate by the University President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh. 

The NUI Galway Employability Award is a recognition of learning and skills developed through work experience and extra-curricular activities. Each event and workshop is carefully selected and co-ordinated to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their skills and employability.

Josephine Walsh, Head of the Career Development Centre at NUI Galway, said: “The award programme was designed by the Career Development Centre to increase students’ employability skills, empower them to make successful transitions towards fulfilling careers and equip them with a framework for lifelong career management.” Employer partners have indicated that students’ confidence and their ability to articulate skills developed through the award will make recruitment of NUI Galway graduates more attractive.

This award encourages students to participate fully in university life, gain work experience and develop employability skills.  This NUI Galway Employability Award will help you stand out from the crowd in the employer’s job market. Students must complete five elements: Employability Workshops, Work Experience, Career Events, Skills workshops and Reflective Assessment.

Employers were central in the design and development of the award structure with Darragh Colgan, VP Research & Development and Process Development, Boston Scientific commenting: “The NUI Galway Employability Award gives students the opportunity to develop their leadership and employability skills through self-reflecting on their extra-curricular roles and experiences. By completing this award students are giving themselves a competitive advantage in the graduate job market.”

Emer Joyce, Director of Tax, EY added: “At EY we put a very high value on graduates gaining the ability to self-reflect on their strengths and accomplishments. The NUI Galway Employability Award gives students the opportunity & confidence to articulate these experiences prior to their first graduate interviews.”

Students from across all disciplines participated in the Award programme and have reported excellent outcomes. Vincent McBrien, a second year Drama, Theatre & Performance student who completed the award said: “I have gained many personal benefits that will help me in my career journey. As a result of completing the award I am more confident in myself and my work and have a new found motivation which will allow me to step up to every new opportunity that comes my way.” While Siobhan Cullen, a third year Earth and Ocean student, said: “I believe that I have gained a more competent approach to choosing and securing a career through participating in the Employability Award Programme. Through an elevated sense of self-awareness, I can move forward and plan for the future with confidence.”

The NUI Galway Employability Award contributes to a number of other student awards, including the internationally recognised ALIVE award for Volunteering, and will be available for all students to participate in from September 2019.

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