VACWORK Programme
- What is VACWORK?
- Types of VACWORK
- Ernst and Young Essay Competition
- Student Stories
- Occupational Surveys
- Other Relevant Information
- Related Resources
Latest VACWORK news:
- Options Newsletter Hilary Term 2011 now available! (March 2011)
- Read about the importance of work experience in getting a graduate role - from The Telgraph and The Guardian (January 2011)
What is VACWORK?
VACWORK is an umbrella term for all types of career-related summer work. The aim of VACWORK is to assist students in gaining career-related work experience during the summer months. You can find VACWORK positions advertised on the VACWORK section of the Careers Advisory Service’s vacancy website. You’ll need your TCD username and password to access this site. You'll receive an e-mail entitled 'VACWORK positions received this week' every Friday in your Junior Sophister year.
Types of VACWORK
Internships
Structured work experience programmes where students receive supervised, practical experience in a career-related area. Internships usually last between 8 and 10 weeks and are a great way of helping you to clarify your future career path.
- Training: is provided, generally to a high level.
- Project Work: You are generally given responsibility for a specific project and you are required to make a presentation at the end of the internship.
- Advertising & Closing Dates: positions are generally advertised between October to March. Closing dates are often early in the academic year, some as early as December.
- Target Group: Junior Sophisters are the main target group, but applications may be accepted from students of other years. Students from ALL disciplines are invited to apply e.g. Arts & Science students can often apply for business internships.
- Competition: competition for places is tough but keep in mind that an estimated third of graduate vacancies are filled by applicants who have already worked for their employer as an undergraduate. Being offered a place on an internship programme often exempts you from a first round interview if you apply for a graduate position in your final year.
International Work Experience
More and more students are going abroad during the summer months. There are a number of programmes in place to help you to identify career-related vacancies. BUNAC offers programmes such as Summer Camp USA, KAMP USA and Work Canada.
Part-time work
ALL work can provide learning opportunities. You can gain valuable transferable skills in any type of part-time work, including business awareness, time-management and organisational skills.
Summer Research Opportunities
Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) UREKA (Undergraduate Research Experience and Knowledge Award) programme supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by Science Foundation Ireland. For a list of research projects currently available please visit the SFI website.
Volunteer Programmes
These are specifically designed volunteer projects which often take place during the summer months. Although they are voluntary, you will probably have to pay for your own flights and some additional administration costs. Some companies offering these programmes include: BUNAC, Comhlámh, USIT, i-to-i, Azafady, Volunteer Abroad, EIL Intercultural Learning, NGOabroad and Lattitude.
For more information please visit: www.volunteeringireland.com and www.tcd.ie/community.
Ernst and Young Essay Competition
Ernst & Young sponsor an Essay Competition, which encourages Senior Sophister students to reflect on the skills they gained during their summer work experience and to identify how these skills would assist them in both their final year of studies and in future job-seeking activities. First prize in this competition is €250 and second prize is €150. The 2010/2011 winner was Edel Cronin (Physiotherapy).
VACWORK Student Stories
Occupational Surveys
Take a look through our sector-specific Occupational Surveys:
- Computer Gaming Industry in Ireland (2010)
- Environmental Consultancies in Ireland (2008)
- Green Energy Sector in Ireland (2009)
- Journalism Sector in Ireland - Newspaper, Magazine, Television and Radio (2010)
- International Development Organisations in Ireland (2006)
- Medical Devices Sector in Ireland (2008)
- Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Bioindustry Sector in Ireland (2008)
- Publishing Companies in Ireland (2006)
- Translation and Interpreting Sector in Ireland (2009)
- Voluntary Organisations in Ireland (2008)
Other Relevant Information:
- When are vacancies advertised?
- Opportunities are advertised all year round but the majority of summer vacancies will be advertised at our website from October - May.
- Duration of the jobs?
- Jobs are often available from June to September.
- Where are the vacancies advertised?
- VACWORK vacancy page, select VACWORK.
- The Careers Advisory Service distributes a weekly e-mail from vacwork@tcd.ie to all Junior Sophisters.
- Bi-annual Newsletter - Options Junior Sophister.
- VACWORK noticeboard in the Careers Advisory Service.
- Vacancies outside Ireland, UK and US:
- View Resources for more information.
Listen to some employer comments on work experience:
Paul Vance, Head of Resourcing at KPMG and Colm Cunningham, Head of Fund Accounting with Bank of New York Mellon.
Related Resources
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Use Your Vacations: www.tcd.ie/Careers/resources/use_your_vacations.php |
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Gradireland: www.gradireland.com |
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Career Directions: www.careerdirections.ie |
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Gapyear.com: www.gapyear.com |
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Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk |
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Career Insider: www.tcd.ie/Careers/vaultlibrary/index.php |
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Going Global: www.tcd.ie/Careers/goinglobal |
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Activelink: www.activelink.ie |
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Gradcracker: www.gradcracker.com (for Engineering students) |
For your information:
Pick up some hard-copy publications from the Careers Advisory Service in the East Chapel.
These include:
- gradireland's Work Experience and Time Out Guide,
- Prospects Work Experience & Internships Digital Magazine.
Don't forget your VACWORK Options Newsletter!
See also: Useful Publications
