I have been given the great honour and privilege of being accepted onto Bord Bia's International Graduate Program. So far, my journey has been exciting and rewarding to say the least. As part of this program I have been given the opportunity to live and work abroad in a city which contains one of Bord Bia’s international offices.
I am based in Bord Bia’s Stockholm office and I am responsible for developing Irish exports to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. What is great about this program is that I have also been given the fantastic opportunity to complete my Masters in Global Business Practice with the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School of University College Dublin.
You may wonder how on earth is it possible to complete a Masters whilst working full-time? Well, it is very possible. The Masters is like any other Masters program in terms of credits. However, most Masters Programs are typically one year in duration whereas this program runs for 23 months.
Every 5-6 months we are flown back to the Smurfit School of Business to attend lectures and presentations. Lectures for one module typically span over a three day period and run for a full day. Although this may seem quite intense to some, it is definitely very manageable and rewarding.
I commenced the program in July 2019 and if all goes to plan, completion of the program is scheduled for June 2021.The opportunities that have been presented to me since commencing this program in July 2019 have been endless. I have been gifted a huge opportunity of developing both personally and professionally.
I have been granted a scholarship to complete my Masters, as well an opportunity to put international work experience on my CV. There are very few Graduate Programs out there that allow for this kind of development. I truly believe that the Bord Bia Graduate Program is the best of its kind in Ireland, and one of the best in Europe, here’s why:
Living in an International City
Before I get into the obvious benefits of the program such as education and career development, I want to talk about the personal development and satisfaction it offers. Thankfully, my placement is in Stockholm. That is not to say that the other cities on the program are less exciting. With the likes of New York, Milan, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Shanghai and Dubai on offer, the choice of cities will certainly not serve to disincentivize potential applicants to the program. For those of you unfamiliar with Stockholm it is a beautiful city with a rich history and culture.
Stockholm was first mentioned as a town in the 13th Century and you can still see remnants of this today with its Nordic classicist styles of buildings to its modernist and centuries-old structures featured in Gamla Stan (Old Town). Anyway, enough of how beautiful Stockholm is! The benefits of living here afforded by the Graduate program are extraordinary to one’s personal development.
Before moving here I knew absolutely no one in Stockholm. I had never even heard of anyone from back home moving to Sweden so I was a bit apprehensive. Let alone this, I also didn’t speak a word of Swedish. Having lived at home my whole life I was sort of thrown into the deep end and with great ease I swam.
What really provided me with a bit of security and allowed me find my find was that Bord Bia provided me with two weeks accommodation in an apartment upon arriving in Stockholm. This is provided to all international graduates and allows one to find their feet.
As I previously mentioned Stockholm is very much an international city with people from all walks of life and backgrounds having moved out here. Thus, it was not difficult for me to settle in and meet new people as lots were in the same boat as me and were going through a transitionary period themselves.
The fact that I did not speak Swedish was not a problem, the main business language here is English and Swedes in general have a very high standard if not fluency in English.
All non-Swedes communicate through English too so it was easy to mix with people. A great aspect of the program which helped me develop was that Bord Bia paid for Swedish lessons on my behalf. I found this extremely beneficial as it made conversing and getting to know Swedes much easier.
It also makes you really feel a part of the local culture and not as an outsider. Although there really is not a need to learn the language, I would definitely recommend it as has really helped me develop.
Professional Development
This graduate program is very hands on, particularly for myself as I work in a two person office. As a result of this I have gotten a taste of everything involved in the Bord Bia working environment. From the mundane administration tasks to meeting with potential new customers to sign a deal there really has been great scope to the tasks and activities I have engaged in.
Since our office is so small, I partake in all the office and working activities. What I will say is that one must be willing to engage in whatever task is required of them. At the start, I sometimes felt as though the tasks I was being asked to complete were a bit beneath my current level of experience. However, I was quickly given increased responsibility.
The standout benefit this program offers is international work experience. I now feel I know the ins and outs of the entire food industry here in not only Sweden, but in the rest of Scandinavia too. I know that may sound like a brash statement to make but I am now confident that whenever a client asks me a question about the market (no matter how specific it may be) that I can answer it.
I feel as though I have garnered a wealth of information that will stand to me in the future. Such information gathered will serve as my credibility to future employers once the program has ceased. I also feel I know as a whole how the food industry operates and how to approach each situation whether it be manufacturers, importers, agents, distributors, wholesalers, or even retailers.
Before starting this program I could not even tell you what was a wholesaler’s primary function (seriously I mean it!) now I could almost tell you their entire product range, it is incredible!
There are systems in place on this Graduate program which allow you to really prosper and grow. For each new cycle my manager and I set performance targets and developmental goals which are challenging but are not unrealistic. Thus, it is motivating to strive towards achieving them.
There is ample help available to allow you achieve your targets so they are definitely attainable. There is a wealth of other supports available on the program provided for graduates. The HR team in the Head Office in Dublin are there for any queries or concerns you may have. The program coordinators from Smurfit are happy and willing to hear and listen if you have any personal issues – no matter how trivial they may be.
In fact, they actively encourage us Graduates to come forward with personal problems we may have had in the past or continue to have at present. In that sense, one should never feel isolated or that they cannot speak to someone.
Educational Development:
As I previously mentioned, the educational aspects of this graduate program are second to none. Personally, I would not have been able to complete a Masters if it were not for this program as it would have been far beyond my financial means. Not only to achieve a scholarship but also to receive one from of the most prestigious universities in Ireland is a great honor and I feel blessed every day.
A Masters from Smurfit will really look great on my CV and serve as a differentiator amongst the competition when applying for positions. Fantastic employment opportunities will be on offer to those who complete the program.
So, you may be asking what is so great about a Masters from Smurfit? .... Where do I even begin to start. First and foremost, Smurfit has some of the best academics recruited from all over the globe. This global network facilitates a mindset that enables one to think and dream big. The end product translates into some of the most successful graduates in the country and further afield.
First class education provided in an interactive setting allows for an educational environment that encourages creativity, resilience and most importantly an ability to think critically. What is great about many of the modules on this Masters program is the fact that allocation of marks can be as much as 35% based upon your performance and contribution to in-class discussion.
Discussion focuses on real- world business case studies that are challenging and directly relevant to the work we as grads engage in with Bord Bia. Grads are evaluated on the quality of their in-class contribution, not the quantity. Thus, simply reading the case studies and calling out obvious facts will not suffice. Students must think critically and form a logical argument.
Another aspect of Smurfit that I really like is the level of presenting us as Grads must do in front of our peers. This builds confidence and really enhances ones presenting skills. A lot of it is non-rehearsed and requires one to think on the spot – an ever so necessary skill of any businessperson in today’s world.
Final Thoughts:
If you have managed to make it this far through my blog (which I hope you have) it will have been made clear to you that I am a big advocate for this grad program. Like I said, I genuinely think this is the best grad program offered on the island of Ireland. Not only for the sheer size of the investment put into it, but also for the close knit comradery between lecture staff and grads.
Everyone working in Smurfit is so helpful and friendly and you get a sense that they sincerely have your best interests at heart! Thereby creating a very homely environment. I have already made friends for life on this program. I look forward to graduating with them each and every single one of them once the program is complete. tack så mycket for reading!!!