My name is Evelyn Lee and I was born and raised in Perth, Australia. I study a Master of Management at University of Sydney, which allowed me to join the CEMS program. In the CEMS program, I spent a year on exchange; a semester abroad at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and finally a semester at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, in Dublin, Ireland. I would definitely say this experience has changed my life- as I can truly say I am a global citizen and have opened my mind to understanding different cultures, languages and most importantly people. Unfortunately, it was cut a little short due to the Covid-19 situation, but in this blog, I’d like to share how CEMS Club Dublin was an integral part of my master degree experience.
Hi all! I’m Clodagh a graduate of BA Applied Languages from the University of Limerick. I’m a Paris based graduate working in the Bord Bia Smurfit International graduate programme. It's truly an amazing programme that allows you to gain industry experience and a masters from UCD Smurfit!
I still remember my condition last year. Behind my broad smile as a reply to every person congratulating me for the offer, there was my panicking self, getting paranoid for uncertainties I was going to face by living away from the family. I'm pretty sure that its the same case with every Indian student leaving the country for education and work, irrespective of age.
The Program
The last couple of months in university are usually filled with one daunting question, so what are you going to do next? While there are so many options I found myself torn between two: start my career or further my education? I quickly decided I wasn’t ready to compromise on either and began to look for opportunities which allowed me to do both.
Changing jobs or going back to education as a mature student in your late twenties can be a huge challenge and worry for a lot of people contemplating it. In summer 2019 I did both of those things, joining the Bord Bia International Graduate Programme, undertaking an MSc in Global Business Practice in UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School alongside getting hands-on experience of working in the Irish food, drink and horticulture industry. In the following blog I have set out my experience so far – from money to work and education – and why I am delighted with my decision to take that step.
The food and drink industry is undoubtedly a critical driver of the Irish economy. Following its expansion into several new priority markets, the food export industry reached an estimated value of €13 billion in 2019 (Bord Bia, 2020). However, the power and potential of this exciting industry does not cease at its economic credentials.