T +353 1 402 3109
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Your Careers Adviser
Helen Vahey
Computer and
Communications
Engineering
Skills developed in college
You’ve developed a range of skills through your education,
work experience and personal interests and achievements.
Understanding what skills you have to oer and like to use can help you
understand what you want in a career, as well as providing key information
for job or further study applications.
In terms of securing a job, academic qualications alone will not guarantee
success. Evidence-based skills sections on your CV can demonstrate the
broad range of qualities you have to oer employers.
Opposite are some of the main skills you may have developed
while in college:
Communication skills, both verbal and written
Expressing ideas eectively and conveying information appropriately and
accurately. Inuencing others by expressing self eectively in a group and
in one to one situations. Showing a range of verbal and nonverbal signals
that the information being received is understood.
Teamwork/working with others
Working eectively and condently within a group to achieve a common
goal or task. Including understanding your role within the team, and
listening and supporting other team members.
Problem-solving ability
Identifying, prioritising and solving problems, individually or in groups;
possessing the ability to ask the right questions, sort out the many facets
of a problem, and contribute ideas as well as answers regarding the
problem.
Time-management skills/ability to meet deadlines
Managing several tasks at once; being able to set priorities and to allocate
time eciently in order to meet deadlines.
Planning and organising
Establishing a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a
specic goal. Planning proper assignments of personnel and appropriate
allocation of resources.
Leadership skills
Motivating and taking responsibility to lead other people, in order to
achieve set goals and objectives.
Initiative & self-management
Identifying opportunities and being proactive in putting forward ideas and
potential solutions. Self-disciplined and self-motivated,
in the pursuit of studies and professional practice.
Ability to make quick decisions/work under pressure
Making decisions and taking action. Maintaining performance under
pressure and/or opposition.
You may also have developed a wide range of technical/specic
course related skills
Computer & Communications Engineering
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Computer & Communications Engineering
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Types of employers/industry sectors
Some of the main types of employers/industry sectors
in which Computer & Communications Eng graduates work
include:
• Software and Hardware Companies (Building blocks – e.g. Intel, AMD,
Analogue Devices, Integration – e.g. Ericsson, Applications)
• Contractors
• Technical and Business Consultancies
• Banks/Financial Institutions
• State and Semi-state bodies
• Telecom Providers, Consultancies
• R+D companies, IOTs, Universities, Research depts, Start-ups
• Energy Technology and Software Development
• Education/Training Bodies
• Computer Gaming Companies
• Medical – diagnostic and monitoring equipment
• Commercial, Industrial and Public Sectors
• Oces, Retail Units, Hotels, Sports and Leisure Centres, Community
Centres, Healthcare/Hospitals, Pharmachem, Food and Agri,
Electronics, Local Authorities, Third level Institutions, Waste and
Water Pumping, Small and Medium Enterprises, Defence Forces,
Broadcasters, Telecommunication companies, Petrochemical
industries
• Transport Organisations including road and rail networks, Electric and
Hybrid Vehicles
• Energy Utilities, Suppliers and Providers:
• State Utilities, Gas/Electrical Suppliers, Independent Power
Producers, Energy Service Companies, Local authorities, Renewable
Energy Developers, State Utilties, Agents and Distributors, Original
Equipment Manufacturers
• Government Agencies/Voluntary/NGOs/Professional Associations
• Self-employed/Start-ups
•
For sector information see:
www.gradireland.com
www.careersportal.ie
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.targetjobs.co.uk
Career options with your course
Some of main occupations and job proles secured by Computer
& Communications Eng graduates include:
• Computer Engineer
• Communications Engineer
• Software Engineer
• Programmer/Software Developer
• Systems Analyst/Business Analyst
• Web Developer
• Web Designer
• Network Technician (entry position)
• Network Engineer
• Technical Support Engineer
• Technical Sales
• Technical Consultant
• Technical Writer
• Project Manager
• Teacher/Trainer/Education
• VOIP Engineer and Developer
• Radio Engineer
• R+D Engineer (software or hardware or combination of both (strong
emphasis on software))
• Telecom Networks Operator
• Systems Engineer
• Test Technician (entry position)
• IT Research and Development Assistant
• Internet Administrator
• SAP Consultant
• Quality Assurance/Testing
• Database Manager/Designer
• Computer Gaming Engineer
• Network Maintenance
For occupational information see:
www.gradireland.com
www.careersportal.ie
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.targetjobs.co.uk
Computer & Communications Engineering
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Employers who have recruited in your area
Companies who have recruited Computer & Communications Eng
graduates:
• Intel
• Google
• IBM
• SAP
• Amazon
• Oracle
• Microsoft
• Ericsson
• ESB
• NYSE Technologies
• AIB
• BT Ireland
• Pzer
• Airspeed Telecom
• Green Isle Foods
• Workday
• Intercom
• IT Alliance
Job Hunting
It is important that you access both the advertised and hidden
jobs market and use any and every means available to you to job
hunt eectively.
Advertised Jobs
Most University and IT Careers Services have jobs listings on their
websites:
www.tudublin.ie/jobscene
Graduate programmes and immediate vacancies
www.prospects.ac.uk & www.targetjobs.co.uk http://www.gradcracker.
com/engineering-jobs
Graduate jobs UK
www.gradireland.com
Immediate jobs/Summer/Graduate programmes
www.mondotimes.com
Local and national press
www.publicjobs.ie
www.localgovernmentjobs.ie
Public service
www.irishjobs.ie/agencies
Complete list of recruitment agencies/online recruitment sites
Company websites
Job websites - indeed.ie, irishjobfairy (twitter), irishjobs.
ie, digitalmarketingjobs.ie, digitalmediajobs.com, careerjet.ie,
alternativesdigital.ie, simplyhired.ie, prosperity.ie, gamedevelopers.ie,
monster.ie, computerjobs.ie, mobiledev (facebook), etc.
Other
• Careers fairs – Gradireland Fair – Autumn and Summer Fair, plus many
others.
• Notice boards/Student email account/Lecturers
• Company Presentations
• Specialist Magazines & Publications, e.g.Technology Ireland, Irish
Software Association newsletter, Enterprise Ireland, Engineers Ireland,
etc
Voluntary Sector/Charities
www.activelink.ie
Voluntary Sector/Charity/NGO vacancies in voluntary sector
www.volunteeringireland.com
www.dochas.ie
Association of non-governmental development organisations
www.comhlamh.org
Volunteering opportunities
www.wheel.ie/directory
Directory of voluntary and community organisations
Unadvertised Jobs
Networking
• Networking – who is in my network? – classmates, lecturers, alumni,
family, neighbours, colleagues, clubs and societies, TU Dublin Career
Development Centre, professional bodies
• Informational Interviewing/Shadowing
• College work – projects, thesis, placement, guest speakers, student
website
• Societies – e.g. guest speakers/events
• Attend events, conferences, short courses, trade shows (e.g.
professional bodies, etc), National Digital Conference, Dublin,
businessandleadership.com (events), Digital Learning Festival – May,
http://www.gameseadh.ie/expo/whats-on, cross industry events,
i.e. TechBrew/ISIN events/Dublin start-up Commissioner, DubLUDO
(game events), Codess (female coder events for women), Dublin Unity
User group, Engineers week, etc.
• Meet up groups, e.g. - ‘Data Scientists Ireland’ and ‘Tech for good -
Dublin’
• Join Alumni Association/Linked-in TU Dublin Alumni group//Related
groups on linked-in, e.g. digitalmediajobsnetwork
• Find a mentor/keep a job hunting record
Contact companies directly
• Speculative applications + cold calling. Think about your oering.
• Utilise directories – Kompass.com, professional bodies, e.g.
acei.ie (Consulting Engineers),Irish Software Association, Irish
Software Innovation network, www.techireland.org – list of tech
companies,http://www.thedigitalhub.com/companydirectory, www.
mediastreet.ie – Irish Media and Creative Business Directory, etc.
• Contact companies before holiday times – Christmas and Summer
• Get a foot in the door
• Contact companies with ideas of your own to assist their business /
save them money
Computer & Communications Engineering
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Start Ups:
• Start-up companies – www.startupdublin.com,
dublinstartupjobs.com
• FDI and indigenous – www.makeitinireland.com, www.
itshappeninghere.ie
• https://angel.co/ - start up jobs worldwide
Track companies
• Scholarships/Competitions/Blogs / Guest lecturer
• Check out Labour Market trends, www.careersportal.ie, IDA (Industrial
sectors), IBEC, www.dit.ie/careers (labour market news),
• Search newspaper business pages on-line to get success stories on
businesses as they are growing – TU Dublin Careers website (labour
market news)
• Check out industry award recipients – Best Workplaces in Ireland
(download on gradireland.com), Ireland’s top 1000 companies,
http://www.top1000.ie/companies Award recipients – Digital Media
Awards (digitalmedia.ie) http://www.digitalmedia.ie/ , Net Visionary
Awards, Software Industry Awards, etc.
• Best Workplaces in Ireland (download on gradireland.com)
• www.siliconrepublic.com/topics/jobs-announcements
Other proactive ideas
• Enter competitions / scholarships
• Get Work Experience / internship
• Social networking sites (facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Blog,
Discussion Groups)
• Linked-In (set up a prole, link to others, search for companies -
employees who have
• Linked-in proles, advertised jobs)
• Follow & target companies on facebook, linked-in, twitter
• Student Awards – Digital Student of the Year (Digital Media Award)
Entrepreneurship
• Freelancing/Work experience/Self-employment/Start-Up
• http://www.dit.ie/careers/studentsgraduates/
interestedinselfemployment/
• TU Dublin Hothouse - www.dit.ie/hothouse/
• Local Enterprise Oce - www.localenterprise.ie
• The Digital Hub - www.thedigitalhub.com
For more information on how to go about nding a job and
job-hunting sites, See www.tudublin.ie/careers
Interviews
For more information on how to perform in interviews, See www.tudublin.
ie/careers
CVs/Cover letters and applications
For information on how to put together a great CV/Cover Letter or
Application, See www.tudublin.ie/careers
Useful links (e.g. Company Databases, Professional
Bodies, LinkedIn Groups)
This list contains links to some of the most useful websites for your course
including professional bodies and associations, employer directories,
information sources and LinkedIn groups.
• www.iei.ie - Institute of Engineers in Ireland – CV posting
• www.iia.ie -Irish Internet Association
• www.ics.ie - Irish Computer Society
• www.ictireland.ie – ICT Ireland
• www.bcs.org - Chartered Institute for IT (British)
• www.iap.org.uk/main Institution of Analysts and Programmers
• www.mediastreet.ie – list of media companies
• www.icad.ie – Institute of Creative Advertising and Design
• www.theesa.com – Entertainment Software Association (US)
• www.ukie.org.uk – Trade Body Games/Entertainment (UK)
• www.tiga.org – Games Industry UK
• www.software.ie - Irish Software Association
• www.nsd.ie/htm/ National Software Directorate
• www.iet.org.uk The Institution of Engineering and Technology
• www.iie.org.uk The Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE)
• www.cibse.org Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers
• www.acei.ie Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI)
• www.engc.org.uk Engineering Council UK
• www.graduateengineer.com Engineering website for students
• www.i-cando.ie/ - Global Digital Skills Foundation
Forums – http://www.techrepublic.com/forums/, digitalmediaforum.net,
forums.frontier.co.uk, Irish Games facebook page, Irish Computer Society
forum, technology-ireland.ie forum, etc.
Examples of Linked-in discussion groups – Computer and Software
professionals, Research Methods for software engineering and computer
science, Electrical/Electronics and Computer Development, etc.
General websites — useful links
•Worldwide Media guide - www.mondotimes.com
•Yellow and White pages directories from around the world - www.
superpages.com/global/
•Specialists in Student Travel - www.usit.ie
Careers open to all disciplines
(Including ‘Paths Into…’ Series)
Many graduate vacancies don’t require specic degree subjects as
possession of a degree is taken as evidence of intellectual ability. What is
more important to the potential employer is the range of transferable skills
and experience you can demonstrate.
Many graduate training programmes take nal year students from a
wide range of disciplines, register with the Career Development Centre’s
Jobsence for a full list of programmes. Here is a range of career areas that
are potentially open to graduates of all disciplines. It’s important to note
that some of these options may require further study either on the job or
beforehand.
If you are considering diversifying or changing career direction
a postgraduate conversion course may be a viable option.
Some examples of career areas open to students of all disciplines:
• Teaching & Education
• Financial Services & Accounting
• Marketing, Advertising and PR
• Retail, Sales and Customer Service
• Banking, insurance and nancial services
• Charities and voluntary sector
• Fund management / administration and investment banking
• Human resources, recruitment and training
• Management consulting
• Management, business and administration
• Media and publishing
• Public sector and civil service
• Social, community and youth
For further information see: www.gradireland.com/career-sectors
Further Study
Are you considering further study or training? See
www.tudublin.ie/careers for comprehensive information
Some examples of further study programmes undertaken by graduates of
your course:
• MSc Computer Science, TCD
• MSc Software Development, TU Dublin MSc Applied Software, Athlone
IT
• MSc Cyber Security, Smurt Business School
Conversion courses
Some graduates nd that their primary degree did not meet their expecta-
tions, either vocationally, academically or personally, and seek change career
direction. Conversion courses oer the opportunity to diversify into another
chosen career area while meeting the necessary entry requirements for
that discipline. However, it should be noted that this is not the case for all
disciplines e.g. disciplines such as science and engineering will require an
undergraduate degree in that discipline.
Computer & Communications Engineering
Self Employment
Ever thought of being your own boss? Think you have an innovative
product or service idea that could have commercial value? Want to
commercialise your research? See www.tudublin.ie/careers
Other Options (e.g. Time out, travel etc.)
Volunteering and working with communities with is a great way to gain
valuable real world experience, to develop new skills, to meet new people,
to do something worthwhile and to improve your employability. For more
details, see www.tudublin.ie/careers.
Labour Market Information
For information on the latest labour market trends see
www.tudublin.ie/careers.
Additional Information/Advice
For any query you might have, please do not hesitate to get in touch with
us.
Computer & Communications Engineering
www.tudublin.ie/careers
Disclaimer: TU Dublin Career Development Centre oers advice in good faith on the basis of the best information available.
The Centre accepts no responsibility for decisions made by individuals based on such advice.
