Energy Q&A: Work placements and work experience

Here are the questions you asked our panel of people who work in the energy sector in Ireland.

Question: Do you take in graduates often on placements or work experience?
- Anon

Sheila O’Connor (ESB): Yes, ESB will take in students on a work placement or work experience basis. Students in secondary school can come in for one week.

College students are offered contracts for summer placements and occasionally for longer, if colleges have a work placement period included in the syllabus.

In fact, it was on the basis of working for ESB as a summer student in my third year in college that I decided that I would like to apply for a more permanent role in ESB. It gave me an opportunity to see the range of work that I could be involved in.

Louise Stewart (EirGrid): Yes. EirGrid has a graduate programme and also has a number of student placements each year.

Brid Sheehan (Bord Gáis Networks): Bord Gáis Éireann runs a graduate training programme. It runs every two years and it is envisioned that it will continue to run every two years.

There is a mix of engineering and business graduates in the group. In 2012 we had about 12 students on placement.

We also have students on work experience from time to time. Details can be obtained from the HR department in Bord Gáis.

Rachel Fine (CPL): As a recruitment agency, we wouldn’t generally place graduates into placement roles. We do place graduates into paid positions for a number of companies in Ireland.

For placements/work experience you would have to apply directly to the company. I would recommend that you pick out the organisations you would like to work with, try to identify a HR contact and directly address a tailored CV and cover letter to this person and follow up with a phone call.

I would also recommend the Grad Ireland website which lists a number of opportunities for graduates. Remember your CV is critical and you get one chance to make an impression with this.