We provide training to Higher Education/ Third Level institutions/ Education & Training Boards (ETB’s)/ Skillnet Networks, Community Employment Schemes and other groups across a range of different programmes focused on employability skills and career development.
Our programmes range from half day and 1-day workshops on job market essentials (CV, LinkedIn and Interview Success) to comprehensive programmes tailored to the needs of each group and host organisation.
1. Higher Education Programmes
We specialize in developing and delivering tailored career development programmes for researchers, offering tailored support to PhDs and postdoctoral researchers looking to explore career options both inside and outside of academia. With over four years of experience designing customized programmes, we understand the unique challenges researchers face and the importance of aligning their professional goals with their personal lives. By working closely with each group, we help them gain the skills and confidence they need to transition smoothly into meaningful roles. Universities and Research Centres partnering with us can expect not only better career outcomes for their researchers but also recognition for providing dedicated, impactful career development support.
Here are some recent programmes that we have facilitated:
- Research Ireland ADVANCE Centre for Research Training (UCC): Beyond the PhD: Career Readiness
Currently delivering the Beyond the PhD: Career Readiness monthly series for researchers from UCC, MTU, Maynooth University, TU Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. This is a targeted online training programme supporting PhD researchers as they approach the final stages of their PhD journey. The goal is simple: to help researchers think strategically about their next steps and make informed career decisions that truly recognise the value of the skills, experience, and effort invested during a PhD.
- Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science (University of Limerick): PhD Career Launchpad Programme
From 2024 – 2026, I have had the opportunity to work on the PhD Career Launchpad Programme with a talented group of 4th-year PhD Researchers in Data Science from UL, UCD, and Maynooth University. The Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science aims to address the growing demand for data science expertise by equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to excel in this field.
The PhD Career Launchpad Programme included industry focused CV and Interview Success workshops and one-to-one Career Clinic sessions where Researchers focused on topics such as CV tailoring, leveraging LinkedIn for job search, interview skills practice and career planning.
Some feedback from the programme:
“Thank you Lorraine for delivering your workshops to our students. The feedback has been excellent and I know the students are looking forward to their one-to-one sessions with you in the coming weeks.” Centre Manager Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science
“I feel much more informed regarding writing my CV, and how to tailor both my CV and interview answers to suit each job application. The workshop gave me a renewed excitement for entering industry! Lorraine was a fantastic facilitator, very clear and extremely well informed.” PhD Researcher in Data Science
“I wanted to say a big thank you for yesterday’s one-on-one session and for the document you sent with all the key points to improve my LinkedIn profile. The prior workshops and the session were incredibly helpful and have made my CV and LinkedIn profile far better than they were before.” PhD Researcher in Data Science
- Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Digitally-Enhanced Reality – d-real (Trinity College Dublin): Career Success Workshop
This 1-day in-person workshop focused on providing practical, job-market-ready tools, tailored specifically for PhD researchers with backgrounds across a range of digitally focused areas such as ethical AI and privacy in extended reality to digital health, Human Computer Interaction and computer vision. The workshop focused on navigating careers both within and beyond academia, strengthening CVs and LinkedIn profiles and building confidence for interviews.
Some feedback from the workshop:
“A very useful and engaging workshop for PhD career planning, glad to have participated. Thanks for such a valuable workshop!” PhD Researcher Multimodal NLP
“I found the tips for improvement on academic CV and LinkedIn profile optimisation to be really spot on.” PhD Researcher d-real
- University of Limerick Navigate Programme for post-doctoral Researchers
The Navigate programme is designed for post-doctoral researchers seeking to explore career opportunities beyond academia. From 2023 – 2026 I have had the pleasure of delivering a series of workshops and 1-1 sessions with UL researchers across STEM and non-STEM disciplines to support them in achieving their individual career goals.
The Navigate programme is designed for post-doctoral researchers seeking to explore career opportunities beyond academia. From 2023 – 2026 I have had the pleasure of delivering a series of workshops and 1-1 sessions with UL researchers across STEM and non-STEM disciplines to support them in achieving their individual career goals.
The Navigate programme allows researchers to reflect on their careers, chart their desired direction, and acquire practical tools through workshops and 1-1 sessions focused on CV building, interview skills, job search and career planning. Over the course of the programme, we witnessed the participants’ growing confidence as they realised the value of their unique and transferable skills in industry settings.
Here is what some of the researchers had to say:
The UL “Navigate” programme, was a wonderful experience. It was an attempt to motivate and mould the postdoctoral researchers who have been actively engaged in academia for many years to transform to the industry sector. It changed our perspectives towards the career options that we have after a PhD. A huge applause to Lorraine Shine and Marguerite Leen for making it a success and for the effort they put in. Navigate helped us to build a network with researchers from different disciplines, to identify the hidden skills in ourselves and to open up our doubts and thoughts about industry. Arunima Reghundadhan, Polymer Postdoctoral Researcher, Bernal Institute, UL
“The Navigate programme was very useful and informative and I feel that I now have all of the tools and knowledge to enable a move to industry. The content of the programme was tailored to the specific needs of researchers and it was up-to-date, practical and relevant.” Postdoctoral Researcher, Dept of Chemical Sciences, Bernal Institute
“Thank you so much for all your assistance throughout the Navigate programme – it was so insightful and helpful, and very much appreciated. It was a fantastic programme.” Postdoctoral Researcher, Dept of Psychology
- University College Cork Career Support Programme: MSc Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations & Management
The MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations and Management is a unique postgraduate qualification designed to maximise graduate employability in the biopharma and pharma industries and includes an 8 month industry placement. In 2024 I carried out a series of 1-1 interview skills coaching sessions to assist students in preparation for placement interviews. A CV & Interview success workshop was also delivered to students to assist in preparation for graduate programme job applications.
Some feedback from the programme:
“Thank you so much for the time you dedicated to our session today. I truly appreciate it, and I know the session will be very helpful for me in upcoming interviews”. MSc Industrial Pharma student
“I wanted to let you know that your tips for the interview were very helpful for my recent interview. Thank you again for your guidance.” MSc Industrial Pharma student
- UCC Revitalise Programme Delivery:
Delivered a series of webinars for the “Revitalise Programme” on behalf of UCC and Taste4Success Skillnet in 2023 aimed at supporting professionals at mid-career stage who are looking for a career change or have experienced redundancy. Topics included Professional Identity, The Modern Day Jobs Market, CV Success, LinkedIn & Digital Presence, Interviews, Building Confidence.
Here is what one participant had to say:
“I attended all the Webinars and found them all excellent. Even though part of my own role is as an Employment Skills trainer, I picked up lots of extra tips from your course that I can pass on to the jobseekers I train and support. I hope you will be running this course again in the future, as I deal with new groups of jobseekers on an ongoing basis and I would be highly recommending the course to them.”
- UCC Rejuvenate Career Returner Programmes:
Partnered with UCC in conjunction with Taste4Success Skillnet on a programme called “Rejuvenate” in 2021, 2022 & 2023. This award winning programme (IITD Best Diversity and Inclusion Award) supports professional women who have taken a career break in returning to the workplace. Provided support to over 100 female participants throughout 5 programmes.
Here is what some of the participants had to say:
“You have been an invaluable help to me both technically and regarding my self-confidence. I hope to meet you again in the future.”
“Hi Lorraine, thank you for the wonderful feedback and your time you have generously given to help me and all the other women, I will definitely keep you posted as I go along my career journey and will be bouncing ideas and asking for your guidance. Your kindness has encouraged me so much and knowing I have you and your expertise is giving me so much hope.”
2. ETB (Education & Training Board) & Community Employment Scheme:
ETB Employability Skills Workshops
- Delivered Employability Skills workshops on CV and Interview Success for Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). Participants included individuals on the Kare Local Training Initiative, a programme that combines training and work experience leading to a QQI Level 5 Major Award in Intellectual Disabilities Practice.
- Facilitated an Employability Skills workshop for participants on the Community Employment Scheme hosted by Kare. This scheme provides opportunities for training and work experience in areas such as frontline services, childcare, clerical, reception, accounts, and catering.
Some feedback from the workshops:
“A huge thank you for delivering an inspiring and informative session to our Kare Community Employment participants. It was great to see the engagement and interest shown by all attending. The renewed motivation and knowledge of job seeking skills will be invaluable in their future careers. We look forward to further collaborations with you Lorraine” E. Nolan, Community Employment Supervisor
“Thank you again for taking the time to spend two days with us. Your contribution to the workshop was greatly appreciated, and the LTI students took a lot of from what you taught them on the day.” L O’ Keefe, LTI Co-Ordinator
- Supported The Ludgate Hub with two career returner programmes in 2022 and 2023 (Reignite and Launchpad) delivering workshops and 1-1 sessions on employability skills to women based in West Cork looking to return to the workforce. These programmes were sponsored by Rethink Ireland and Cork Education and Training Board.