TechSesh 18 – UCD’S First Student Run Networking Event

Oct 3, 2018News0 comments

Monday the 1st of October saw the launch of ElecSoc’s new annual event, Technology Sessions, which was held in the atrium of the Old Student Centre on the UCD Belfield campus. Conceptualised in the early summer, rigorous planning over several months created what was undoubtedly a highly successful inaugural event.

Our mandate for developing this career event was to create an environment where students could directly interact with professionals in technical roles to get a feel for the type of career that might await them. The hundreds of students who passed through the event benefited from a relaxed atmosphere, with students and companies encouraged to engage in conversation over tea and coffee.

This was the first student led careers initiative in UCD, and companies were particularly excited by this idea. As student organisers, we understood on a more fundamental level the needs of students, and using this knowledge we orchestrated the format of the event such that is was conducive to productive conversations between students and prospective employers.

On the day, we were delighted to welcome eight companies to engage with students. The companies chosen to participate covered a diverse range of industries in which STEM graduates can work. From biomedical engineering to insurance for tech companies, every base was covered with the final participants consisting of:

  • Analog Devices
  • Arup
  • Boston Scientific
  • FireEye
  • Maxim Integrated
  • Qualcomm
  • S3 Semiconductors
  • Willis Towers Watson
Of these, Qualcomm, S3 Semiconductors and Analogue Devices elected to host technology sessions talks which were well received and well attended by UCD students. Qualcomm – “The Move to 5G” – Aaron Hogan, Principal Engineer/Manager S3 Semiconductors – “Micro-controllers and Analog IC Chip Design” -Noel O’Riordan, Senior Staff Engineer. Analogue Devices – “Company Overview, Co-op and Graduate Opportunities” – Marcus Kelly, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Having spoken to companies involved afterwards, it was clear there is an appetite for this type of event moving forward. They were impressed by the level of genuine interest expressed by students who engaged in conversation, which they had felt is often lacking at traditional career fairs. The CV database ElecSoc had compiled of students interested in working with the companies involved was also cited as a major benefit. From a student perspective, the event was a major success, with many looking forward to a return next year. On behalf of the organising committee we would like to thank all the companies that attended, and the UCD students and staff without whom the event would have been impossible to arrange. We’re looking forward to building on this years success and look forward to seeing you all at TechSesh 19!

Also A Big Thank You To All Involved In Organising The Event: Aoibhe Turner-Heaney, Barry Mulvey, Catherine Waechter, Emma Bailey, Eimear Murphy, Hamid Shokrani, Ivan Nicevic & James Hayes

And Those Who Helped Run The Event On The Day: Ellen Le Bas, Callum Hunt, Emma Lambkin & Johnathon McGrath

And Finally UCD Staff: Lorna Bailey, Jason Masterson, Des Moran, Prof. John Sheridan & Assoc. Prof. Elena Blokhina

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