Access to the Workplace for Employers
How does it work?
- Organisations that support access scholarships can participate in DCU Access to the Workplace if they can employ a student for 4-12 weeks between May and August, providing at least 30 hours work per week at the minimum wage or above.
- All students participate in a pre-internship Work Readiness Programme covering topics such as CV writing, interview preparation and workplace etiquette.
- Internships may be virtual, hybrid, or on-site.
- Organisations are offered a student match based on the job description they provide.
What are the benefits for students & employers?
Since 2019, two independent evaluations have shown the programme's benefit for participating students and organisations. We are in the process of carrying out a longitudinal study to gain insight into the impact it has had on past interns, employers, as well as DCU as a whole.
Employers:
- ATTW experience: 95% of employers who participated in 2024 rated their programme experience as successful.
- Diversity and inclusion: 95% of employers who participated in 2024 reported that the programme helped to enhance their diversity and inclusion policies and/or practices.
- Strengthen relationship with DCU: 87% of employers who participated in 2024 plan to take part in ATTW again in 2025.
- Programme value: 97% of employers who participated in 2024 said that they would recommend the programme to others in their professional network.
Students:
- Opens doors: 93% of 2024 students felt the programme offered better internship opportunities than they could secure themselves.
- Earn and learn: On average, Access to the Workplace interns received €4,620 in wages for their work in 2024.
- Work readiness: All students participate in a pre-placement Work Readiness Programme. In 2024, 98% felt better prepared for the internship following the completion of this.
- Valuable experience: Students apply university learning in a real work setting and gain experience that enhances their CVs for INTRA placements or graduate roles.
- Mentoring: Opportunity to be mentored by experienced staff members in their chosen field.
- Employability: 100% of 2024 students feel better prepared to apply for future job opportunities.
Timeline & how to get involved
Before February 2025: Make a commitment to support Access scholarships at DCU and host an Access to the Workplace internship in summer 2025.
February 2025: Complete an online Employer Requirements Form, providing details of the internship role and the skills you would like your student intern to have.
March/April 2025: Notification of student match, and an opportunity to meet your student.
May 2025: Student and employer preparatory event.
May - August 2025: Internships take place.
September 2025: Invitation to provide feedback for programme evaluation.
Please contact john.moriarty@dcu.ie or kyela.fanagan@dcu.ie to find out more.
Impact
"...it's really aligned to our purpose around connecting people for a better future"
Lauren & Vodafone
"When we got an opportunity to take a student on board with a fresh pair of eyes, a fresh mind...it was a no-brainer for us"
Maitiú & Matthews Coach Hire
Participating Employers
A&L Goodbody
AbbVie
Accenture
Allied Irish Banks p.l.c.
Alltech
AMD
Aon Ireland
Arachas
Arthur Cox
Arup
Azets
B.C. McGettigan Limited
Bank of Ireland
BDO Ireland
BNY Mellon
Boldyn Networks
Bonnington Hotel
Bright Software Group
Britvic International and Ireland
Bristol Myers Squibb
BT Ireland
CAE Parc Aviation
Carne Global Financial Services
Chartered Accountants Ireland
Citrix Systems Inc
Codex Office Solutions
Colgate Palmolive
Collen Construction
County Monaghan Fund
CRH plc
daa
Datalex
Deloitte
Dublin City Council
DWF
Eaton
eBay Europe Services Ltd.
eDesk
Eirgrid
Elavon
Elgin Energy
Employment and Recruitment Federation
Ergo
Equinix
ESB
ESW
Fidelity Investments Ireland
Fingal County Council
Gaelite
General Paints
GMC Utilities Group
Grifols
Hayes Solicitors
Healy Group
Goodbody
Highfield Hospital Group
Integral Ad Science
Ipsen
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard
Irish Life
Jacobs Engineering
Jenkinson Logistics
Jones Engineering
Kennedy Wilson Europe
Kestrel
KPMG
LIDL (Ireland) Ltd.
Linesight
LinkedIn
Maples and Calder, Law firm of the Maples Group in Dublin
Mason Hayes & Curran
Matheson
Matthews Coach Hire
Mazars
McCann Fitzgerald LLP
McGarrell Reilly Group
McKeon Group
Mercer
Mergon
Milliman
Mobilize Financial Services
Mondelez Ireland
MSD Carlow
MSD Dublin
MUFG Investor Services
National Broadband Ireland
National Standards Authority of Ireland
National Treasury Management Agency
Neogen
Nitro
Oracle
Ornua
Permanent TSB
Pinsent Masons
PM Group
Primark
PwC
Rethink Ireland
Repak
Residential Tenancies Board
South Dublin County Council
Sysco Ireland
Taoglas
Techyfinder
The Harris Group
Trane Technologies
Ubotica Technologies
Ulster Bank Ireland
West Pharma
Wicklow County Council
William Fry LLP
Willis Towers Watson
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Zurich
DCU's Access to the Workplace programme has been supported by LinkedIn and Rethink Ireland's Scaling Education fund since 2022, and this will continue until 2026. This support is enabling us to further develop and scale the programme.
