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A group shot outside DCU with the ATTW report.
Amy Harrison (DCU Access student), Mark Hatton (DCU Access Graduate and Revenue Marketing Leader with Tines), Anthony Dula (ATTW Participant 2025) and Eve Meehan (ATTW Participant 2025) at the launch of the research.

DCU’s Access to the Workplace delivers for both students and employers

Access to the Workplace Launch 2025
Programme successfully bridges the critical gap between academic learning and professional employment

71% of students secured a job in their field of study within 6 months, with many finding jobs due to Access to the Workplace (ATTW) exposure.

Comprehensive pre-placement support system and robust employer partnerships key strengths of ATTW, with 87% of employers planning to re-engage for the next academic year

A study carried out by Dublin City University’s Access to the Workplace to evaluate its effectiveness in creating meaningful opportunities for underrepresented students while advancing organisational diversity and inclusion objectives has found that ATTW is delivering for both students and employers. The study was carried out by Dr Anne Rowan, Dr Aideen Cassidy and Prof Joe O’Hara from EQI, DCU’s Centre for Evaluation, Quality & Inspection.

Since it was established in 2019, ATTW has delivered 483 internships across more than 100 partner companies, raising €6.3 million in philanthropic funds. The programme is a transformative professional summer internship initiative aimed at addressing workplace inequality for underrepresented students. It primarily serves DCU Access students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and neurodivergent students, providing fully paid, high-quality internships with leading Irish companies.

Key findings

Students

  • 71% secured full-time employment in their field within 6 months, with over 90% of participants securing employment or pursuing alternative educational pathways post-graduation
  • Many secured jobs due to programme exposure
  • Internship experience improved CVs and interview outcomes
  • Students had strong gains in communication, teamwork, technical, and transferable skills, with notable increases in self-confidence and professional readiness
  • Participants described the programme as transformative, allowing them to break into professional sectors previously inaccessible to them

Employers

  • 93% agreed ATTW improved workplace diversity
  • Students praised for enthusiasm, soft skills, and technical abilities
  • Reliability, collaboration, and quality of work by students interns rated highly
  • 87% planned to re-engage in the next year
Panel discussion at the launch of the ATTW report.

Speaking about the report and its findings, Fiona Hudson, Programme Development Lead at ATTW said

"Equal access into higher education does not necessarily lead to equal career outcomes for certain groups in society.

"Our aim is to bridge that gap for students who might find it challenging to get into the workplace due to their limited connections or social capital - and this report shows that we're successfully doing that, while also supporting employers to access diverse, young talent.”

Commenting on the research, President of DCU Prof Dáire Keogh said: 

“This study clearly illustrates the positive impact that this highly innovative DCU programme is delivering. Access to the Workplace increases opportunities and employability for underrepresented students, while introducing employers to diverse and enthusiastic new talent, making it a win-win proposition for all.”

You can find out more about Access to the Workplace at Dublin City University on the ATTW website.