03/07/2023
After graduating in 2020 with a degree in Graphic Design, Katie was struggling to find employment during the pandemic. Now, thanks to the Turing Scheme, she’s working full-time with her placement company in Dublin. “After travelling in Thailand and Greece, I was approached by Twin on LinkedIn,” she says, “…It’s been such a whirlwind, from applying last-minute to the shock of being offered a full-time job in a new city”.
Katie began a Digital Marketing internship in 2023 with Big Top Multimedia, an award-winning design, web and mobile application development company. While she was nervous to move countries and begin a new job, she soon found that she settled in easily. “Everyone was so welcoming, including my coworkers,” Katie says, “You’re all in the same situation, so you’re not going into it alone.”
It was the city, too, which made her feel at home: “Dublin isn’t quite as intense and overwhelming as London, but it’s also bigger than most cities… It’s a nice place to be”. In her free time, she and her new flatmates made the most of the vibrant music scene in Dublin, going to see live music and Irish dance. She cites Twin as a great source of support during this time, who "kept me in the loop the whole time and reassured me when I had any worries.”
Katie took every chance to learn new things. She considers proactivity one of the main reasons she was offered a job, urging other interns to “Make sure you keep asking questions”. Because of this attitude, she was able to explore different areas of Big Top Multimedia which broadened her knowledge beyond graphic design and led to new opportunities like filming in Limerick for the day. It also re-sparked a lost interest in photography, which she plans to take up as a hobby again.
We caught up with Katie a few months later to find out how she’s finding her new job: “I’m really enjoying living in Dublin now I’ve had a couple of months to settle down,” she says, “I’ve spent a lot of my time exploring new areas of the city and meeting new people through ‘photo walks’.” She is still enjoying working with Big Top and has been part of some very exciting projects since joining as a full-time employee.
As for future plans, Katie is enjoying being in the moment, explaining that “I’m taking a minute to enjoy where this journey has led me and I’m taking it one step at a time.” We wish Katie the best of luck in her new role!
Finding your first graduate job can be difficult when more and more entry-level roles request previous experience. Pursuing a Turing Scheme internship with Twin, however, gives you the opportunity to gain the experience required to kickstart your career - and might even lead directly to a job offer.
Find out more about the Turing Scheme here.
