The international business environment is very dynamic and organisations need graduates that are adaptable to change.  With programmes that are designed for the real world, the Department of Business equips you with the skills – and provides many opportunities – to put the knowledge you have gained into practice through real world case studies and assignments and, in particular, through completion of a substantial work placement in Year 3.  Work placement helps you to understand how what you have learned in the classroom works in reality, informs your studies in subsequent years and increases your chances of relevant employment on graduation.

Graduate Profiles

Aleksandra Michniewicz, 4^th Year Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Student
Last year, I completed my marketing work placement at Crua Outdoors, an Irish start-up company that produces and sells thermally and acoustically insulated outdoor tents. My main tasks as a marketing intern focused more on the creative side of marketing. I was involved in creating and writing weekly blog posts on the company website and I managed some of Crua Outdoor’s social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, with the objective of gaining new customers and increasing the company’s brand awareness especially in the US market. I also worked closely with a multimedia colleague to ensure that the marketing communications were uniform across all channels. Additionally, I created newsletters for Crua Outdoors using the Adobe packages InDesign and Illustrator. Overall, the placement was very beneficial as it gave me a better understanding of the marketing industry in general. I was exposed to all areas of the business not just marketing; I was given the opportunity to witness and take part in many business situations and functions such as meeting investors, crowdfunding, accounting, finance, video design and product design. Work placement has inspired and motivated me to strive even further to achieve my goals, because I was exposed to many successful individuals working in my field.

Sarah Foale, 4^th Year Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Student
Studying business and marketing and having the opportunity to get real industry experience before I get my degree has helped me in improving my skills and has also helped me in understanding where I would like to go in my career as marketing is a very broad industry. Also, being back to final year after my semester working has given me a new perspective of the modules and allowed me to apply my knowledge in the work I do whether it be projects, presentations or exams.   The work placement programme I completed was with the Retail and Marketing Department of Bord Gáis Energy. My role within this team was Marketing Support. I was involved in all aspects of the marketing for the company including residential, SME’s and sponsorship programmes, and both above and below-the-line marketing. It has been very insightful as I got a broader view and understanding of how the business works as a whole.

Some student comments on their work placement experience:

“My work placement has definitely affected my career aspirations. I now know for certain the type of organisation and career that I’d like to follow”

“I discovered that the skills I’ve learnt on placement will benefit me hugely when I’m finished college and applying for jobs after graduation”

“Work placement has helped me to develop my problem solving skills. I had to use my own initiative and prove that I was capable of figuring out a solution myself. I think this is a skill which will be useful when I return to complete my final year in college”

And some employer comments on their experience with our students:

“Mark will be a great accountant. He was very eager to learn every aspect of the job and go the extra mile with all the assignments that we set out for him. He had a great understanding of the technicalities of accounting and his enthusiasm was unwavering. We hope to continue the work relationship with ITTralee and look forward to engaging with the Department of Business in future years”

“We are delighted with Mary and she has excelled beyond our expectations. We have given her projects that we would not normally distribute to the students on placement. This has happened because of her ability to manage complex work tasks and show a commitment and willingness to work diligently and with enthusiasm throughout the placement. We have also decided to offer her an extended contract”

“Robert was a great asset to our marketing team here. He contributed greatly to the team’s output. Robert was great to apply common sense and a very practical approach to all work he under took. He managed creative agency and other third party suppliers very well to ensure timelines were met and quality work was delivered. Working relations with colleagues and suppliers is integral to getting work completed and outputs delivered, Robert excelled in working with people and this is a skill that will stand to him in his career.”

In the first year of our Level 7 Bachelor of Business and Level 8 Bachelor of Business (Honours) degrees, you will gain a solid foundation in the key business disciplines before choosing to specialise in Accounting, Management or Marketing from the second year onwards. 

Our degrees are accredited by relevant professional bodies.  For example, if you complete a Level 8 Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Accounting at IT Tralee, you will gain maximum exemptions for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) professional accounting qualification.  If you complete a Level 8 Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Marketing, you are eligible to sit the Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII) Qualified Marketer examination.

With a solid grounding in the key business disciplines, on graduation you will be in a strong position to succeed in a general business environment, pursue employment opportunities relevant to your specialism in Accounting, Management or Marketing undertake postgraduate studies at masters (Level 9) or doctoral level (Level 10), or perhaps become an entrepreneur and establish your own business.  Some past graduates have chosen to pursue a teaching career in second and third level education.