Hi, I am Fiona,

I study computer engineering at Trinity College Dublin, and after my exchange in telecommunications and computer science at INSA Lyon I went to Bühler for an internship as a software developer in the Automation Platform department.

What attracted you to apply to the UNITECH programme?

I was attracted by the unique opportunity to do both an exchange and an internship, while also having the opportunity to actively work on developing soft skills and building a network with so many like-minded people.

What did you enjoy most about your experience in the UNITECH programme, and how has the programme helped prepare you for the next steps in your career?

Honestly , there is a lot to choose from but I think I have enjoyed the community aspect of UNITECH the most. It has been really cool to see how smoothly people can come together when everyone is on the same page and hoping to make the best of the opportunity, despite how different and unique each person is.

Tell us more about your Academic Exchange? Where was your academic exchange? What did you enjoy the most? Which subjects were the most challenging or interesting?

My exchange was at INSA Lyon, and aside from the incredible learning experience in class, studying subjects like data mining, cyber security, databases and more, it was a great cultural experience. I really enjoyed meeting so many people from so many different cultures and having the opportunity to immerse myself in French language and culture. The sense of community at the INSA was great; I really felt at home there for the semester.

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned in your career so far?

1. No matter how technical your role is, it will probably never be down to just what you have to say, but how you say it.
2. How capable you are to take on a task is so much more dependent on how willing and eager you are to learn what you need and apply what you know, than on how much you know already.
3. It is much easier to train hard skills in a working environment than soft skills. It is s up
to you to take care of your soft skill development.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?