What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
One of my biggest gripes about my time in school was the complete lack of any form of career guidance. I left school after the intermediate certificate to take a trade simply because I never considered that I had the ability to do anything else.
Back in the seventies you either took a trade, worked in the civil service, the bank or went to college. I took the trade like my father and his father before him. I would have loved to have studied English and it was the only subject I was any good at. I think that's partly the reason I went to UCC as a mature student, to prove a point to myself that I could actually do it.
So the short answer is that nothing I studied in school influenced me or prepared me for what I'm doing now and that includes the many years I spent trying to remember the Latin for “table” and “farmer” and bits about Hannibal crossing the Alps!
What is your education to date?
Intermediate Certificate and City and Guild certificates. I also did a certificate in Estate Management during my time in the north side so I would be able to communicate with the local authority during the regeneration of Mayfield.
I have done other courses through work such as driving courses, firearms courses and promotion courses. But my crowning glory is my Diploma in Journalism and if they ever introduce the degree course in UCC I'll be in like a shot.
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
I think I'll pass on this one. Thanks be to God I possess an abundance of common sense because that has been the single biggest benefit to me.
Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?
