The Innovate Ireland program allowed me to experience the wonders of Ireland while learning about working and living abroad in a professional setting. Some of the companies that we visited included Microsoft, Dell Technologies, Genesys, and many more. These companies were gracious enough to open their doors to us so that we could learn about what they do, how global the world of business truly is, and how we can approach the idea of living and working abroad. In addition to our site visits, we also participated in some cultural activities, such as visiting the Cliffs of Moher and EPIC, the Irish emigration museum. All in all, this was an incredible program, and I highly recommend it to any students who are interested in participating in the future.

Something that surprised me about this experience was that I can really see myself living and working abroad. There are so many opportunities that sounded enticing to me while I was in Ireland for the week, and I am seriously considering taking the next steps in my career abroad, potentially back to Ireland or to another country in a different part of the world.

I will be creating a blog to write about my experiences and interactions with the companies we visited.