IES Internships - Dublin Summer Internship

I completed the Dublin Summer Internship this past summer in 2019. I worked as a business development intern for a small startup company called Restored Hearing. I worked alongside the community marketing manager on several projects throughout the summer and gained a lot of valuable knowledge. Not only did I improve my professional skills, but I think I grew as a person as well. I felt such a great sense of independence while working and living on my own in Dublin. This was a great opportunity for me to get international work experience, travel throughout Ireland and Europe, and make many new friends along the way. I had the time of my life!

I worked at a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working with Survivors of Torture in Dublin for the summer. The company was divided into two parts; rehabilitation and integration. Rehabilitation involved working with doctors to ensure that the clients would not be deported back to their country of origin. Integration consisted of teaching English classes, music classes and similar events so that the clients could get accustomed to this new culture they were now to live their lives in. I learned throughout this internship that I absolutely want to work as a doctor. I want to work in an environment where I speak all 3 languages I know. I want diversity and to avoid routine. I became certain that I could work alongside the doctors I shadowed in Ireland and would love for all to have the experience incredible experience that I had.

This program is amazing. Not only is the local staff amazing, they do everything in their power to get some amazing internships. They do a great job at placing their interns in the correct field. Also, their activities and out of work opportunities are vast and great way to meet other people in the program and have some fun.

I loved working and using my skills outside the US. I am not more of a well rounded person. Being a history major I was able to learn more about Ireland's history compared to the US. I know this is going to sound cliche, but, it is an once in a lifetime trip. I would strongly suggest to do it over the summer because your will have more time to travel and you will not miss a whole lot from home.

I have always thirsted for adventure but I was always too scared to chase after it. I had changed so much in the year proceeding Summer 2016, but that was one obstacle, one fear, I had yet to hurdle over. That was the main reason I chose to study abroad. Everyone told me that it would be a life-changing experience. I naively thought that I was prepared for it. I went to Ireland thinking that I would be fine. I wouldn’t change a bit, and I didn’t really need to learn anything. I was oblivious because I thought I already knew everything I needed to know. I thought that I knew what it was to be cultured. Travel has been an experience that I’ve had before. I don’t know why I thought that a week in Brussels here and a week in Spain there would prepare me for two months of living on my own in Dublin, because it didn’t – and I’m so happy about that. I had the pleasure of interning for the Irish Daily Mail. Through that, I learned what it meant to have a “real job” I guess you could say. I worked from 9-5, four days a week, but it wasn’t fetching coffee or organizing papers like I thought it would be. That’s what I had always believed that an internship would be. Instead, I found myself actually writing articles. I had the opportunity to interview people and do investigations to craft my own story. I got published multiple times, and one even made the front page. The front page of an international newspaper as an intern - how amazing is that? I learned so many valuable skills from The Irish Daily Mail, such as working under a deadline, working with people, and staying true to the theme of a story while still being able to let your voice shine through. My internship experience turned out to be more than I ever anticipated going over to Ireland and I’m so, so thankful for it. I couldn’t imagine I would have had a better experience if I would have went with any organization besides IES. They were an absolute joy and made the journey so much better. They were there every step of the way for any and everything that I needed, whether it be recommendations for restaurants, tips for the bus system, or finding a doctor if I got sick. They didn’t “hold my hand” but they didn’t let me slip through the cracks either. I wasn’t just a student in the program, but a person that they considered, reached out to often, and didn’t forget about while I was there. The Dublin staff were some of the best people I’ve ever encountered in my life, period. Living in Dublin made me realize that loving a place is as easy as loving a person. The loveliness in this, however, is that a city couldn't reveal things to me like a person can. The hidden treasures, the pubs that have the best live music, the greatest Mexican food places - I had to discover all of these on my own. It’s scary at first, but before I knew it I had streets memorized and was able to find what I wanted without Google Maps pulled up on my phone. This really helped me realize that I am capable of much more than I thought I was. I thought I knew what change was. I thought I knew what happiness was. I developed a deeper understanding of the definitions of those, one that I won’t be quick to forget. My IES study abroad experience was so freeing. It allowed me to express parts of myself that I had kept hidden and be transformed into someone I didn’t know that I had the potential to be. I would recommend this program to anyone, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

My choice in the IES Dublin Summer Internship program was easily the most rewarding decision I have ever made. Throughout the application process, IES worked with me to find a placement that perfectly suited my needs, helping me to learn about international business culture and advance my future career goals. The internship coordinator held mock interviews and reviewed our cover letters and CVs to ensure that we were suitably prepared for a real world interview with our potential internship hosts, and IES was incredibly helpful along the way and were the essential key in preparing me for my time abroad and were always readily available to answer the millions of questions I had. I received my placement and spent my summer interning with a small tech startup in the City Center where my duties were to find available funding for startups and apply for grants available through the local enterprise office. My largest and most meaningful task was to write their business plan. This seemed daunting at first, but the whole point of the internship was for me to learn and gain experience while benefiting the company hosting me. I learned so much more than I could have ever anticipated. I went into my internship feeling nervous and wondering what on earth I could bring to the table that could benefit them, they are the professionals, I’m just a student! But by the time I had finished, I could hardly believe the transformation. By learning through experience, I had become the professional and was producing work that I was confident in and proud of. Living in Dublin was an incredibly cool experience. I lived in a dorm at UCD with 3 other girls from my program which was awesome because we were all going through the same situation so it was easy to become immediate friends, and we are still talking in our group chat to this day! Getting around the city is so easy. It is very walkable and you can walk 8 miles without even realizing it, but the bus system is extremely easy to figure out and as long as you have your Leapcard (Dublin bus pass), you can get anywhere you want to go! There is so much to see and do in Dublin, but it was so easy to get out of the city as well. Whether it’s a trip to Galway or a weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland, traveling outside of Dublin is pretty much an unspoken requirement. As a 6 credit student, I attended class twice a week where we learned about the culture of Ireland through projects and excursions and developed our cross-cultural competencies in the workforce. I got to take what I learned in class and directly apply it to my internship and my own excursions. I could never put into words the immense beauty and vibrant culture of Ireland that I experienced outside of my internship. The people, the landscape, and even the food were all overwhelmingly wonderful. Through this program I learned so much more about myself and gained incomparable amounts of self-confidence and independence. Beyond professional skills I developed that I can carry with me into the workforce, I gained innumerable intangible skills that will last me a lifetime. I left with the confidence to communicate across cultures, the ability to form meaningful relationships with ease, and a desire to learn more about people, places, and history that forms a culture. Interning abroad is the single most important decision I have ever made and I strongly encourage every student to consider this opportunity because the benefits outweigh the costs in every possible way.

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This summer I had the privilege of participating in the IES Dublin Summer Internship program, and as cliche as it sounds, it was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. My internship placement was a marketing internship for a technology startup in the financial district of Dublin. I worked in Dogpatch labs, which housed multiple startups in a lively and engaging community workplace. Although it was at times very demanding, I had the best possible learning experience at my internship. I was able to gain hands-on experience in marketing, while also making great friends and establishing professional connections. Outside of my internship, I lived in campus housing with other students in my program. so I was able to connect and bond with them. It was nice to be in the same place as all of the other students in my program, but I would've preferred to stay in apartments closer to the city centre. I didn't mind navigating the bus system, but my daily commute was about 45 minutes to an hour every morning. The on campus housing was also not the fully equipped apartment I had been prepared for. There was no oven in our kitchen and I had trouble with some of the other appliances. I do believe the IES centre was made aware and changed the housing for the following term of students. During my term I completed the 6-credit program, which included class twice a week: once in the evenings and once on Friday mornings. My class provided me with helpful information for acclimating in my host city. However, it was at times exhausting to have class immediately following a full work day. After class on Fridays, I was free to travel and explore for the weekend with the friends I had made. I also went on a weekend excursion to Northern Ireland with IES staff, which was a really fun and educational trip. Overall, my favorite thing about my experience was being able to fully immerse myself in the city of Dublin and the culture of Ireland. The Irish are really fun and super friendly. It truly is a wonderful place, and I am thankful to have worked with people around my age that I was able to connect with and create lasting friendships. I had so much fun in Dublin, and I fell in love with the country of Ireland and its people. I can't wait to go back!

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This summer was unbelievable. I cannot express my gratitude for this opportunity to not only work with the most amazing people abroad, but also getting to travel to another country. Dublin is now my favorite place in the world and having the experience of working there for a summer as an intern was the best. My placement could not have been any better and my co-workers were the most welcoming people I have ever met. Dublin became my home in the 2 months I was there and I cannot wait to go back to visit. Exploring Ireland while getting work experience not only enhanced my life for the adult world, but it gave me an incredible, life-altering summer that I could never forget. I made some awesome relationships with people I worked with and those who interned abroad with me and the memories will last a lifetime. In my apartment back here at Iowa, I have a whole wall dedicated to these special people and places.

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I just experienced the best two months of my life. I promise that's not a lie or an exaggeration but the absolute truth. I went to Ireland to complete the IES Summer internship program and was placed with a Senator in the Irish parliament which was my dream internship since i'm a political science major and am interested in international politics. I got to work with people from all over Ireland which helped me to truly immerse myself in the culture and feel like I was making Dublin my home away from home. The classes that you take in this program along with the internship helped me develop marketable skills that I will be able to use in any field. The program lines up excursions to help fully immerse students in the culture such as irish dancing, cooking, traveling to Northern Ireland, and even touring Croke park. I loved participating in these excursions and the administration staff were all funny, outgoing, caring people who embodied the Irish personality and became friends with myself and almost everyone in the program. I lived in an apartment with three other people in the UCD campus and loved it. The people I lived with became my best friends and continue to be that now. By living on a campus I was able to get the experience of being a student in Dublin while also working and being a tourist. I traveled almost every weekend since the program sets up your schedule to have a three day weekend every week which was perfect. It truly was the perfect balance of working abroad while also touring both Ireland and Europe. I am very thankful that I chose the IES summer Internship program in Dublin and can't imagine having a different study abroad experience! I am already trying to plan a trip back to Ireland!

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Choosing Ireland for my summer abroad program was the best choice I have ever made. If you have an outgoing personality, a passion for deep history, and a will to explore this is the country for you! The people are witty, hardworking, and always up for a good time. At night, I felt more safe in the heart of Dublin city centre than I do on my own college campus! The IES program helped prepare me for my experience abroad in several ways. They made me feel comfortable weeks before I left. They were extremely informative by sending me a detailed booklet (with an online version), they kept in good contact and answered any questions I had, and upon arriving they had a very informative seminar. I think my favorite part was they brought in a senior police chief to explain just how safe Dublin truly is. I interned for the Irish associate for Habitat for Humanity. I thoroughly enjoyed my internship and truly learned so much about international non-profits and had the freedom to conduct my own email marketing campaigns. There was another person in our group that did not like their internship and within two days our internship coordinator found them something else they loved. The IES staff was like family abroad. They were extremely helpful and friendly. They made my abroad experience worth sharing because of how comfortable they made me feel in a foreign country.

My experience with IES Internships - Dublin was amazing to say the least. I have been home for two months now and all I can think of is when I will get the chance to go back. My internship at Marketing Partners was everything I had hoped it would be. I was doing marketing for the General Post Office (where my mother worked in her 20's) and I always felt like I was being productive and learning new things. Dublin alone was possibly the best city I have ever experienced. There was always something new to explore or a new local willing to help or just someone willing to have a conversation with you. I cannot recommend this program, country and company enough!

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I worked five days a week for Sportsfile, photographing Irish sporting events as well as assisting in photoshoots. I loved the Irish culture and the people I worked with most. I still keep in touch with many of my colleagues and have formed long-lasting relationships. The staff at IES Abroad was brilliant from start to finish, helping me with paperwork and expediting the process in order for me to get the best internship possible. I truly had no problems with the IES administration or my employer. Highlights included experiencing hurling, the Gaelic sport, from the sideline numerous times as well as assisting in shoots for Adidas and Under Armour; the trip to Northern Ireland and exploring and living in Dublin.

Finding my great grandfather's house in Dublin was a really amazing part of my trip. I walked for three miles down the River Liffey and up into a neighborhood to find it. UT works closely with IES and the program had everything I wanted- the chance to live in Dublin and work in journalism for a summer. I lived in a house with three other girls in a really posh neighborhood in Dublin. The city is pretty compact, so everything was within walking distance, and we had the best pizza place in the city five minutes away.

I'd always wanted to go to Ireland and wanted a summer internship, so I killed two birds with one stone and participated in this summer program with IES. I got to use my journalism skills working at a radio station and had the opportunity to work with production and record and edit my own interviews. My schedule was flexible, so I had plenty of time to explore Dublin and travel on weekends. It was by far the most amazing six weeks of my life and I wish I could repeat my experience this summer!