Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what you studied at college

My name is Jordan Murphy and I have lived in Cork my whole life. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from University College Cork. Since then, I have been working in the Wilton office in Cork for ESB Networks.

How did you find out about the graduate programme?

I’d obviously heard of ESB before, but I learned about their graduate programme from a booth at one of the career fairs during college.

Why did you apply for this graduate programme?

I thought that ESB would be a great place for me to learn and develop my skills. They have a relationship with Engineer’s Ireland which will support me when I am going for chartership in the coming years. I was also attracted by the long-term opportunities and stability that ESB offers.

At the time I was applying to ESB, many organisations were implementing hiring freezes and having lay-offs. I knew of people in other companies who weren’t offered full-time roles at the end of their grad programmes simply because there weren’t suitable roles for them. ESB stood out as an organisation that invests in its people and provides clear opportunities for progression.

How has your experience of the graduate programme been so far?

I did my first rotation in the Strategy, Innovation and Regulation team for ESB Networks Telecoms. It involved a lot of future planning for upcoming wind and solar farms, especially on where we are going to be adding fibre throughout the country, as the demand for electricity is increasing and we need fast communication for monitoring and protection on these lines. I worked a lot with EirGrid on the plans for these future renewable projects, as well as the long-term strategy within ESB over the next five or more years.

I chose to remain in Telecoms for my second rotation, as I recognised there was still significant opportunity to learn more – especially if I were to move into a more technical role, as my first role gave me a great overview of the different types of technologies we use.

I then joined the Detailed Design team, which allowed me to develop a more in-depth understanding of the various telecommunications technologies and how they are implemented in practice. This role also allowed me to visit sites a lot more often, which gave me a greater appreciation for the different work carried out across ESB.

Throughout both of my rotations, ESB has been incredibly supportive of my development in both technical and non-technical skills. Not only did I complete various courses with Engineers Ireland, but I also undertook training such as Mental Health First Aid, which is a very important topic to me.

I’ve always felt really welcome in ESB. Right from when I first started, everyone working here has been really helpful, taking the time to show me things and make sure I am getting on all right.

What are your career plans after the programme?

I feel like I’ve learned a lot, and that there are still plenty of opportunities for me to continue learning, as Telecoms covers such a wide array of different areas. Each of the teams works on entirely different technologies and operates in completely different ways. I can definitely see myself staying in ESB for a long time, as they are very encouraging when it comes to pursuing different courses and certifications to help me grow as an employee. This means I can explore many different career paths within the same company.

Any tips for graduates applying for this programme?

One thing that I found helped me not only with applying for this programme but also has helped me a lot in the job, was taking advantage of UCC’s support. The skills centre was great for my report writing and presentation skills and the career services office were really helpful with making sure my CV was in a good state, as well as helping me with my interview skills.