Hi! Today is Day 4 in Ireland, and I can’t believe how much I am learning and exploring in Dublin! We had our first company visit today at Google’s Dublin location and we were lucky to have Dr. Kelly explain a bit of Ireland’s academic history and how it, was well as the business culture, has developed and changed within the past few decades. Something I was curious about, and that I wanted to get a better understanding of during my time here, was the education system in Ireland. I have mentioned in a previous post that most of my understanding of Ireland came from literature and TV shows, especially Normal People by Sally Rooney (a Trinity alum), but these sources of entertainment weren’t detailed enough for me to feel like I get the ‘jist’ of schooling in Ireland. I think that in the U.S., it’s very easy for some to view higher education as a right, versus a privilege. On my flight here, I talked to some younger Ireland natives and I became more curious about schooling in this country. Dr. Kelly’s dive into the evolvement of education in Ireland highlighted this. He discussed how college wasn’t a priority for most, and how this quickly changed as opportunities expanded and large corporations moved to Dublin. It surprised me how the growth of further education had such an impact to Ireland’s business scene, from drawing foreign businesses here to the lack of labor to support the need for housing developments and roles like baristas and restaurant servers. Before coming, I didn’t know how quickly the chances of higher education grew. While opportunity spiked, I had not considered the repercussions it had, or how a dire need for blue collar work would expand.

During the visit to Google’s Dublin Hub, we got to hear about their company culture from our guides. Again, as a student who majored in Human Resources, several practices at the company stood out to me that would make me inclined to want to apply for a position at Google. Our hosts talked about Google’s support of personal interests and a work/life balance, such as hosting classes from yoga to guitar lessons, for example. This past semester, I was enrolled in a course about HR Analytics. We observed company stats such as the return on investment per hire and employee satisfaction. As a people-driven area, it is easy to forget about the finances behind hiring processes. It appears that Google’s Ireland location is forward-thinking in terms of employee wellness, and this left me with so many questions that I would like to dive into. I definitely see myself applying for Google to witness the implications these freedoms have on tenure and productivity. I want to work for a company that encourages risk and innovation, as well as the chance to leave the United States. Even before I applied to colleges, I have felt a pull to see what experiences existed for me past America, and I believe that the possibility of uncomfortableness that can come up when venturing into the unknown or unfamiliar is worth it, compared to constantly questioning ‘What if?’. After this trip, I would not be surprised if I consider taking a leap and applying for an HR role at their Dublin location.

In the afternoon, I got to do a bit of shopping and touring as well! For some reason, I was drawn to a Lush storefront near Trinity and I ended up having a fantastic conversation with an employee for about twenty minutes. Her and I talked about a bunch of different topics, from the work culture in America, to the ability to travel in your young 20’s, and taking risks as a recent college grad. I really appreciated getting corporate perspective from someone who hasn’t experienced the work lifestyle we participate in in America. She opened me up to so many perspectives, and I probably would not have expected such an insightful conversation by chance. This encounter has made me want to be more open to saying ‘hi’ to a local at a table next to me at a restaurant, or to ask a question I was hesitant about during our site visits. I think that this trip is providing me with a fantastic opportunity to branch out and gain other perspectives that I would otherwise feel nervous about!

I have attached two pictures from the eleventh floor of Google, one of my favorite parts of our site visit! The nature of Ireland has continued to surprise me, and hours later, I am still thinking about this view! My tour of Google has me super excited for our company visits to come, and I am excited to discover what I can take away from future site visits! 🙂