EmployAgility is defined as being “flexible enough to skill up and manage rapid changes in the workplace.” 

Agile values are now fundamental to how organisations adapt, and as the world of work evolves, the concept of career is radically transforming. Increasingly, modern business demands people with an agile mindset and who are customer-centric, collaborative, and able to network as part of multi-skilled teams. Candidates must have the ability to respond and adapt to ever-changing environments and understanding their development of core graduate attributes and values is key to this success.

The UCC EmployAgility Awards is a professional skills development programme, and demonstrates that students have engaged in, and developed professional skills through extra-curricular activities and work experience, all of which will help them to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles and internships.

Some 220 students from all four UCC Colleges, from first year through to postdoctoral level, dedicated at least 20 hours to a voluntary activity or initiative this year. Their learnings will support them as they continue to transition through, or out of UCC to embark on the next stage of their journey. Whether that be continuing to explore new interests, entering the world of work, or embarking on further study, through their dedication to personal and professional development, they have ensured that they are equipped with key employability skills, core graduate attributes, and well-developed values.

All students can apply for the award through six pathways: Student Life, Volunteering, Entrepreneurship, Internship, Research, or the Open Pathway. To be eligible for the award, they must dedicate a minimum of 20 hours to their chosen activity or initiative and submit a final reflective report. 

In this report, students must reflect on the core attributes and values they developed through their engagement with their chosen initiative. This award does not just support them in becoming work-ready but aims to ensure they are world-ready. Their development of core attributes and values such as digital fluency, independent and creative thinking, social responsibility, and global citizenship, enables them to take an active role in advancing the just and sustainable evolution of our communities, our society, and our local and global economies. Through their development of respect, ambition, compassion, resilience, and integrity, they are empowered to create more value than you consume and become an active citizen in society.

A key aim of the Graduate Attributes Programme, partners in delivering this award, is to ensure our graduates are recognised as well-rounded, curious, self-aware individuals who continually learn new skills, are open to new ideas, and make things happen. We want them to leave UCC with a passion for life long, life wide and life deep learning and the EmployAgility Awards is one of our key initiatives that makes this aim a reality. 

Higher Awards

Each year we present Higher Awards to applicants who have achieved multiple awards through several pathways over the years, and who have demonstrated significance personal and professional growth that will support their future career. This year we presented four awards to students who showed outstanding commitment to voluntary activities on and off campus and who showed the capacity to use their graduate attributes and values to make positive changes in society, to be role models, and make an impact in their communities.

Global Citizen Award

Ronan Keohane, World Languages, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

We want our students to leave this university with personal integrity, values, beliefs, and moral code. Ronan Keohane is an effective global citizen who recognises and challenges inequality, he has strong values, integrity and through living by his moral code, has implemented change. He has been public-relations officer for three different societies (International Relations, Failte Refugees and Korean Soc), a regular contributor for the motley magazine, a weekly radio presenter on UCC FM, published with the Aigne journal and was a project manager for a summer camp in Spain for underprivileged youth. His dedication to student life and his work with marginalised groups exemplifies his dedication to supporting sustainable global development. He recognises that the privileges and opportunities he has been afforded, are not accessible to all and wants to pay forward and contribute to society in any way that he can.