Graduate Interview: Clodagh Fahy
In Conversation with …
MSc Food Business Management & Technology student, Clodagh Fahy
We caught up with Clodagh Fahy, one of our MSc Food Management and Technology students to ask her about her experiences with the course and advice she would give to someone considering doing the Masters programme at Innopharma Education.
Why did you choose this Masters programme?
“I chose the Food Business Management and Technology Masters because it’s a hybrid course between food science and food business management. It’s a unique layout with online evening lectures twice a week which allow me to continue working whilst getting my Masters.
Food Science is extremely relevant at the moment with Ireland in particular, seeing lots of growth in this sector. Listening to how passionate and successful some of the lecturers are really encouraged me to go for this Masters.
The course also appealed to me because it allowed me to start in January, not a lot of Masters programmes have this facility. I wasn’t sure about what I wanted when the original start date in October came around and so, after talking to some of the lecturers I had made my decision by the time semester two began in January. This definitely one of the best features of this course in my opinion!”
How have you found the course so far?
“I’ve only completed one full semester and am just about to start my thesis. So far the course has been everything I expected and so much more. I came into this course hoping it would make me more attractive to prospective employers in the food industry. After beginning the course I was approached by one of the lecturers to apply for a position in a food manufacturing company. The course coordinators really follow through with their promise in helping you get back into the workforce. I had so much support available to me when applying for this position and I ended up securing employment after only a month in the course! I’m extremely happy in my current job and feel like this course was definitely a gateway to this opportunity as I can honestly say everything I do at work on a daily basis, we have covered in theory in lectures so it’s great to see it being put into practice.”
What have you found the most rewarding part of the course?
“It’s quite rewarding to see results from the work you’ve put in. It’s completely different from my undergrad in the sense that a distance learning course is very much driven by self-motivation. Even though two evenings a week doesn’t sound like a whole lot, you’d be surprised by the amount lecturers can cover in three hours! It’s important to stay on top of the work and put in the time you would for a taught Masters.”
What advice would you give to someone who is considering doing the MSc in Food Business Management and technology?
“Key advice I would give to somebody considering doing the MSc in Food Business Management and Technology is to ensure this is the course for you. The bridging course that you are required to sit before starting this Masters is definitely a good reflection on the course itself. The course is a good balance between business and science, but you must be willing to put the work in for both even if one of them doesn’t come quite naturally for you. For me, it’s the business side of the course but that just means you spend a little more time with those subjects. The support is there if you feel you are struggling. The lecturers also have a very open approach to learning, they always consult the class on what works best for us as a group.
If you have an interest in the Food Science industry but aren’t quite sure what area you would like to specialise in then this course would be ideal for you. Food science is becoming more and more important with the subjects span from Food Sales and Marketing to Food Formulations. It’s such an interesting course with so many job opportunities both here and abroad!”
You can find out more about our MSc Food Business Management & Technology here.
