The Department of Creative Media, Arts and Music at Dundalk Institute of Technology, in collaboration with the Careers Office, recently held a successful Industry Event where legends of the creative industry shared their successes, workflows and creative practices.

The event, which took place on the 23^rd October 2024, provided students with valuable insights into the latest trends and demands within the creative sector from industry professionals. Such events are crucial in bridging the gap between education and industry, equipping DkIT students for their future career journeys.

"The opportunity for students to meet with successful professionals currently working in the creative industries is of great importance to students as they are considering their future career paths. They shared valuable knowledge and inspired students about exciting opportunities in the creative industries", noted Dr Adèle Commins, Head of Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music. 

Claire Fallon from the DkIT Careers & Employability Centre said that “the diverse and extensive repertoire of experiences of the industry professionals reflected the wide range of career paths and opportunities available to our creative graduates.”

Brian McIvor, shared several practical tools and approaches to support students to better understand themselves, carve out their own career vision and gave advice on how to enhance networking skills.

Other guest speakers included Chris Lynch, Head of Creative at Statsports, who provided valuable insights into his career journey, as well as practical advice on portfolios, CVs, and interview techniques for students in the BA (Hons) Creative Media programme. Peter Canning, Founder and Lighting Designer at High Res, shared his Emmy-winning approach to lighting design for virtual and architectural productions with students from the BA (Hons) Film and Television Production course.

Killian Fitzgerald, Founder and Audio Producer at Avatar Post Production, offered an in-depth look at his IFTA-winning post-production techniques in film and television, benefiting students from the BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production programme. Irish theatre-maker Anthony Kinahan shared his experience as a producer for nationally touring theatre productions, offering expert advice on the key responsibilities and skills required for the role of producer, to students in both the BA Theatre and Film Practice and BA Musical Theatre programmes.

Rachel Bergin, Creative Producer with Dublin-based theatre companies Brokentalkers and Chaos Factory, led a discussion on innovative and radical approaches to theatre, engaging students from both the BA Theatre and Film Practice and BA Musical Theatre programmes. Lastly, Baz Rycroft, Rock Coach at Rock Jam, provided valuable tips on music production entrepreneurship and its potential for social and community impact, offering insights to students from the BA (Hons) Music Performance Technologies and BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production programmes.

The event was a resounding success, made possible with the help of our knowledgeable guest speakers and the technical support of Dundalk Institute of Technology, the Careers Office, and the Department of Creative Arts, Media, and Music.

Learn more about the Department of Creative Arts, Media, and Music at DkIT

Find out more about our Careers Office