David Burke

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Occupational Safety and Health

Sligo

Where are you from (town and school)?

I am from a small town in Co Sligo called Tubbercurry. I went to secondary school at St Attractas Community School in Tubbercurry.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to choosing your course

I come from a family of five children, being the second youngest. Growing up, I spent time playing for my local GAA club and playing on the PlayStation.

For me, school was always more of a social outlet than a place for academics. From primary to secondary school, I didn’t focus much on schoolwork or studies. I was there for the craic, always looking for the next joke or laugh. A successful school day, in my eyes, was one where I had a laugh with my friends.

Back then I lacked motivation for my studies and had no clear idea of what I wanted to do after school. I doubted whether I could even get the points to go to college, let alone succeed there.

When it came time to fill out my CAO, my first choice ended up being a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Occupational Safety and Health.

What led me to choose this course was my natural awareness of health and safety. I always had an eye for ensuring things were done safely, whether it was farming with my dad, working part-time jobs or even small tasks like painting on scaffolding around the house. I was always the one making sure everything was safe and in order.

Since starting this course, my mindset and drive have completely transformed. The person I was in sixth year of secondary school and who I am now, in my fourth year of college, couldn’t be more different. Today, I’m motivated, hardworking and fully committed to doing my best in everything I do.

This change came from learning balance, knowing when to focus and when to have fun. My course helped me develop this skill because, for the first time, I had a clear goal, I knew what I was working and studying for and I wanted to succeed. That focus has made all the difference.

Tell us why you chose ATU

I chose ATU Sligo because my home wasn’t too far away, the college has a great reputation, it’s easier to make friends since it is a smaller campus, Sligo has a great nightlife/social aspect and I didn’t want to go to college in a big city as I would find it hard to adapt there and meet new people.

What do you like about life in your campus location (people, food, accommodation, scenery etc.)?

Being from Sligo, I always thought the town felt safe and the people were very friendly. I like how close the accommodation is to the college. If had a lecture at 9am, I wouldn’t have to get up at 6am or 7am as my accommodation is located 10 mins away from the campus, this creates a less stressful student experience. The college canteen has been a fantastic option for both breakfast and dinner throughout my time in college. Most years, I relied on the canteen dinners as my main source of food, which meant I didn’t need to do a big weekly supermarket shop. This not only saved me a lot of money but also freed up time since I didn’t have to cook every evening.

What advice would you give to a student thinking about coming to ATU?

Transitioning from secondary school to ATU Sligo was a significant change for me and it took some time to adapt. However, what helped me feel at home and settle into the new environment was how familiar parts of college life felt compared to my secondary school.

The class sizes at ATU Sligo were similar to those in school, which made it easier to adjust. The friendly lecturers, who take the time to learn your name and are always willing to help, also made a big difference. On top of that, the campus is well-designed and easy to navigate, which adds to the welcoming environment. These factors combined to make my transition much smoother and helped me feel comfortable in this new chapter.

What do/did you enjoy most about your course?

What I enjoyed most about my course was the focus on practical learning elements, which provided real-world insights into environment, health and safety (EHS) in the workplace.

The Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) module was where I gained a greater understanding of EHS in the workplace. Usually, the way it works is that every few weeks we would be given a new workplace scenario that had issues to do with EHS in the workplace and we would have to come up with solutions for these issues in groups and then present our proposal back to management (our lecturers). What I liked about it was how much it felt like a real workplace. It gave us the chance to take what we learned in theory and put it into practice.

Another module with practical elements was Project Management, which offered unique learning opportunities. The assessments of this module involved us going out to our secondary schools and giving presentations on our course to sixth-year students and doing an integration day for all the years of Occupational Safety and Health. Through these assessments I gained various management skills, knowing how to adapt to your audience and how to manage people and projects.

Some other modules I enjoyed were occupational hygiene, environmental management, behavioural-based safety, program data and statistics. These modules showed me how broad health and safety is and made me realise how important it is to consider every aspect to keep people safe.

If you were speaking with a first-year student about to start your course, what advice/information would you give them?

Work hard, it all pays off in the end. By the time you finish, you’ll have a degree, something I never thought I’d achieve myself.

Managing stress is crucial, so find strategies that work for you. Scheduling your college work and staying on top of deadlines can make a huge difference. Keeping up-to-date with the course content helps reduce stress and keeps you in control of your workload.

Starting college can feel like a big change from secondary school and adjusting to the changes can be challenging. It’s important to remember that this is completely normal and everyone experiences it.

If you have any questions about the course or anything else, don’t hesitate to ask. The lecturers are approachable and always willing to help.

Finally, the four years fly by faster than you’d expect, so make sure to enjoy them while you can.

If you are/were involved in sports, volunteering, working or have other passions you pursue outside of your academic life, can you tell us about that (especially mention any teams, clubs or awards)?

I am not currently involved in any sport. I do have a passion for music and I believe it is key in everyday life. One of my favourite ways to unwind and destress is going for a run with my headphones on and listening to music. Some of my go-to artists include Kid Cudi, Thin Lizzy, Future and Fontaines D.C., to name a few.

I’m also passionate about Irish history. I think it’s important to understand the events and stories that happened on our island before we were here.

What are your plans after graduating?

My goal is to start my EHS career in Sligo, working there for a year or two to gain experience and save money. After that, I plan to explore opportunities in Dublin, Galway or Belfast for a while. I don’t have the desire to travel or go abroad just yet.