College of Informatics and Electronics
Orna Kearney
BSc
After finishing her Leaving Certificate, Orna Kearney had a strong sense of the importance of Europe, and decided on the European Studies course at UL. However, through the friends she met at UL she was introduced to the subject of Computer Systems and, once she got past her initial reservations about computers, she decided to transfer courses. Her newly discovered interest has provided her with a realm of new possibilities as well as work as a Business Analyst/Consultant with up and coming Irish software company, Exceptis Technologies.
For her Cooperative Education placement, Orna worked with Bank of Ireland Group Treasury in Dublin, where she gained valuable experience in a programming/analyst role. The placement provided Orna with a solid grounding in business programming and an understanding of how to function in a business environment. This experience helped Orna to find her first graduate position with VISION Consulting, an Irish-owned software development company, where she worked for three and a half years. Orna has moved on from her work in VISION to become a Business Analyst/Consultant with Exceptis Technologies. The company was established in 1992 and is now the market leader in providing management solutions. During her first year with Exceptis, Orna was already considered as a business expert in different areas, because of the wide range of experience she had attained. Originally recruited to perform feasibility studies, her role in the company has grown. Since then, she has taken on additional responsibilities in Project Management, Training, Testing, Design, Pre-Sales and Consultancy.
Orna believes that the Computer Systems degree has prepared her to function within a commercial computing environment. "All the skills that I currently use are based on skills formed in UL: an appreciation of the technical environment; programming concepts; business analysis; documentation and testing". With all of the experience she has acquired Orna feels that she has enormous scope for development with Exceptis Technologies, a company which continues to grow.
"Do not let a lack of exposure to an area of interest deter you from applying for a course. Think carefully about your choice, but do remember that you can change your mind later. I made a dramatic career change by transferring from European Studies to Computer Systems but I regret none of my choices as they have defined my career and, in many ways, who I am".