Tell us a little bit about yourself and your current role.

My name is Jennifer Reidy, and I’m living in Galway. I’m married with two beautiful daughters. I’m the Founder and owner of CFI-Training, which is a training organisation serving the wellbeing of frontline workers, frontline students, and the general wellbeing of various cohorts of employees in the public and private sectors.

What path led you to where you are today?

I returned to college as a mature student and could not believe how quickly I settled into LIT (as it was known at the time). It was such a nurturing environment, and I knew within a week that I had made the right decision. I studied Applied Social Studies in Social Care and in my final year I got the opportunity to research and write a thesis. I decided to research burnout in frontline workers, also known as Compassion Fatigue. I am still, to this day, delivering training and public speaking on this topic. That was in 2015, and the college just can’t get rid of me, as I returned in 2022 to complete a Master's in Leadership in Workplace Health and Wellbeing, where I delved deeper into research in burnout in frontline workers. My thesis explored the Experiences of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Emergency First Responders. This research complemented my training programmes, so I’m very grateful for the opportunities of research.

And furthermore, I am regularly in a professional role as a guest lecturer, public speaker, tutor and workshop facilitator in LIT/TUS, so I’ve been hanging around for approximately 15 years now!

What do you love most about the work you do?

I absolutely love seeing the penny drop when I’m delivering training, when somebody has a realisation and newfound awareness of how they can perform in their jobs from a healthier place within themselves once they have the right tools. I love educating staff and students. I love sharing and spreading all the wisdom and knowledge I have, and I adore connecting with people in general.

When you're not working, where would we find you?

Probably at home, where I love to be, just doing simple day-to-day stuff with my beautiful family. I walk a lot, and from time to time, get back into the gym and fitness habits, although I need to work on consistency here! However, my ideal day is coffee and a croissant coupled with a stroll or swim in the sea and a takeaway that evening. Basically, a day outdoors with plenty of fresh air and no cooking or cleaning chores involved! I adore the seaside and always feel refreshed afterwards.

Looking back, how did your time at TUS influence your career or outlook?

As mentioned above, everything I am doing now is thanks to the opportunities I had in LIT/TUS. Both my honours and master's research are the backbone of my very successful international training business, as all my training materials and workshops are based on my research and an undergraduate and a postgraduate student.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates from your field?

If you get a chance to research, please research something you are interested in. And when your supervisor emphasises finding a gap in the research – find that gap and try to fill it! I found a gap in research both times, and this is what helps your work to stand out and carry importance, trust me on this.

What’s one memory from your student days that stands out to you?

As part of an assignment, I had to co-facilitate a personal development session using all the techniques we love, so we set up a beach-themed mindfulness session, and the other students in the group, as well as our lecturer, were our participants. The feedback was excellent, and this was certainly the beginning of my realising that I want to teach in some shape or form, and it really helped build my confidence in workshop facilitation.

How do you stay connected to the TUS community, if at all?

I work in TUS from time to time and have kept a great relationship with all my past lecturers, so I can often be found having a coffee and a catch-up on campus.

What does the idea of an alumni community mean to you?

It means belonging to me. My time in college provided me with the feeling of belonging, and still to this day, when I am on campus, I get that feeling all over again. However, I would love more of a community and a chance to relive memories of such a significant time in my life, which I am hoping the Alumni community provides for me.