Mayo Portwest graduate wins national award
PORTWEST graduate Rebecca Donohoe was proud winner of The Graduate Employee of the Year at the 2023 GradIreland Graduate Recruitment Awards.
Held at the Mansion House, Dublin, the awards celebrate employer excellence in graduate recruitment and development and are voted for by a panel of students and industry experts. Rebecca won the individual award for her rapid career progression at Portwest.
A native of Westport, Rebecca joined the Portwest Graduate Programme in September 2021 after completing a degree in accounting and finance at ATU Galway City. The Portwest Graduate Programme provides cross-functional training over a two-year period and graduates are given time to learn about the business before finding the right role for their individual skillset.
“I was enticed by the fact Portwest is a family-run business in Ireland operating on a global scale. I wanted to combine seeing the world with professional work experience, so the programme appealed in many ways,” said Rebecca. “In my time on the programme, I have worked in talent acquisition, supply chain, customer service and sales. The programme has given me a taste of all departments within a fast-moving global business.”
After her initial training, Rebecca took an opportunity to move to Kentucky, USA, to help manage the operations of Portwest’s US warehouse.
“I am really enjoying my time in Kentucky, gaining real-world experience whilst helping to grow the Portwest brand in the USA”, she said. “It feels amazing to have been recognised by GradIreland as their Graduate Employee of the Year. I am thankful to those that voted for me and the constant support I receive from my colleagues at Portwest.”
“We are delighted that Rebecca has been rewarded for her achievements at Portwest,” commented Deirdre Clarke, head of human resources, Portwest. “Rebecca is everything we look for in a graduate, combining a fantastic work ethic with an eagerness to learn.
“Moving to a new country is not always easy, but Rebecca has taken the move to Kentucky in her stride and continues to make significant contributions to our global growth.”