Anne Gleeson - Quality Control

Anne Gleeson is a quality engineer with Solectron, an electronics company based in Dublin. She is involved in quality control and is currently working on scanners for ATM machines and cash registers. "It's a very interesting job," says Anne, "I have to deal with people in many different areas. I host meetings on how to improve products. The work is very varied." Variety truly is the spice of Anne's life, as her college career reveals. "I sort of took the long way of getting here. From 1994 to 1996 I did a certificate in applied biology in what was then the RTC in Galway. Then from 1996 to 1998 I did a diploma in food science in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Finally I went to Sligo IT in 1998 to do a degree in quality management and I just finished that in June 2000."

Anne had initially wanted to go straight into food science but was a little unsure, so she was advised to do the more general course in Galway.

She had the option to continue the course in Galway on to diploma level, but decided not to. "There was a chemistry element which I found quite difficult and I didn't really feel committed to the course, so I decided to go on to Letterkenny." Anne says her time in Letterkenny was the best of her college years, but she decided that a career in food science was not for her. "I worked in a creamery during two summers and although I had good fun there I decided I didn't want to work in the food industry," she says.

The qualifications Anne had already gained meant she only had to do the final two years of the course in Sligo. She finished the course last year and got her current job soon afterwards.

"The job prospects from the course were very good, but I was delighted to get this job when it came up. Quality control is a good career with good prospects and opportunities to travel."

Anne says she really enjoyed all her years in college but is now glad to be working. "I always knew I wanted to do something in science and I'm happy I've found a career that suits me."