Breda Cahill, Integration Directorate

My name is Breda Cahill and I’m on the Qualifax team under the Quality Information & Learning Opportunities Unit, in QQI's Integration Directorate.

As Ireland’s National Learners’ Database, Qualifax exists to help students, jobseekers, parents, guidance professionals and graduates make informed choices about their education, training and careers.

Our team's role is to ensure that all the information presented on Qualifax is as up to date and relevant as possible, especially our Course Finder tool which allows user to search for details of further and higher education courses and programmes.

My own role is to update programmes on the backend of the site and ensure that the information we have is current and visible on the frontend. I also liaise with providers to confirm the dates of any college open days etc for our Calendar of Events page, so that students and guidance counsellors can use it to plan and schedule their visits. I also assist in answering any queries colleagues within QQI might receive from providers, learners and others. 

Before COVID, I would regularly attend public events and exhibitions to meet learners and guidance counsellors, and answer any questions and queries they might have. It was a great way to help others and I look forward to being able to do it again sometime in the future.

I work with a great team in Qualifax and in QQI. We all help each other along the way and if I can’t answer someone’s query, there is always someone else to willingly come to my assistance. I learn something new everyday, which keeps the job interesting. And I also get the chance to take extra training to improve my skills, which I can then share with other colleagues. 

Overall, I find my position in QQI very rewarding. I like that I can help learners find the right programmes for them, or answer any queries about awards and courses they might have as they continue on their learning or career journey. Sometimes I'll even get a positive email or call from a learner or guidance counsellor, thanking me for a great service - and to me, that's the greatest reward: knowing that through my work in QQI, I have a chance to play a positive role in someone’s educational journey.