DAA as an employer?

smackedgob

Hi All, I’m considering working inside Dublin Airport for the Dublin Airport Authority. I don’t know anything about what they’re like as an employer. If anyone works for them, I’m interested in any information you can me. Thanks for any help.

FlutterinBantam

Rather incestuous place, most of the staff are related.

Often has whole families working there.

A bit like Guinness.

sdanseo

I thought it was a brilliant place to work myself, hoping to get back in, in the summer - pay is excellent as contract/temporary jobs go. Great benefits to long-term staff in terms of unions etc, and officially they're very employee-friendly, every service under the sun.

But I did hear one horror story about someone's permanency being messed with, made contract again, unions involved etc. It's quite a look-after-your-friends place too. Which is fine if you know plently of people. That said, if you're a solid worker that shouldn't stop you going places - but you may lose out to those better connected. Basically don't isolate yourself (including my mistake which if anything was showing people up. Let's just say it took me longer than average to realise exactly how easy-going contract work was).

At the end of the day everyone has to start somewhere, that doesn't stop the airport being a great place to work and very easy-going for the most part. I'd say give it a go.

n.catenthusiast

hi smackedgob,
I have been workin in the DAA for approx 3 months now, and have generally found it a postive place to work,
But it'a a wide organisation, and the atmosphere could be very different depending on where you work
e.g. there would be more pressure in the terminal, on the operational side of things, whereas corporate offices would be more relaxed in one respect, but would also have more egos etc.

But I'd imagine that's true of most organisations.

If I had to make one generalisation about the organisation it would be that many areas of the business are not overly subject to commercial pressures, and so this has fostered quite a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Of course for some individuals this has gone hand in hand with a lack of professionalsim, which can be frustrating, but in my dealings with most people so far, there has been a solid work ethic, etc.

PM if you'd like anything a bit more specific.

P.S. I think your absolutely right to get as much info on prospective employers as you can, but given current climate etc, I wouldn't be too hung up on it-jobs a job ultimately, even if your workin for the biggest shower of so&sos around!

Fishtits

OP, unless you are somehow immune to what's happening everywhere else in the country, I'd recommend that you grab any job opportunity with both hands and hold onto it for dear life...

Hell and all its cousins lie ahead.

projectmayhem

Know one person working for the DAA and they love it, but as n.catenthusiast already said... it's quite a huge organisation so the mood depends entirely on where you are. At the same time, like Fishtits (great name) said, it's a job... and in a few months that'll be more valuable then anything, even if it's a bit moody and depressing

Bluetonic

I wonder where in the DAA the OP is considering working?

Aside from the usual graduate programs I've not seen anything listed on thier website in quite some time, then you've got their cost cutting program.

http://www.fingal-independent.ie/news/daa-workers-fears-for-jobs-1585084.html

By JOHN MANNING

Wednesday December 24 2008

Legions of Fingal's airport workers are facing a nervous Christmas as they wait to see if job losses or possible paycuts will form part of Dublin Airport Authority's (DAA) new 20 million cost-cutting plans.

Unions are set to sit down with management early in the new year before any decisions are made on what part redundancies might play in its drive to fund up the massive savings.

Some 2,700 people are employed by the company at the country's three international airports and another 500 at various bases around the world and a huge proportion of the company's Dublin Airport staff are from the area.

The company is seeking a 10% cut in non-payroll costs and is delaying elements of its expansion programme, including the proposed second parallel runway but it says no decisions have yet been made on a redundancy programme.

A spokesperson for the company told the Fingal Independent that the details of the savings plan 'had not been teased out yet' and that the company had to talk to unions in the new year before making any decisions on redundancies.

Another possibility is that the company will seek to save payroll costs by asking for pay freezes or pay cuts from its workers.

SIPTU official, Dermot O'Loughlin said the union, which represents a large number of DAA employees at Dublin Airport, had not received the details of the cost-cutting plan as yet.

One long-time DAA worker told the Fingal Independent that workers expected some redundancies but believed they would all be voluntary.

Most of the workers heard news of the need for cost-cutting at the company from a statement in the staff magazine made by DAA Chief Executive, Declan Collier, earlier this week.

Of course the low end seasonal jobs probably won't be as effected.

http://www.multiflex.ie/daa/

Húrin

Didn't DAA recently announce a whole lot of job cuts?

sunnyjim

Great place to work. I really enjoyed the job I had there. I managed to get a deadly position up there, wasn't trolleys/customer service, was working in machinery in the background.

Some great guys work there. Big up the Bagsort Techies!

ryansx

Hi all, I've just applied for a place on the DAA Graduate Scheme and just wondering does anybody know anything about it, what they look for,pay, etc? I assume its fairly competitive to get on it, but with T2 opening soon any chance this might meen a higher intake this year?

sdanseo

ryansx wrote: »

I assume its fairly competitive to get on it, but with T2 opening soon any chance this might meen a higher intake this year?

I would sincerely doubt it, T2 wont open until halfway through next year. Just been up to the airport looking for my casual contract back to be left wanting - I wouldn't hold out hope for a job with them just because you're a graduate, given they want to cut €28m out of the budget.

Keep your options open.

theo2008

I've applied to DAA as well for thier Graduate Scheme. They replied today, I have to do an online numerical test thingimy. I have to say I haven't a clue what the graduate job would entail - I'd love to know if anyone has worked on the Graduate Scheme and how it operates etc?

n.catenthusiast

sdonn_1 wrote: »

I would sincerely doubt it, T2 wont open until halfway through next year. Just been up to the airport looking for my casual contract back to be left wanting - I wouldn't hold out hope for a job with them just because you're a graduate, given they want to cut €28m out of the budget.

Keep your options open.

Nope no way T2 will lead to more jobs as passenger numbers will in all likelihood still be falling/ static, and there's a strong possibility DAA will not be running the terminal if we don't get the various cleaning/security tenders required.


Graduate programme is seen as more of a long-term thing, getting talent & potential into the company etc. so while it does seem to have been curbed (6 or 7 positions this year I think versus 12 last year) it'll still go ahead I reckon.


Of course given the climate it's going to be fare more desirable as an option (or for some the option) so yup, competition's gonna be fierce alright......

The Failed God

did anything ever come of the graduate jobs for ye in the end?

mcgo

I have just applied to the graduate scheme at DAA. What type of job is it if you get it? whats the wage like and what is the interview process like?
Thanks!!!

TPMP

What is this DAA graduate scheme? Typed it into Google and looked on the DAA website and couldnt see anything about it. Would love to work in an airport as ground staff or a few other things and if this graduate scheme would help me get a job I'd love to find out about it.

Bluetonic

TPMP wrote: »

What is this DAA graduate scheme? Typed it into Google and looked on the DAA website and couldnt see anything about it. Would love to work in an airport as ground staff or a few other things and if this graduate scheme would help me get a job I'd love to find out about it.

How hard did you look? Not hard in my opinion as the details are under the HR section, took 5 seconds to find.

bearray

MCGO I also applied, but haven't heard anything back yet, did you? Would there be online tests or just interview, does anybody know? Thanks

ImDave

I also applied to this programme. I received an email on July 2nd (last Thursday) stating:

Many thanks for your expression of interest. We will be in touch shortly regarding the next stage in the process.

But I've since taken another full-time position in the Airport, so I won't be attending interviews if invited. They are moving very slow on the recruitment process for the programme!

bearray

So do you think they've contacted everybody that they want to interview or do you think they still might contact people? Did anybody hear anything else please? thanks

McNulty737

If the armies of DAA workers shuffling around the airport trying to look busy (why do they all walk around in pairs), aswell as the generous pay and pension packages....then id say working for the DAA is a handy number indeed.

crzg

Bluetonic wrote: »

How hard did you look? Not hard in my opinion as the details are under the HR section, took 5 seconds to find.

hah! what a tool

andy_g

crzg wrote: »

hah! what a tool

Take 3 days off for offensive posting.

Wicked131

Hi. I'm looking for someone currently working for DAA at Dublin Airport. I know that there is one vacancy for cleaner. I just want to ask couple questions. Thanks.