An Garda Siochana work experience

sligolad1

Do the gardai take on people for work experience?

FGR

It varies from district to district and local policies that are in place. My best advice would be for you to write a letter the local Superintendent outlining your request and he/she will get back to you with a yay/nay.

mpc

Best way to get work experience though is through a contact who is a guard. I spent a week in Harcourt Terrace with specialist units by asking a neighbour. Other than that it has to be through the Supt. but you would want to bear in mind that stations get a huge amount of applicants so try get in early!

carzony

I recently went looking for work experience with the garda aswell. I got talking to a sergeant who is a family friend and he said it's very hard to get and usually you'd wanna apply months in advance to the superintendent.


MPC: Can I ask how you got on with the work experience??

mpc

Yeah the work experience was great! It was behind the scenes of anything you might see on the news like a murder investigation, drugs raids, organised crime, shootings, organised vehicle crime and terror incidents. All the guys were dead sound and always up for a bit of craic. It became apparent though that it wasn't common for TY's to be in Harcourt as when we went up to one unit they thought we were the sons of a commissioner. They were happy to hear we weren't!

Can adults do this kinda thing? Drogheda station, whilst there are many sound Gardai around, and the station is generally well equipped, they seem to be a bit lax in regards to replying back to requests to do anything with them (I also understand they're a busy station).

Would love a proper 'behind the scenes' look at AGS. But unfortunately, such a thing is reserved for those married to Gardai or children of them, it would seem.

sawdoubters

what type of experience are you looking for

mpc

You could just go along to the Garda Station during an Open Day. Be a lot handier than trying to organise something I would say

sawdoubters wrote: »

what type of experience are you looking for

I presume that's aimed at the OP and not myself?

mpc wrote: »

You could just go along to the Garda Station during an Open Day. Be a lot handier than trying to organise something I would say

Open days aren't much cop, really (no pun intended). The lads are generally chatty and put on demonstrations, but it shows nothing of their actual work.

They're a nice photo-op and a good way to get to say hello to some of the lads/lasses, and see some of their gear.


Personally speaking, what I'd love to do, is spend a couple of days with a regular unit. Go out with them, hang around the station with them, etc. and see what the job of a Garda is actually like, rather than what you think it might be like.

(I see why that wouldn't really be practical or realistic though... again, unless you're a close relative, in which case doors tend to magically open upon request).

Theoretically, assuming the role of a Reserve member for a few days is what I'd like.


This stuff seems to get done in other countries, but AGS seem very 'closed doors', for some reason (small country?).

(EDIT: In saying that, much as i adore AGS, i'd also love to do the same with an ambulance and fire crew).

carzony

Funny thing lads, I just heard a good few of the local college girls getting work experience in my local station. Funny considering a lot of people seem to struggle getting it.

mpc

There are only so many things to be done in a station so I wonder what they would be doing for a week. I spent a day in Drogheda Station checking out a murder investigation and the station was pretty dead.

carzony

Well it's a very rough area so I suppose the garda are trying to show that they are involved with the community lol..