Welcome to SHSS Alumnae Link!

This is where we connect with past pupils and find out what they’re up to now.

This week we linked with Marguerite White who graduated in 1997.

Name and position:

Marguerite White.Clerical Officer at the Central Statistics Office.

Lives:

Cork City.

Best memory of Sacred Heart:
The musicals just before Christmas every year were great. I also loved the Boarders Feast Day, one evening before Christmas every year (as I was a boarder). I remember dodging Mother Brendan, or as we used call her between ourselves "Mother Duck".

Favourite classes:
I loved Speech & Drama classes on a Friday and Miss Brosnan's Home Ec class in 1st year. (I gave it up for 2nd/3rd year, but took it up again for 5th/6th year). Miss Maher's German class throughout my time in SHSS & her English class in junior cycle were great too.

Miss Cullinane's English class in 5th/6th year and Mr. O'Rourke's Geography class 1st to 3rd year. Looking back now, I'm sorry that I didn't do Geography up to Leaving Cert.

Tell us about your career progression to date:

I studied "Computer Studies & Secretarial" at the Cork College of Commerce. Then, I worked at two different firms of solicitors. In May 1999 I began work at the "Central Statistics Office" (CSO), was assigned to a Business Statistics area called "Annual Services". In September 2007 I was moved to "Tourism & Travel Section", dealing with schedules for our full time enumerators at Dublin Airport & part time enumerator at Knock Airport. I also deal with any queries, stationary supply requests, and processing info sent in from all enumerators at the different airports and sea ports in addition to processing information sent in by households to our monthly Household Travel Survey (4600 houses randomly selected every month). I also carry out travel survey duties at Cork Airport for a few months and ongoing survey duties at Kerry Airport, every few weeks (January 2008 to February 2020). I really enjoyed my days at Kerry Airport, surveying 1/5 of all flights entering & leaving the state. Since Covid 19 struck in early 2020, no enumerator duties have been carried out at any of the air or sea ports. No date for resuming has been decided yet. I really miss that side of my time in Tourism and Travel Section. Doing enumerator duties every few weeks helped me to have a better understanding of issues that the enumerators would have been dealing with on a daily or weekly basis at the other air / sea ports throughout the state.
In August 2020 I was moved to Agriculture Section temporarily to help with the "Census of Agriculture", (COA) commenced in September 2020 (done once every 10 years). I was a bit nervous about the move, but realised I had to move. Due to the pandemic, there wasn't enough work in Tourism and Travel Section. I learned a lot while dealing with the COA. Being a city girl, I really didn't know much about country life/farming until I moved to Agriculture Section. On March 1st 2021, my time at COA came to an end and I was moved to Transport Section. I didn't settle in this area, as I didn't feel the work suited me, so I requested to be moved. On August 30th I began work in "Construction Section" & I'm looking forward to the challenge.

If you weren’t in the job you have, what would you be doing?

I guess I would be doing my hobby full time. Since I was in secondary school, I've been a volunteer at CUH FM Hospital Radio as a "Broadcaster/Presenter", which I really enjoy, so perhaps I'd be working in that area full time instead of it being a weekend hobby!

Advice you would give your teenage self:

Always speak up, never be afraid to ask questions or to say how you feel about an issue or topic.

Things will always work out, but sometimes it takes some time, so be patient.

When I was in 4th year, I couldn't understand why we were being though how to type on the old fashioned typewriters in the sewing room, it didn't seem to be so important. Now as an adult, I value the skill they gave us a chance to start to learn in 4th year. Sometimes the skills they teach us in school may not seem to be of much importance at the time, but in later life, we realise the value of what our teachers tried to teach by way of skills for the adult / working world.

Favourite quote or motto:
"Carpe Diem", which is the Latin for "Seize the Day". A relative of mine used always sign cards with this phrase.

Also, ‘ Follow your Dreams’.

What’s your hidden talent?
Listening to my gut instinct.

Huge thanks to Marguerite for taking the time to answer our questions!

See you soon for the next instalment of SHSS Alumnae Link.