Hannah Forbes
Head of Dublin Airport Business Management, daa
Anne-Elise Clinton
IT Project Manager, daa LABS
Two women working in airport management and operations reveal how they have been supported to develop their careers — and what they enjoy most about the work they do.
Dublin Airport operates like a mini city, with over 20,000 people employed across the campus — 2,200 of which work within its business unit, says Hannah Forbes, Head of Dublin Airport Business Management. It’s an exciting, buzzing atmosphere with many opportunities.
Airport operations career environment
“I’m lucky to work in such a dynamic environment,” says Forbes, who joined the organisation in 2016 as a contracts services coordinator and now leads a team responsible for the effective delivery of key business priorities and targets. “I like the fast pace and the variety of roles on offer here, from retail and marketing to HR, finance, ops and IT.”
Dublin Airport is managed and operated by the daa Group. “It was important for me to be part of an organisation with career growth opportunities,” says Forbes. “Due to the size of the organisation, I thought there would be many ways to take advantage of development programmes and internal promotions — and that’s exactly how it is. If you have the right attitude and ambition, you can take your career in any direction.”
There are various initiatives and programmes in place to support women in the business, including those that encourage them into more senior roles.
Graduate programme opportunities
Anne-Elise Clinton agrees. She joined the Group’s Graduate Programme in 2019 and is now an IT Project Manager at daa’s new business unit, daa LABS, working to deliver digital transformation projects.
“The Graduate Programme was an opportunity to move around and see different parts of the business,” she says. “I have a business background and had no technical knowledge but was always interested in IT, so when I was assigned to IT Project Coordination in my first year, I loved it. I was offered coaching by company executives. Being inspired by the senior leadership team gave me a ‘North Star.’ It showed me where I can get to with motivation and hard work.”
Personal attributes to help you build your career
There are various initiatives and programmes in place to support women in the business, including those that encourage them into more senior roles. Forbes also advises: build your personal brand. “Get to be a name people remember so that when opportunities arise, you can benefit,” she says. “Be open to change and continuous learning, put your hand up, speak up, have self-belief and resilience.”
Clinton adds: “The work can be challenging — we have deadlines to meet and passengers to look after — but are supported by colleagues and encouraged to succeed,” she says. “It’s interesting and high-energy. No two days are the same.”
