Working Adventures is a weekly series of work 'n travel talks in which we will provide you with info, tips and advice on how to travel affordably. Travel is one of life's best learning experiences and we hope to make it part of your world. In this feature, we focus on a brilliant opportunity to work and travel in Ireland. It's often very difficult to obtain a work permit in the Emerald Isle but we cut through all the red tape and make sure that you can experience the Irish wonders while earning Euros. Please feel free to email us and let us know in which topics, specifically, you are interested. Also, we would love to hear all about your travel and working adventure experiences - where you went, who you met, what you did and what you learnt. Lisa, travel editor

Experience this beautiful, friendly ‘Emerald Isle’ – the countries of leprechauns, bonny Irish Colleens, and of course Guinness, Ireland’s best-known export! Fulltime tertiary students, or recent graduates, over 18 can now work in Ireland for up to four months.

Obtaining permission for foreigners to work in Ireland is usually difficult. As in other countries, employers who would like to hire a non-national have to prove to the relevant authorities that they cannot find someone suitable within the local labour force. A non-skilled student from SA without the equivalent of a Nobel Prize for Nuclear Physics would therefore have little chance!

However, due to a special government agreement, the Work in Ireland Programme is able to short-circuit this system for full time students. The reciprocal benefit is that each summer Irish students have a similar opportunity to experience life in South Africa.

While you will probably work hard, the Irish are renowned for playing hard too! You will work alongside Irish people, learning about their culture, and have the opportunity to pursue all those aspects of Ireland that first caught your attention.

And don’t forget it is just an hour from London and just a short hop from the rest of Europe. This is a great option to combine with your UK working holiday or to take a break during and/or after your studies.

There is virtually no restriction on the type of work you can do, and thanks to the Celtic Tiger economy, students are highly successful in finding jobs. Jobs range from part-time work in restaurants, bars, and cafes, to working in banks, stores and hotels.

A few lucky or determined career-minded students have found positions as architects, stage assistants, computer programmers and church organists! Finding a career job takes more planning than casual work, so if corporate finance or international marketing is your chosen path, why not yield to the temptation and delay the reality for a while.

If you decide to go on a working holiday to Ireland I can promise you an encounter with what is currently one of the most vibrant populations in Europe. This reputation is due to their infamous youth statistic – more than half the population is under 26. So you can expect to integrate rapidly, blending in with the natives with ease.

Book your own work 'n travel adventure For more information contact SASTS on (021) 418 3794 or email: info@sasts.org.za