To mark our 75th Anniversary, we are shining a light on some NCI alumni to showcase the amazing talent the College has produced throughout the years.
Deirdre Monks, Co-Founder of Full Circle Data
Alumni Spotlight: Deirdre Monks
Higher Diploma in Science in Data Analytics (2016)
Data & Analytics Director & Co-Founder, Full Circle Data
Co-Founder, CONVIO AI
About Deirdre
After her school years, Deirdre proceeded to work in industry in data-driven roles, but she reached a point where she knew she needed a new direction that would allow her to combine creativity, technology and problem-solving. Without a previous formal qualification, she worried that returning to study at higher education level may be out of reach.
What changed everything was the discovery of NCI's Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) route. For the first time, her real-world experience counted. NCI opened a door that she had previously felt was closed to her, and she stepped through it with conviction.
"I didn't have a prior qualification, but NCI looked at my experience and said: you can do this. That changed my life."
Today, Deirdre is a data leader, technologist, innovator, entrepreneur, businesswoman and a busy working mother. She has co-founded bot one but two companies in Ireland's growing AI and data ecosystem.
Deirdre's Path to NCI
Once Deirdre discovered the RPEL programme at NCI, there was no stopping her. She enrolled in the Higher Diploma in Science in Data Analytics programme in 2015, a course that is offered through the Springboard+ initiative which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union specifically to fill skills shortages in growing areas such as the tech industry here in Ireland.
Deirdre chose the data analytics programme as she wanted something practical, industry-aligned and genuinely transformative. She found exactly that.
"My whole journey has been about learning new things. I got practical, real-world experience and gained the confidence to achieve my ambitions."
Throughout the course, she built solutions for real data challenges, gaining hands-on experience that would later power her entrepreneurial ambitions.
Starting Full Circle Data
After graduating, Deirdre co-founded Full-Circle Data, a creative data agency helping organisations unlock insight through analytics, automation, and intelligent systems.
One of the company's flagship innovations, Predictive Shopper, was born directly from code Deirdre wrote as an NCI student. The product uses data models to understand shopper behaviour and predict what customers will want next, bridging retail, data science and customer experience in a way that embodies her creative and analytical strengths.
"I got my degree and started my own business, Full Circle Data. We've built a new product based on code I wrote while studying at NCI."
Full Circle Data has since helped organisations modernise their data infrastructure and adopt advanced analytics, placing Deirdre as a prominent figure in Ireland's data innovation space.
Expanding into AI: CONVIO AI
Alongside her work at Full Circle Data, Deirdre also co-founded CONVIO AI, a conversational artificial intelligence company building advanced automation and messaging products for the hospitality industry.
Her dual leadership roles reflect the trajectory of someone who has not only changed career but shaped what's possible in her industry.
Living Proof - Then and Now
Deirdre first featured in NCI's national Living Proof campaign in 2016 as an inspirational example of career transformation, specifically showcasing the results of returning to education to gain a formal qualification. At the time, she confidently declared:
"I'm living proof that NCI can help you take the next step in your career. I'm ready to take on the world, watch this space!"
When she returned in 2021 to film a follow-up, she shared that she had made good on that promise as she proudly discussed her progress to date with her business that was built directly on her learnings and experience at NCI and how her life has changed since she completed the programme.
"Did I say watch this space? Keep watching - we're just getting started."
Her story remains one of the most powerful examples of what reskilling, determination and the right support can achieve.
Looking Forward
Deirdre's journey embodies NCI's belief in lifelong learning, opportunity and the power of education to transform lives. From taking the leap to return to education, becoming a confident entrepreneur and an advocate for education, her story continues to inspire students who are consider their next step.
As NCI marks its 75th anniversary, Deirdre represents exactly what the College's core purpose, to change lives through education.
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