Your student societies: real life learning outside of the lecture hall

Gavin Ward, CASSD Chair and CASSI Treasurer, explains why Chartered Accountants Ireland’s student societies offer much more than just networking opportunities—giving trainees valuable experiences you can’t learn from a textbook

I have been involved in student committees for the past two years, first serving as Treasurer of Chartered Accountants Student Society Dublin (CASSD) in my first year and now as Chair of CASSD and Treasurer of Chartered Accountants Student Society of Ireland (CASSI). This experience has given me real-life lessons that simply cannot be replicated in a lecture hall.

Team work

One of the biggest lessons you learn from being part of a student society is how to work effectively as part of a team. In lectures, you are largely showing up for yourself—to study, learn the material and pass the exam. This has become even more pronounced with the move to online learning.

In a student society, however, every committee member has a specific role, and for an event or initiative to succeed, everyone must take responsibility for their own tasks. If one person does not follow through, the entire group is affected. This creates a strong sense of accountability, as your actions directly impact others and the time and effort they have invested.

Taking initiative

Another key lesson is initiative. In lectures, the syllabus is set out for you from the beginning of the year, along with clear expectations of what you need to learn. This is not the case in a student society.

At the start of the year, you are often faced with a blank slate and it is up to the committee to decide what they want to achieve. This encourages creativity and allows you to think about how you can make a meaningful contribution and leave a positive mark on the society.

More importantly, though, it teaches you to take the first step without being prompted.

Self confidence

Finally, being part of a student society offers a powerful lesson in self-confidence.
In lectures, it is easy to blend into the background, attend classes quietly and never feel obliged to speak up.

In contrast, student societies naturally encourage participation, idea-sharing and collaboration. Through committee meetings, social events and public speaking opportunities, members are supported in stepping outside their comfort zones and developing confidence in themselves and their abilities.

Ultimately, while lectures provide the foundation of academic knowledge, student societies teach you how to apply your skills in the real world. Participating in a society can help you develop adaptability, initiative, accountability and confidence—qualities that cannot be fully taught, only experienced.