How TU Dublin Transformed Onboarding with Team Training

Meet TU Dublin, Ireland's first technological university. With a strong focus on science, engineering, technology and the arts, TU Dublin provides higher education from apprenticeships to PhDs. They're shaping socially responsible, global thinkers who will be ready to tackle world challenges once they leave TU Dublin. 

But like many organisations welcoming new people, TU Dublin faced a challenge: how do you take a group of individuals who have never met and help them connect quickly in a meaningful way? 

The Challenge 

Nine new individuals were starting their MBA programme. They came from different companies, different backgrounds, and had never met before. Over the coming months they would be working together closely, but on day one, they were essentially strangers. 

For TU Dublin, the question was clear: 
→ How do you ease them into the programme the right way? 
→ How do you help them skip past awkward intros and start building trust? 
→ And how do you make sure the day is engaging, not just another “Death by PowerPoint” session? 

That’s when TU Dublin got in touch with us at Dynamic Events. 

The Solution: A Day of Team Training with a Difference 

We knew a lecture style approach wouldn’t work. Attention spans are shorter than ever, and people connect best through shared experiences. So, we designed a full day of interactive Team Training that was: 

• Fun and inclusive 
• Active and engaging 
• Designed to help participants discover how they work, with and without each other 

Here’s how the day unfolded: 

🤝 Warm-Up: Domeworks  Before diving into Cake Factory, the group took on Domeworks. One team smashed it in just 2 minutes 34 seconds, a quick win that built excitement and confidence. 

🌅 Morning: Cake Factory  Our first time running this activity for 9 players, and it landed perfectly. As Niall, our lead facilitator, explained:  “The group really enjoyed it and commented on how much better it was than the traditional team building games they’ve all done before.” 

Cake Factory let the group solve problems together while laughing and experimenting. It gave them insight into each other’s strengths, weaknesses and working styles. 

🌆 Afternoon: Wind Farm  After lunch, we moved outdoors for Wind Farm. Two teams built projects side by side. One succeeded, one didn’t, but everyone had fun, and the learning was clear: success relies on communication, collaboration and planning. 

One participant even took our business card afterwards, interested in running a similar experience for their own company. 

The Transformation 

👈 Before: Nine strangers, a little uncertain, carrying the pressure of starting an MBA programme together. 
👉 After: A connected group who had laughed, learned, and shared real experiences. They had stories to talk about, inside jokes to carry forward, and a foundation of trust to build on for the months ahead. 

💬 As Niall summed it up:  “The activities worked really well. The group enjoyed themselves, and they saw straight away how much better this was compared to the usual Team Building format.” 

Why This Matters for Onboarding & Induction 

Onboarding sets the tone for everything that follows. A bad start creates distance. A good start creates connection. A great start creates energy and collaboration that lasts. 

TU Dublin’s launch shows that: 

• People learn more when they’re active, not passive 
• Interactive team training makes the experience memorable 
• Short, engaging activities respect attention spans while still delivering powerful results 

This approach isn’t just for universities, any organisation welcoming new hires, graduates or interns can benefit. 

FAQ: Onboarding & Induction with Team Training 

✦ Why not just run a presentation or traditional icebreakers? 
✧ Attention spans are short, and people have seen the same icebreakers countless times. Modern onboarding needs energy, interaction and relevance. 

✦ Will this work for big groups? 
✧ Absolutely. Activities are adaptable. Whether it’s 9 people or 90, the format scales. 

✦ Is this just for graduates, or does it apply to corporate teams too? 
✧ Both. The same principles apply. If your people need to connect quickly and work together, team training through shared challenges is the best way to start. 

✦ How long does an event like this take? 
✧ TU Dublin’s session ran over a full day, but activities like Cake Factory and Wind Farmƒ also work perfectly in half-day formats. 

Ready to rethink your onboarding or graduate induction?  We’ll help you design an engaging, memorable experience that connects people from day one. 

👉 Explore Onboarding Team Building Events