Firefighter turned marketing graduate – Armagh I

Tiago Pereira, who moved to Portadown from Portugal as a child, rose to fame following his role in the 2006 BBC documentary Tiago and the Tunnel, which chronicled his life as a young Portuguese immigrant in Portadown.

He fondly remembers the wonderful community that welcomed him, saying that “they helped raise me when they didn’t have to.”

The experience inspired him to give back to the local community and become a role model for others in a similar situation.

Tiago said: “I have set up a football group of around 30 members of mixed ages, ethnicities and abilities who come together to play five-a-side football and work with the council to provide opportunities for younger members to gain additional qualifications such as coaching qualifications and first aid training.”

Tiago’s parents wanted him to go to university, but after taking a two-year break from education following his A-Level exams, the family began to fear he would never return.

However, at the age of 24, ambition and a desire for self-improvement led Tiago to apply to study marketing at the University of Ulster.

His decision to study at Ulster University was largely influenced by the positive experiences of friends who had also studied there. He has never regretted it.

Community has played an important role in both Tiago’s personal and academic life, as he explains: “Community is everything to me, whether it’s the local community at home in Portadown or the community at Ulster University – there’s something special about people coming together for a common cause.

“It was an honour to be appointed class representative for my final year. As class representative, my job was to gather feedback from students about our course, but Ulster University has a very strong sense of community and my course director created an incredibly positive environment so there were no complaints – which made my job a lot easier.”

Reflecting on his time at Ulster, Tiago said: “While I enjoyed many aspects of Ulster University, my best experiences were the people. I was fortunate to have a strong network of peers who supported each other, great staff who taught me, helpful instructors and other members of campus who supported and encouraged me, enabling me to make meaningful connections.”

Tiago combined two jobs with his studies, applying to Ulster University to become a firefighter and was accepted into both courses.

Determined to seize every opportunity, he juggled college, firefighter training, and a part-time job. Balancing these responsibilities with time for family, friends, and fitness was a challenge.

Despite everything, Tiago looks back on these obstacles with pride, knowing that each one was worth overcoming.

Despite his busy schedule, Tiago recently started a new job with a local company and sees it as a chance to use and develop the skills he acquired at university while still working as a firefighter.

His ambitions extend beyond his professional life. He has a bucket list full of travels he wants to accomplish.

“I love what I do but I would love to travel and see the world. In the meantime I am looking forward to using the skills and experiences I have gained in Ulster to further support and enrich my local community.”

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