Jobs for engineers are among the hardest to fill roles in Ireland, according to recent data from hiring platform Indeed.
So an event called Explore Engineering that showcases careers in engineering to secondary school students in the Mid West is a welcome boost.
It has been such a success that the showcase is now held in the Departures Hall of Shannon Airport.
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Engineers from 60 companies across Limerick, Clare and Tipperary engaged with more than 2,000 students about the variety of educational options and career opportunies available in the region.
Like all engineers, they are trying to solve a problem; the shortage of engineers in Ireland and they are doing so by inspiring the next generation.
“We are trying to demystify the career,” said Jean McAdam, Marketing Director at Analog Devices, “and to show the students and their parents, who are big decision makers in this as well, about how promising a career it is, how active it is in the Mid West, what they can study, but also the employment opportunities that are there when they graduate.”
The students show a real interest in the displays and exhibits at the event.
“Engineering is such a broad topic,” Ms McCabe explains, “and they want to know, if I go onto do biomedical engineering or electronic engineering, where might those bring me? If I want to work with robots, what kind of engineering do I want to do?
“This is just showing them that engineering is for everybody. It’s a career that can end you up working with the tiniest medical devices to massive cranes that are building bridges and everything in between.”
Modulacc is a portable building solutions company in Limerick. Managing Director, Colin McNamara said the reason his company has a presence at the showcase is to engage with future engineers who might end up working in the industry.
“We need people across the engineering spectrum; designers, architects, engineers to manufacturing operators, industrial specialists and construction, so really this is the future talent pool.”
Tadhg Hassett from Kilnamona met with engineers from industrial diamond specialist Element Six and learned about their work with rocketships.
He was also interested in the fact that you can get to engineering through both the further education and training routes, and the higher education training routes.
“I’m after learning there that you don’t have to just go to university to study engineering, you can do it in apprenticeships as well,” the teenager said.
Isabel Wiseman studies technology subjects that give her a good foundation if she decides to pursure a career in engineering. She visited the University of Limerick stand and learned about the courses on offer at the Castletroy campus.
According to figures from the Higher Education Authority, there has been a 70% increase in the number of engineering graduates from the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon in the past 7 years.
Organisers believe the Exploring Engineering Showcase has been instrumental in this success.
“We’ve seen growth in the figures in those taking up engineering,” said Eimear Brophy, Chair of Exploriing Enginieering. “Tthe figures over the last few years have gone from 1,200 to over 2000. That is showing us that there is an increase. It’s small steps but it’s going in the right direction.”
Ms Brophy said 16% of jobs in the Mid West are in engineering. “It’s a real treat for us to be able to show a pipeline of students from the next generation, the careers and pathways that are available to them.
“It is hugely important to have visibility on women in engineering, the apprenticeship route into engineering, the higher education route into engineering and to promote all of those. We think we are making a difference and the research is bearing that out.”
