Engineers Week, an annual campaign to promote engineering as a career and emphasise the importance of the profession to Ireland, is taking place from February 8 to 14, 2015. ‘Engineering is for Everyone’ is the theme for this year’s national awareness week, urging parents, teachers and students to consider engineering as an accessible career choice for all interested students. In addition, the week highlights the value of engineering in the community and the way in which it touches the lives of every citizen.
Engineers Ireland is calling on public and private organisations, local authorities and third-level institutes around the country to get involved by hosting an engineering-related event or taking part in visits to local schools during the week. Engineers Ireland’s schools outreach programme, STEPS, will provide support for companies interested in engaging directly with students to promote the significant contribution of engineers to their localities. Last year, over 36,000 participants took part in 500 events, with 164 organisations involved around the country. Organisers are planning for 2015 to be even bigger and better.
John Power, Chartered Engineer and Director General at Engineers Ireland, today called on enterprise and academia to offer their full support by getting actively involved. “Engineers Week is about getting students interested and excited about engineering,” said Mr Power. “It is the responsibility of those of us working in the profession and educational institutes to share our experience and help students to learn more about the diversity, excitement and sense of achievement a career in engineering presents.
“With the convergence of the physical and digital worlds, the opportunities for invention are now almost infinite and the work of Irish engineers continues to touch and shape our lives in many different ways. The creativity and problem-solving that form the core of engineering benefit society as a whole, from the heat and light delivered directly to our homes, to the transport systems that allow us travel to our places of work, education and recreation.”
Mr Power added, “Engineering offers great variety and a passport to work anywhere in the world. 2014 saw the creation of job opportunities in a wide range of engineering fields all over Ireland demonstrating that it is an exciting and prosperous time for young people to join the profession, as Ireland experiences economic growth.”
Those who wish to participate over the course of the week are invited to visit EngineersWeek.ie to upload their event or to learn more about the supports available.
