This year’s family fun day activities for kids might be over but there are still quite a few professional and learning opportunities for engineers of all ages.
We are more than halfway through this year’s celebration of the engineering profession, which officially got underway on 2 March, a Saturday.
The reason Engineers Ireland always begins its annual Engineers Week on a weekend date is that it includes little kids in the festivities; there are lots of family fun days to look forward to, and this year was no different.
Let’s take a peek at what there is still to look forward to. Engineers Week 2024 runs for another two-and-a-half days until Friday 8 March.
Still to come
On weekdays, events tend to focus on older engineers, but that doesn’t mean children are ignored. A key component of Engineers Week is the outreach it does with schools around the country. The organisation’s STEPS programme provides industry outreach and support to teachers who want to introduce their young pupils to engineering.
STEPs is funded by the Government and sponsored by Intel, Arup, ESB and the EPA. A lot of those companies participate in Engineers Week school workshops showing young people what a career in engineering is like.
It’s #engineersweek2024! So excited to be part of #STEPSEngineersWeek in partnership with @Pfizer_Ireland and @EngineerIreland. Our programme Engineering Today is a three module Junior Cycle programme aiming to inspire interest in the field of Engineering. #inspiringyoungminds pic.twitter.com/0oWtqulk9X
— Junior Achievement (@JA_Irl) March 4, 2024
For teens, there is an opportunity to delve into a learning programme developed by Junior Achievement Ireland. The organisation has teamed up with pharma giant Pfizer and Engineers Ireland to introduce Engineering Today, a three-module Junior Cycle programme designed to pique young people’s interest in engineering.
Professional opportunities
The Open University in Ireland is nudging its free course for adults that gives an insight into how engineering can solve problems.
As part of #STEPSEngineersWeek, which starts tomorrow, we are sharing this @OUFreeLearning course about how engineering extends the horizons of society by solving technical problems.
Learn More: https://t.co/LsnLMbW1Kv @EngineerIreland #STEPSEngineeringYourFuture pic.twitter.com/Qxoslj0QCA
— The OU in Ireland (@OUIreland) March 1, 2024
It’s an intermediate-level course that teaches learners to think like engineers when approaching problems. It introduces tech terms and concepts engineers use such as prototypes, finite element analysis (FEA), mathematical models and more. It might be a good bet for someone interested in engineering and wants to do a little bit of research before committing to a longer apprenticeship, degree or career change.
Introducing the first of YES Cork’s events for Engineers Week 2024 – the CV & Early Careers Workshop. Taking place in MTU Cork (room IT4) this evening from 6pm till 8:30pm. Register here: https://t.co/NtUPdSvY6H pic.twitter.com/FBzDQ4EKtD
— Engineers Ireland (@EngineerIreland) March 5, 2024
There is still time to register for this CV and early career workshop by Young Engineers Society Cork, which is taking place on the Munster Technological University campus this evening from 6pm until 8.30pm.
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