The week-long series of activities is run by Engineers Ireland each year to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the profession to Ireland.

This year’s events include an “ethical hackathon”, highlighting security issues for third-level technology students on 28 February. And in the annual Volunteer Day on 1 March, engineers will go into schools across the country to help explain the importance of maths to students.

“The engineering profession is becoming increasingly diverse,” says John Power, Director General of Engineers Ireland, “with the modern engineer involved in everything from space travel technology design to games software development and medical technology.

“Essentially, today’s engineer connects the different pieces that help our communities and cities function. Engineers Week 2012 will show the young and the curious the fantastic potential that a career in these emerging areas of engineering offers.”

Learn more

Nearly 240 events will take place across the island of Ireland over the course of the week. Check out events near you on the Engineersweek.ie website.

The week-long series of activities across the country is run by Engineers Ireland and is a campaign held annually to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the profession to Ireland.

Nearly 240 events will take place across the island of Ireland over the course of the week.

Highlight events over the week include an “ethical hackathon” highlighting security issues for third level technology students on Tuesday 28 February as well as the annual Volunteer Day on Thursday 1 March when engineers go into schools across Ireland to help explain the importance of maths to students.

For more details and to see a full list of events taking place during the week visit the Engineers Ireland website.

Malcolm O'Kelly playing against Italy in the Six Nations Championship

Ireland and Leinster rugby star Malcolm O’Kelly has been talking to school students about his passion for maths, and the importance of a solid grasp of maths in engineering careers. He visited schools as part of Engineers Week’s second national Volunteer Day.

Organised by Engineers Ireland, Volunteer Day involves hundreds of engineers around Ireland visiting schools to help students improve their understanding of the subject.

“This is the second year that I’ve been involved in Engineers Week and Engineers Ireland’s drive to improve maths understanding, but it’s still obvious to me that students need help to engage with it,” Malcolm says.  The rugby player has an engineering undergraduate degree, and a masters degree in mathematics from Trinity College Dublin.

“An engineering qualification has provided me with career options now that my rugby playing days are into their twilight. But maths is fundamental to engineering, so I’m glad to have had the opportunity to go back into school to help students get to grips with the everyday relevance of the subject.”

Technology jobs

John Power, Director General of Engineers Ireland, thanked the volunteer engineers for their contribution to the day, and he talked about the importance of maths within engineering.

“Last year we saw nearly 2,500 technology jobs announced, most of which were high-end engineering positions in the growth sectors of biomedical, energy and software engineering.  If Ireland wants to attract more foreign direct investment and produce jobs of this calibre, then our graduates need to have a high proficiency in maths,” he said.

Engineers Ireland conducted a survey to mark Volunteers Day, and found that 82% of students think studying Higher Level Maths would help their career – yet only 16% of students sat the Higher Level Maths paper in last year’s Leaving Cert exams.

Engineers Ireland says this big gap shows that much greater support is required to help students engage with maths.

Engineers Week runs until next Sunday, 20 February. To find out more information about events near you, visit EngineersWeek.ie.



Focus on the Future!

Engineers Week is a week long programme of nationwide events with the aim of celebrating the world of engineering in Ireland. Events for primary, post-primary students and families will take place across the country during the week.

Each student participant in this year’s event will be in with the chance of winning a fantastic trip to visit the NEMO Science Center in Amsterdam.

There will also be a photography competition – launch date early January 2011

Log on to www.EngineersWeek.ie to find out more about the free interactive events taking place in your county for Engineers Week 2011

Malcolm O'Kelly playing for Ireland against Italy

Leinster and Ireland rugby star Malcolm O’Kelly will be taking part in “Volunteers Day” during the upcoming Engineers Week 2010.

On 11 February volunteer engineers including Malcolm will be going into schools around the country to talk to students about mathematics and engineering.

Malcolm holds an engineering degree and a masters degree in mathematics from Trinity College Dublin. On Volunteers Day he will be giving a maths tutorial to students at his old school at Templeogue College in Dublin.

A career in engineering

“I strongly welcome the efforts of Engineers Ireland to promote everyday understanding of maths in schools through Volunteer Day and Engineers Week more broadly,” Malcolm says.

“Having studied engineering and maths I understand the doors that these subjects can open for people.

“I pursued a career in rugby but I’ve kept close links with the engineering sector and I am currently taking a project management course.

“I believe my future will be in engineering and I’d encourage all students to consider engineering as a real career choice.”

This is the first time that Engineers Week has run a Volunteer Day.

Learn more

Find out how you could be in with a chance to win a trip to the European Space Agency as part of this year’s Engineers Week.