Engineering A Better Future with TY Students

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) School of Engineering were absolutely delighted to host another successful STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme in conjunction with Engineers Ireland for a selection of local TY students from different secondary schools. The programme has run now for three years and each year has increased its female participation.

These transition year students had practical, team based sessions in robotics, visited regional industry including Kingspan Group IKON Research Centre and gave their own opinions on sustainability issues in a sustainable engineering workshop with The Rediscovery Centre. This year also featured a brand new session on biomedical engineering, illustrating the broad range of professional skills that engineers possess.

The School of Engineering in DkIT has a long and rich history with over 50 years of supplying top quality graduate engineers. Many of the Institute’s graduates have proudly gone on to change the face and landscape of our region and country. This includes graduates such as Tommy Martin (Divisional R&D Manager) whom the TY students encountered at Kingspan IKON. DkIT have developed extremely close ties to the engineering Industry and have long been a go to Institute to recruit the rising stars of engineering.

Dr Breda Brennan, Head of School of Engineering, said, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome potential engineers of the future on to the STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme. The future is bright for graduates of Engineering and never has recruitment for this industry been more in demand. We hope to welcome back the participants of this programme as students in the years to come”.

The School of Engineering at DkIT offers a large number of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across a wide range of Engineering and related disciplines.   The core areas offered at full-time degree level are Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Surveying, Architectural Technology and Construction Management.  These are complemented by a suite of part-time programmes aimed at workplace upskilling, ranging from NFQ level 6 to Masters level.   DkIT are also one of the largest centres in Ireland delivering trade apprenticeships in Carpentry and Joinery, Motor Mechanics, Electrical and Plumbing.

For the past two decades and particularly over the last decade DkIT has further developed its programmes and research into the existential societal challenges of climate change and sustainability.  This includes both taught and research offerings to Ph.D. and Master’s/postgraduate level with programmes which include Bio-energy, Marine Renewables, Solar energy and Wind energy.